diff --git a/src/mint/Makefile.am b/src/mint/Makefile.am
index c0fd6949b..17b82dc51 100644
--- a/src/mint/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/mint/Makefile.am
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ lib_LTLIBRARIES = \
   libtalermint_common.la
 
 libtalermint_common_la_SOURCES = \
-  mint_common.c \
+  key_io.c key_io.h \
   mint_db.c
 
 libtalermint_common_la_LIBADD = \
diff --git a/src/mint/mint_common.c b/src/mint/key_io.c
similarity index 94%
rename from src/mint/mint_common.c
rename to src/mint/key_io.c
index 41b9d6ed5..f401a1268 100644
--- a/src/mint/mint_common.c
+++ b/src/mint/key_io.c
@@ -15,15 +15,17 @@
 */
 
 /**
- * @file mint_common.c
- * @brief Common functionality for the mint
+ * @file key_io.c
+ * @brief I/O operations for the Mint's private keys
  * @author Florian Dold
  * @author Benedikt Mueller
  * @author Sree Harsha Totakura
+ * @author Christian Grothoff
  */
-
 #include "platform.h"
 #include "mint.h"
+#include "key_io.h"
+
 
 struct SignkeysIterateContext
 {
@@ -201,8 +203,8 @@ static int
 denomkeys_iterate_topdir_iter (void *cls,
                                const char *filename)
 {
-
   struct DenomkeysIterateContext *dic = cls;
+
   dic->alias = GNUNET_STRINGS_get_short_name (filename);
 
   // FIXME: differentiate between error case and normal iteration abortion
@@ -219,7 +221,9 @@ TALER_MINT_denomkeys_iterate (const char *mint_base_dir,
   char *dir;
   size_t len;
   struct DenomkeysIterateContext dic;
-  len = GNUNET_asprintf (&dir, ("%s" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR DIR_DENOMKEYS),
+
+  len = GNUNET_asprintf (&dir,
+                         "%s" DIR_SEPARATOR_STR DIR_DENOMKEYS,
                          mint_base_dir);
   GNUNET_assert (len > 0);
 
@@ -227,7 +231,9 @@ TALER_MINT_denomkeys_iterate (const char *mint_base_dir,
   dic.it_cls = cls;
 
