diff --git a/builder.py b/builder.py
index 342c5b4..9878e86 100644
--- a/builder.py
+++ b/builder.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import sys, os, errno, stat
 import vars, jwack, state
-from helpers import log, log_, debug, debug2, err, warn, unlink, close_on_exec
+from helpers import unlink, close_on_exec
+from log import log, log_, debug, debug2, err, warn
 
 
 def _possible_do_files(t):
diff --git a/helpers.py b/helpers.py
index 169d39c..75f0d6b 100644
--- a/helpers.py
+++ b/helpers.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-import sys, os, errno, fcntl
-import vars
+import os, errno, fcntl
+from atoi import atoi
 
 
 def unlink(f):
@@ -15,52 +15,6 @@ def unlink(f):
             pass  # it doesn't exist, that's what you asked for
 
 
-def log_(s):
-    sys.stdout.flush()
-    if vars.DEBUG_PIDS:
-        sys.stderr.write('%d %s' % (os.getpid(), s))
-    else:
-        sys.stderr.write(s)
-    sys.stderr.flush()
-
-
-def _clog(s):
-    log_('\x1b[32mredo  %s\x1b[1m%s\x1b[m' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
-def _bwlog(s):
-    log_('redo  %s%s' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
-
-def _cerr(s):
-    log_('\x1b[31mredo: %s\x1b[1m%s\x1b[m' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
-def _bwerr(s):
-    log_('redo: %s%s' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
-
-def _cwarn(s):
-    log_('\x1b[33mredo: %s\x1b[1m%s\x1b[m' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
-def _bwwarn(s):
-    log_('redo: %s%s' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
-
-
-if os.isatty(2):
-    log = _clog
-    err = _cerr
-    warn = _cwarn
-else:
-    log = _bwlog
-    err = _bwerr
-    warn = _bwwarn
-
-
-def debug(s):
-    if vars.DEBUG >= 1:
-        log_('redo: %s%s' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
-def debug2(s):
-    if vars.DEBUG >= 2:
-        log_('redo: %s%s' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
-def debug3(s):
-    if vars.DEBUG >= 3:
-        log_('redo: %s%s' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
-
-
 def close_on_exec(fd, yes):
     fl = fcntl.fcntl(fd, fcntl.F_GETFD)
     fl &= ~fcntl.FD_CLOEXEC
diff --git a/jwack.py b/jwack.py
index 41050df..99303d8 100644
--- a/jwack.py
+++ b/jwack.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # beware the jobberwack
 #
 import sys, os, errno, select, fcntl, signal
-import atoi
+from helpers import atoi, close_on_exec
 
 _toplevel = 0
 _mytokens = 1
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ def setup(maxjobs):
         s = flags[ofs+len(FIND):]
         (arg,junk) = s.split(' ', 1)
         (a,b) = arg.split(',', 1)
-        a = atoi.atoi(a)
-        b = atoi.atoi(b)
+        a = atoi(a)
+        b = atoi(b)
         if a <= 0 or b <= 0:
             raise ValueError('invalid --jobserver-fds: %r' % arg)
         try:
@@ -242,7 +242,6 @@ def start_job(reason, jobfunc, donefunc):
         finally:
             _debug('exit: %d\n' % rv)
             os._exit(rv)
-    from helpers import close_on_exec
     close_on_exec(r, True)
     os.close(w)
     pd = Job(reason, pid, donefunc)
diff --git a/log.py b/log.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..736f732
--- /dev/null
+++ b/log.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+import sys, os
+import vars
+
+def log_(s):
+    sys.stdout.flush()
+    if vars.DEBUG_PIDS:
+        sys.stderr.write('%d %s' % (os.getpid(), s))
+    else:
+        sys.stderr.write(s)
+    sys.stderr.flush()
+
+
+def _clog(s):
+    log_('\x1b[32mredo  %s\x1b[1m%s\x1b[m' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
+def _bwlog(s):
+    log_('redo  %s%s' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
+
+def _cerr(s):
+    log_('\x1b[31mredo: %s\x1b[1m%s\x1b[m' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
+def _bwerr(s):
+    log_('redo: %s%s' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
+
+def _cwarn(s):
+    log_('\x1b[33mredo: %s\x1b[1m%s\x1b[m' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
+def _bwwarn(s):
+    log_('redo: %s%s' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
+
+
+if os.isatty(2):
+    log = _clog
+    err = _cerr
+    warn = _cwarn
+else:
+    log = _bwlog
+    err = _bwerr
+    warn = _bwwarn
+
+
+def debug(s):
+    if vars.DEBUG >= 1:
+        log_('redo: %s%s' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
+def debug2(s):
+    if vars.DEBUG >= 2:
+        log_('redo: %s%s' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
+def debug3(s):
+    if vars.DEBUG >= 3:
+        log_('redo: %s%s' % (vars.DEPTH, s))
+
+
diff --git a/redo-always.py b/redo-always.py
index 3f53bd3..ea8e343 100755
--- a/redo-always.py
+++ b/redo-always.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 import sys, os
 import vars, state
-from helpers import err
+from log import err
 
