diff --git a/MANIFEST b/MANIFEST
index 7d8a722dd..eb03723f6 100644
--- a/MANIFEST
+++ b/MANIFEST
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ testcases/files/testcase04.log
 setup.py
 setup.cfg
 common/__init__.py
+common/helpers.py
 common/version.py
 common/protocol.py
 config/jail.conf
diff --git a/common/helpers.py b/common/helpers.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..95a7c1038
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/helpers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+# This file is part of Fail2Ban.
+#
+# Fail2Ban is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# Fail2Ban is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with Fail2Ban; if not, write to the Free Software
+# Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
+
+# Author: Cyril Jaquier
+# Author: Arturo 'Buanzo' Busleiman
+# 
+# $Revision: 711 $
+
+__author__ = "Cyril Jaquier"
+__version__ = "$Revision: 567 $"
+__date__ = "$Date: 2007-03-26 23:17:31 +0200 (Mon, 26 Mar 2007) $"
+__copyright__ = "Copyright (c) 2009 Cyril Jaquier"
+__license__ = "GPL"
+
+
+def formatExceptionInfo():
+    """ Author: Arturo 'Buanzo' Busleiman """
+    import sys
+    cla, exc = sys.exc_info()[:2]
+    excName = cla.__name__
+    try:
+        excArgs = exc.__dict__["args"]
+    except KeyError:
+        excArgs = str(exc)
+    return (excName, excArgs)
diff --git a/server/asyncserver.py b/server/asyncserver.py
index 0714513d7..edcd9bbc0 100644
--- a/server/asyncserver.py
+++ b/server/asyncserver.py
@@ -25,24 +25,12 @@ __copyright__ = "Copyright (c) 2004 Cyril Jaquier"
 __license__ = "GPL"
 
 from pickle import dumps, loads, HIGHEST_PROTOCOL
+from common import helpers
 import asyncore, asynchat, socket, os, logging, sys
 
 # Gets the instance of the logger.
 logSys = logging.getLogger("fail2ban.server")
 
-# we should move this to some sort of helper functions module
-
-def formatExceptionInfo():
-	""" Author: Arturo 'Buanzo' Busleiman """
-	import sys
-	cla, exc = sys.exc_info()[:2]
-	excName = cla.__name__
-	try:
-		excArgs = exc.__dict__["args"]
-	except KeyError:
-		excArgs = str(exc)
-	return (excName, excArgs)
-
 ##
 # Request handler class.
 #
@@ -82,7 +70,7 @@ class RequestHandler(asynchat.async_chat):
 		self.close_when_done()
 		
 	def handle_error(self):
-		e1,e2 = formatExceptionInfo()
+		e1,e2 = helpers.formatExceptionInfo()
 		logSys.error("Unexpected communication error: "+e2)
 		logSys.error(traceback.format_exc().splitlines())
 		self.close()