   // scan over alias dirs
-  return GNUNET_DISK_directory_scan (dir, &denomkeys_iterate_topdir_iter, &dic);
+  return GNUNET_DISK_directory_scan (dir,
+                                     &denomkeys_iterate_topdir_iter,
+                                     &dic);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/mint/key_io.h b/src/mint/key_io.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..44665e379
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/mint/key_io.h
@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+/*
+  This file is part of TALER
+  (C) 2014 Christian Grothoff (and other contributing authors)
+
+  TALER 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 3, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+  TALER 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
+  TALER; see the file COPYING.  If not, If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>
+*/
+/**
+ * @file key_io.h
+ * @brief IO operations for the mint's private keys
+ * @author Florian Dold
+ * @author Benedikt Mueller
+ * @author Christian Grothoff
+ *
+ * TODO:
+ * - document better
+ */
+#ifndef KEY_IO_H
+#define KEY_IO_H
+
+#include <gnunet/gnunet_util_lib.h>
+#include <gnunet/gnunet_common.h>
+#include "taler_util.h"
+#include "taler_signatures.h"
+
+#define DIR_SIGNKEYS "signkeys"
+#define DIR_DENOMKEYS "denomkeys"
+
+/**
+ * On disk format used for a mint signing key.
+ * Includes the private key followed by the signed
+ * issue message.
+ */
+struct TALER_MINT_SignKeyIssuePriv
+{
+  struct GNUNET_CRYPTO_EddsaPrivateKey signkey_priv;
+  struct TALER_MINT_SignKeyIssue issue;
+};
+
+
+
+struct TALER_MINT_DenomKeyIssuePriv
+{
+  /**
+   * The private key of the denomination.  Will be NULL if the private key is
+   * not available.
+   */
+  struct GNUNET_CRYPTO_rsa_PrivateKey *denom_priv;
+
+  struct TALER_MINT_DenomKeyIssue issue;
+};
+
+
+
+
+/**
+ * Iterator for sign keys.
+ *
+ * @param cls closure
+ * @param ski the sign key issue
+ * @return #GNUNET_OK to continue to iterate,
+ *  #GNUNET_NO to stop iteration with no error,
+ *  #GNUNET_SYSERR to abort iteration with error!
+ */
+typedef int
+(*TALER_MINT_SignkeyIterator)(void *cls,
+                              const struct TALER_MINT_SignKeyIssuePriv *ski);
+
+/**
+ * Iterator for denomination keys.
+ *
+ * @param cls closure
+ * @param dki the denomination key issue
+ * @param alias coin alias
+ * @return #GNUNET_OK to continue to iterate,
+ *  #GNUNET_NO to stop iteration with no error,
+ *  #GNUNET_SYSERR to abort iteration with error!
+ */
+typedef int
+(*TALER_MINT_DenomkeyIterator)(void *cls,
+                               const char *alias,
+                               const struct TALER_MINT_DenomKeyIssuePriv *dki);
+
+
+
+/**
+ * FIXME
+ */
+int
+TALER_MINT_signkeys_iterate (const char *mint_base_dir,
+                             TALER_MINT_SignkeyIterator it, void *cls);
+
+
+/**
+ * FIXME
+ */
+int
+TALER_MINT_denomkeys_iterate (const char *mint_base_dir,
+                              TALER_MINT_DenomkeyIterator it, void *cls);
+
+
+/**
+ * Exports a denomination key to the given file
+ *
+ * @param filename the file where to write the denomination key
+ * @param dki the denomination key
+ * @return #GNUNET_OK upon success; #GNUNET_SYSERR upon failure.
+ */
+int
+TALER_MINT_write_denom_key (const char *filename,
+                            const struct TALER_MINT_DenomKeyIssuePriv *dki);
+
+
+/**
+ * Import a denomination key from the given file
+ *
+ * @param filename the file to import the key from
+ * @param dki pointer to return the imported denomination key
+ * @return #GNUNET_OK upon success; #GNUNET_SYSERR upon failure
+ */
+int
+TALER_MINT_read_denom_key (const char *filename,
+                           struct TALER_MINT_DenomKeyIssuePriv *dki);
+
+
+
+
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/mint/mint.h b/src/mint/mint.h
index 0a0e00d04..1c5e9802e 100644
--- a/src/mint/mint.h
+++ b/src/mint/mint.h
@@ -20,20 +20,18 @@
  * @author Benedikt Mueller
  *
  * TODO:
- * - revisit and document `struct Deposit` members.
+ * - move DB functions to mint_db.h
  */
 #ifndef _MINT_H
 #define _MINT_H
 
 #include <gnunet/gnunet_util_lib.h>
 #include <gnunet/gnunet_common.h>
-#include <libpq-fe.h>
 #include <jansson.h>
+#include <libpq-fe.h>
 #include "taler_util.h"
 #include "taler_signatures.h"
 
-#define DIR_SIGNKEYS "signkeys"
-#define DIR_DENOMKEYS "denomkeys"
 
 /**
  * For now, we just do EUR.  Should become configurable
@@ -41,31 +39,6 @@
  */
 #define MINT_CURRENCY "EUR"
 
-/**
- * On disk format used for a mint signing key.
- * Includes the private key followed by the signed
- * issue message.
- */
-struct TALER_MINT_SignKeyIssuePriv
-{
-  struct GNUNET_CRYPTO_EddsaPrivateKey signkey_priv;
-  struct TALER_MINT_SignKeyIssue issue;
-};
-
-
-
-struct TALER_MINT_DenomKeyIssuePriv
-{
-  /**
-   * The private key of the denomination.  Will be NULL if the private key is
-   * not available.
-   */
-  struct GNUNET_CRYPTO_rsa_PrivateKey *denom_priv;
-
-  struct TALER_MINT_DenomKeyIssue issue;
-};
-
-
 