 
 try:
diff --git a/redo-ifchange.py b/redo-ifchange.py
index a044289..d92a556 100755
--- a/redo-ifchange.py
+++ b/redo-ifchange.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 import sys, os, errno, stat
 import vars, state, builder, jwack
-from helpers import debug, debug2, err, unlink
+from helpers import unlink
+from log import debug, debug2, err
 
 def _nice(t):
     return state.relpath(os.path.join(vars.BASE, t), vars.STARTDIR)
diff --git a/redo-ifcreate.py b/redo-ifcreate.py
index d4c190c..183e686 100755
--- a/redo-ifcreate.py
+++ b/redo-ifcreate.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 import sys, os
 import vars, state
-from helpers import err
+from log import err
 
 
 try:
diff --git a/redo-oob.py b/redo-oob.py
index a60fc0a..d93d3a5 100755
--- a/redo-oob.py
+++ b/redo-oob.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 import sys, os
 import state
-from helpers import err
+from log import err
 
 if len(sys.argv[1:]) < 2:
     err('%s: at least 2 arguments expected.\n' % sys.argv[0])
diff --git a/redo-stamp.py b/redo-stamp.py
index a9b9009..81fdeaf 100755
--- a/redo-stamp.py
+++ b/redo-stamp.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 import sys, os
 import vars, state
-from helpers import err, debug2
+from log import err, debug2
 
 if len(sys.argv) > 1:
     err('%s: no arguments expected.\n' % sys.argv[0])
diff --git a/redo.py b/redo.py
index 1507bb8..4b55c19 100755
--- a/redo.py
+++ b/redo.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 import sys, os
-import options, jwack, atoi
+import options
+from helpers import atoi
 
 optspec = """
 redo [targets...]
@@ -57,15 +58,15 @@ if is_root:
     os.environ['REDO'] = os.path.abspath(sys.argv[0])
 
 
-import vars, state, builder
-from helpers import err
+import vars, state, builder, jwack
+from log import err
 
 
 if is_root:
     state.init()
 
 try:
-    j = atoi.atoi(opt.jobs or 1)
+    j = atoi(opt.jobs or 1)
     if j < 1 or j > 1000:
         err('invalid --jobs value: %r\n' % opt.jobs)
     jwack.setup(j)
diff --git a/state.py b/state.py
index 1650d62..ce43ad1 100644
--- a/state.py
+++ b/state.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import sys, os, errno, glob, stat, fcntl, sqlite3
 import vars
-from helpers import unlink, err, debug2, debug3, close_on_exec
-import helpers
+from helpers import unlink, close_on_exec
+from log import err, debug2, debug3
 
 SCHEMA_VER=1
 TIMEOUT=60
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@ def _write(q, l):
         return
     global _wrote
     _wrote += 1
-    #helpers.log_('W: %r %r\n' % (q,l))
     db().execute(q, l)
 
 
@@ -106,7 +105,6 @@ def commit():
         return
     global _wrote
     if _wrote:
-        #helpers.log_("COMMIT (%d)\n" % _wrote)
         db().commit()
         _wrote = 0
 
diff --git a/vars.py b/vars.py
index 39a3346..b10f742 100644
--- a/vars.py
+++ b/vars.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import os
-import atoi
+from atoi import atoi
 
 if not os.environ.get('REDO'):
     import sys
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ if not os.environ.get('REDO'):
 PWD = os.environ.get('REDO_PWD', '')
 TARGET = os.environ.get('REDO_TARGET', '')
 DEPTH = os.environ.get('REDO_DEPTH', '')
-DEBUG = atoi.atoi(os.environ.get('REDO_DEBUG', ''))
+DEBUG = atoi(os.environ.get('REDO_DEBUG', ''))
 DEBUG_LOCKS = os.environ.get('REDO_DEBUG_LOCKS', '') and 1 or 0
 DEBUG_PIDS = os.environ.get('REDO_DEBUG_PIDS', '') and 1 or 0
 VERBOSE = os.environ.get('REDO_VERBOSE', '') and 1 or 0
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ XTRACE = os.environ.get('REDO_XTRACE', '') and 1 or 0
 KEEP_GOING = os.environ.get('REDO_KEEP_GOING', '') and 1 or 0
 SHUFFLE = os.environ.get('REDO_SHUFFLE', '') and 1 or 0
 STARTDIR = os.environ['REDO_STARTDIR']
-RUNID = atoi.atoi(os.environ.get('REDO_RUNID')) or None
+RUNID = atoi(os.environ.get('REDO_RUNID')) or None
 BASE = os.environ['REDO_BASE']
 while BASE and BASE.endswith('/'):
     BASE = BASE[:-1]