diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4289eb4d..fedd6ec3 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -18,18 +18,21 @@ else
 UNUSED:=$(shell $(MAKE) loglevels.h)
 endif
 
-SUBDIRS=i3-msg i3-input i3-nagbar i3-config-wizard i3bar
+SUBDIRS:=i3-msg i3-input i3-nagbar i3-config-wizard i3bar
 
 # Depend on the specific file (.c for each .o) and on all headers
 src/%.o: src/%.c ${HEADERS}
-	echo "CC $<"
+	echo "[i3] CC $<"
 	$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -DLOGLEVEL="((uint64_t)1 << $(shell awk '/$(shell basename $< .c)/ { print NR; exit 0; }' loglevels.tmp))" -c -o $@ $<
 
 all: i3 subdirs
 
-i3: src/cfgparse.y.o src/cfgparse.yy.o src/cmdparse.y.o src/cmdparse.yy.o ${FILES}
-	echo "LINK i3"
-	$(CC) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $^ $(LIBS)
+i3: libi3/libi3.a src/cfgparse.y.o src/cfgparse.yy.o src/cmdparse.y.o src/cmdparse.yy.o ${FILES}
+	echo "[i3] LINK i3"
+	$(CC) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $(filter-out libi3/libi3.a,$^) $(LIBS)
+
+libi3/%.a:
+	$(MAKE) -C libi3
 
 subdirs:
 	for dir in $(SUBDIRS); do \
@@ -39,7 +42,7 @@ subdirs:
 	done
 
 loglevels.h:
-	echo "LOGLEVELS"
+	echo "[i3] LOGLEVELS"
 	for file in $$(ls src/*.c src/*.y src/*.l | grep -v 'cfgparse.\(tab\|yy\).c'); \
 	do \
 		echo $$(basename $$file .c); \
@@ -51,29 +54,29 @@ loglevels.h:
 	echo "};") > include/loglevels.h;
 
 src/cfgparse.yy.o: src/cfgparse.l src/cfgparse.y.o ${HEADERS}
-	echo "LEX $<"
+	echo "[i3] LEX $<"
 	flex -i -o$(@:.o=.c) $<
 	$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -DLOGLEVEL="(1 << $(shell awk '/cfgparse.l/ { print NR }' loglevels.tmp))" -c -o $@ $(@:.o=.c)
 
 src/cmdparse.yy.o: src/cmdparse.l src/cmdparse.y.o ${HEADERS}
-	echo "LEX $<"
+	echo "[i3] LEX $<"
 	flex -Pcmdyy -i -o$(@:.o=.c) $<
 	$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -DLOGLEVEL="(1 << $(shell awk '/cmdparse.l/ { print NR }' loglevels.tmp))" -c -o $@ $(@:.o=.c)
 
 
 src/cfgparse.y.o: src/cfgparse.y ${HEADERS}
-	echo "YACC $<"
+	echo "[i3] YACC $<"
 	bison --debug --verbose -b $(basename $< .y) -d $<
 	$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -DLOGLEVEL="(1 << $(shell awk '/cfgparse.y/ { print NR }' loglevels.tmp))" -c -o $@ $(<:.y=.tab.c)
 
 src/cmdparse.y.o: src/cmdparse.y ${HEADERS}
-	echo "YACC $<"
+	echo "[i3] YACC $<"
 	bison -p cmdyy --debug --verbose -b $(basename $< .y) -d $<
 	$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -DLOGLEVEL="(1 << $(shell awk '/cmdparse.y/ { print NR }' loglevels.tmp))" -c -o $@ $(<:.y=.tab.c)
 
 
 install: all
-	echo "INSTALL"
+	echo "[i3] INSTALL"
 	$(INSTALL) -d -m 0755 $(DESTDIR)$(PREFIX)/bin
 	$(INSTALL) -d -m 0755 $(DESTDIR)$(SYSCONFDIR)/i3
 	$(INSTALL) -d -m 0755 $(DESTDIR)$(PREFIX)/include/i3
@@ -120,6 +123,7 @@ dist: distclean
 clean:
 	rm -f src/*.o src/*.gcno src/cfgparse.tab.{c,h} src/cfgparse.yy.c src/cfgparse.{output,dot} src/cmdparse.tab.{c,h} src/cmdparse.yy.c src/cmdparse.{output,dot} loglevels.tmp include/loglevels.h
 	(which lcov >/dev/null 2>&1 && lcov -d . --zerocounters) || true
+	$(MAKE) -C libi3 clean
 	$(MAKE) -C docs clean
 	$(MAKE) -C man clean
 	for dir in $(SUBDIRS); do \
diff --git a/common.mk b/common.mk
index b8ceea3b..53094fb3 100644
--- a/common.mk
+++ b/common.mk
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ CPPFLAGS += -DPCRE_HAS_UCP=1
 endif
 