 /**
  * Public information about a coin (including the public key
@@ -357,77 +330,6 @@ struct Reserve
 
 
 
-/**
- * Iterator for sign keys.
- *
- * @param cls closure
- * @param ski the sign key issue
- * @return #GNUNET_OK to continue to iterate,
- *  #GNUNET_NO to stop iteration with no error,
- *  #GNUNET_SYSERR to abort iteration with error!
- */
-typedef int
-(*TALER_MINT_SignkeyIterator)(void *cls,
-                              const struct TALER_MINT_SignKeyIssuePriv *ski);
-
-/**
- * Iterator for denomination keys.
- *
- * @param cls closure
- * @param dki the denomination key issue
- * @param alias coin alias
- * @return #GNUNET_OK to continue to iterate,
- *  #GNUNET_NO to stop iteration with no error,
- *  #GNUNET_SYSERR to abort iteration with error!
- */
-typedef int
-(*TALER_MINT_DenomkeyIterator)(void *cls,
-                               const char *alias,
-                               const struct TALER_MINT_DenomKeyIssuePriv *dki);
-
-
-
-/**
- * FIXME
- */
-int
-TALER_MINT_signkeys_iterate (const char *mint_base_dir,
-                             TALER_MINT_SignkeyIterator it, void *cls);
-
-
-/**
- * FIXME
- */
-int
-TALER_MINT_denomkeys_iterate (const char *mint_base_dir,
-                              TALER_MINT_DenomkeyIterator it, void *cls);
-
-
-/**
- * Exports a denomination key to the given file
- *
- * @param filename the file where to write the denomination key
- * @param dki the denomination key
- * @return #GNUNET_OK upon success; #GNUNET_SYSERR upon failure.
- */
-int
-TALER_MINT_write_denom_key (const char *filename,
-                            const struct TALER_MINT_DenomKeyIssuePriv *dki);
-
-
-/**
- * Import a denomination key from the given file
- *
- * @param filename the file to import the key from
- * @param dki pointer to return the imported denomination key
- * @return #GNUNET_OK upon success; #GNUNET_SYSERR upon failure
- */
-int
-TALER_MINT_read_denom_key (const char *filename,
-                           struct TALER_MINT_DenomKeyIssuePriv *dki);
-
-
-
 int
 TALER_TALER_DB_extract_amount (PGresult *result,
                                unsigned int row,
diff --git a/src/mint/taler-mint-httpd_keys.h b/src/mint/taler-mint-httpd_keys.h
index 4182c25ea..eeeb21ef3 100644
--- a/src/mint/taler-mint-httpd_keys.h
+++ b/src/mint/taler-mint-httpd_keys.h
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 #include <jansson.h>
 #include "taler-mint-httpd.h"
 #include "mint.h"
+#include "key_io.h"
+
 
 /**
  * Snapshot of the (coin and signing)
diff --git a/src/mint/taler-mint-keycheck.c b/src/mint/taler-mint-keycheck.c
index 09f59ab2f..c2deec0c2 100644
--- a/src/mint/taler-mint-keycheck.c
+++ b/src/mint/taler-mint-keycheck.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include <gnunet/gnunet_util_lib.h>
 #include "mint.h"
 #include "taler_signatures.h"
+#include "key_io.h"
 
 
 static char *mintdir;
diff --git a/src/mint/taler-mint-keyup.c b/src/mint/taler-mint-keyup.c
index f8670eb97..03c66216b 100644
--- a/src/mint/taler-mint-keyup.c
+++ b/src/mint/taler-mint-keyup.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "taler_util.h"
 #include "taler_signatures.h"
 #include "mint.h"
+#include "key_io.h"
 
 /**
  * FIXME: allow user to specify (within reason).