diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 59b5879b..50af9839 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -2,12 +2,13 @@ CC = gcc
 WARNS = -Werror -Wall -Wextra -Wno-unused-parameter -Wno-unused-but-set-variable
 LIBS = -lxml2 -lssl -lresolv -lncurses -lstrophe
 CFLAGS = -O3 $(WARNS) $(LIBS)
-OBJS = log.o profanity.o
+OBJS = log.o windows.o profanity.o
 
 profanity: $(OBJS)
 	$(CC) -o profanity $(OBJS) $(LIBS)
 
 log.o: log.h
+windows.o: windows.h
 profanity.o: log.h
 
 .PHONY: clean
diff --git a/log.h b/log.h
index c8763cd6..1a5dad60 100644
--- a/log.h
+++ b/log.h
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #ifndef LOG_H
 #define LOG_H
 
-// log
 FILE *logp;
 
 xmpp_log_t *xmpp_get_file_logger();
diff --git a/profanity.c b/profanity.c
index f770f2bf..732b8304 100644
--- a/profanity.c
+++ b/profanity.c
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <strophe/strophe.h>
 
 #include "log.h"
+#include "windows.h"
 
 // refernce to log
 extern FILE *logp;
@@ -13,11 +14,11 @@ extern FILE *logp;
 // area for log message in profanity
 static const char *prof = "prof";
 
-// static windows
-static WINDOW *title_bar;
-static WINDOW *cmd_bar;
-static WINDOW *cmd_win;
-static WINDOW *main_win;
+// window references
+extern WINDOW *title_bar;
+extern WINDOW *cmd_bar;
+extern WINDOW *cmd_win;
+extern WINDOW *main_win;
 
 // message handlers
 int in_message_handler(xmpp_conn_t * const conn, xmpp_stanza_t * const stanza, 
@@ -30,18 +31,8 @@ void conn_handler(xmpp_conn_t * const conn, const xmpp_conn_event_t status,
 
 // curses functions
 void init(void);
-void create_title_bar(void);
-void create_command_bar(void);
-void create_command_window(void);
-void create_main_window(void);
-
 void event_loop(xmpp_ctx_t *ctx, xmpp_conn_t *conn);
 
-struct receiver {
-    xmpp_ctx_t *ctx;
-    xmpp_conn_t *conn;
-};
-
 int main(void)
 {   
     char cmd[50];
@@ -269,41 +260,3 @@ void init(void)
     attron(A_BOLD);
     attron(COLOR_PAIR(1));
 }
-
-void create_title_bar(void)
-{
-    char *title = "Profanity";
-    
-    int rows, cols;
-    getmaxyx(stdscr, rows, cols);
-    
-    title_bar = newwin(1, cols, 0, 0);
-    wbkgd(title_bar, COLOR_PAIR(3));
-    mvwprintw(title_bar, 0, 0, title);
-}
-
-void create_command_bar(void)
-{
-    int rows, cols;
-    getmaxyx(stdscr, rows, cols);
-    
-    cmd_bar = newwin(1, cols, rows-2, 0);
-    wbkgd(cmd_bar, COLOR_PAIR(3));
-}
-
-void create_command_window(void)
-{
-    int rows, cols;
-    getmaxyx(stdscr, rows, cols);
-    
-    cmd_win = newwin(1, cols, rows-1, 0);
-}
-
-void create_main_window(void)
-{
-    int rows, cols;
-    getmaxyx(stdscr, rows, cols);
-    
-    main_win = newwin(rows-3, cols, 1, 0);
-    scrollok(main_win, TRUE);
-}
diff --git a/windows.c b/windows.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..967e0a4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/windows.c
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+#include <ncurses.h>
+
+#include "windows.h"
+
+// window references
+extern WINDOW *title_bar;
+extern WINDOW *cmd_bar;
+extern WINDOW *cmd_win;
+extern WINDOW *main_win;
+
+void create_title_bar(void)
+{
+    char *title = "Profanity";
+
+    int rows, cols;
+    getmaxyx(stdscr, rows, cols);
+
+    title_bar = newwin(1, cols, 0, 0);
+    wbkgd(title_bar, COLOR_PAIR(3));
+    mvwprintw(title_bar, 0, 0, title);
+}
+
+void create_command_bar(void)
+{
+    int rows, cols;
+    getmaxyx(stdscr, rows, cols);
+
+    cmd_bar = newwin(1, cols, rows-2, 0);
+    wbkgd(cmd_bar, COLOR_PAIR(3));
+}
+
+void create_command_window(void)
+{
+    int rows, cols;
+    getmaxyx(stdscr, rows, cols);
+
+    cmd_win = newwin(1, cols, rows-1, 0);
+}
+
+void create_main_window(void)
+{
+    int rows, cols;
+    getmaxyx(stdscr, rows, cols);
+
+    main_win = newwin(rows-3, cols, 1, 0);
+    scrollok(main_win, TRUE);
+}
diff --git a/windows.h b/windows.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e9960bb0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/windows.h
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#ifndef WINDOWS_H
+#define WINDOWS_h
+
+// windows
+WINDOW *title_bar;
+WINDOW *cmd_bar;
+WINDOW *cmd_win;
+WINDOW *main_win;
+
+// window creation
+void create_title_bar(void);
+void create_command_bar(void);
+void create_command_window(void);
+void create_main_window(void);
+
+#endif