 LIBS += -lm
+LIBS += -L $(TOPDIR)/libi3 -li3
 LIBS += $(call ldflags_for_lib, xcb-event, xcb-event)
 LIBS += $(call ldflags_for_lib, xcb-keysyms, xcb-keysyms)
 ifeq ($(shell pkg-config --exists xcb-util || echo 1),1)
diff --git a/i3-config-wizard/Makefile b/i3-config-wizard/Makefile
index 43c3a1ff..1a9638ec 100644
--- a/i3-config-wizard/Makefile
+++ b/i3-config-wizard/Makefile
@@ -10,28 +10,28 @@ HEADERS:=$(wildcard *.h)
 
 # Depend on the specific file (.c for each .o) and on all headers
 %.o: %.c ${HEADERS}
-	echo "CC $<"
+	echo "[i3-config-wizard] CC $<"
 	$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -c -o $@ $<
 
 all: i3-config-wizard
 
 i3-config-wizard: cfgparse.y.o cfgparse.yy.o ${FILES}
-	echo "LINK i3-config-wizard"
+	echo "[i3-config-wizard] LINK i3-config-wizard"
 	$(CC) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $^ $(LIBS)
 
 cfgparse.yy.o: cfgparse.l cfgparse.y.o ${HEADERS}
-	echo "LEX $<"
+	echo "[i3-config-wizard] LEX $<"
 	flex -i -o$(@:.o=.c) $<
 	$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -c -o $@ $(@:.o=.c)
 
 cfgparse.y.o: cfgparse.y ${HEADERS}
-	echo "YACC $<"
+	echo "[i3-config-wizard] YACC $<"
 	bison --debug --verbose -b $(basename $< .y) -d $<
 	$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -c -o $@ $(<:.y=.tab.c)
 
 
 install: all
-	echo "INSTALL"
+	echo "[i3-config-wizard] INSTALL"
 	$(INSTALL) -d -m 0755 $(DESTDIR)$(PREFIX)/bin
 	$(INSTALL) -m 0755 i3-config-wizard $(DESTDIR)$(PREFIX)/bin/
 
diff --git a/i3-input/Makefile b/i3-input/Makefile
index 45653dad..5929b4c4 100644
--- a/i3-input/Makefile
+++ b/i3-input/Makefile
@@ -9,17 +9,17 @@ HEADERS=$(wildcard *.h)
 
 # Depend on the specific file (.c for each .o) and on all headers
 %.o: %.c ${HEADERS}
-	echo "CC $<"
+	echo "[i3-input] CC $<"
 	$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -c -o $@ $<
 
 all: i3-input
 
 i3-input: ${FILES}
-	echo "LINK i3-input"
+	echo "[i3-input] LINK i3-input"
 	$(CC) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ ${FILES} $(LIBS)
 
 install: all
-	echo "INSTALL"
+	echo "[i3-input] INSTALL"
 	$(INSTALL) -d -m 0755 $(DESTDIR)$(PREFIX)/bin
 	$(INSTALL) -m 0755 i3-input $(DESTDIR)$(PREFIX)/bin/
 
diff --git a/i3-msg/Makefile b/i3-msg/Makefile
index 1b7c1c04..617df932 100644
--- a/i3-msg/Makefile
+++ b/i3-msg/Makefile
@@ -11,17 +11,17 @@ HEADERS=$(wildcard *.h)
 
 # Depend on the specific file (.c for each .o) and on all headers
 %.o: %.c ${HEADERS}
-	echo "CC $<"
+	echo "[i3-msg] CC $<"
 	$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -c -o $@ $<
 
 all: i3-msg
 
 i3-msg: ${FILES}
-	echo "LINK i3-msg"
+	echo "[i3-msg] LINK i3-msg"
 	$(CC) $(LDFLAGS) -o i3-msg ${FILES} $(LIBS)
 
 install: all
-	echo "INSTALL"
+	echo "[i3-msg] INSTALL"
 	$(INSTALL) -d -m 0755 $(DESTDIR)$(PREFIX)/bin
 	$(INSTALL) -m 0755 i3-msg $(DESTDIR)$(PREFIX)/bin/
 
diff --git a/i3-msg/main.c b/i3-msg/main.c
index 2d7cef0e..124663d6 100644
--- a/i3-msg/main.c
+++ b/i3-msg/main.c
@@ -32,46 +32,11 @@
 #include <xcb/xcb.h>
 #include <xcb/xcb_aux.h>
 
+#include "libi3.h"
 #include <i3/ipc.h>
 
 static char *socket_path;
 
-/*
- * Try to get the socket path from X11 and return NULL if it doesn’t work.
- * As i3-msg is a short-running tool, we don’t bother with cleaning up the
- * connection and leave it up to the operating system on exit.
- *
- */
-static char *socket_path_from_x11() {
-    xcb_connection_t *conn;
-    int screen;
-    if ((conn = xcb_connect(NULL, &screen)) == NULL ||
-        xcb_connection_has_error(conn))
-        return NULL;
-    xcb_screen_t *root_screen = xcb_aux_get_screen(conn, screen);
-    xcb_window_t root = root_screen->root;
-
-    xcb_intern_atom_cookie_t atom_cookie;
-    xcb_intern_atom_reply_t *atom_reply;
-
-    atom_cookie = xcb_intern_atom(conn, 0, strlen("I3_SOCKET_PATH"), "I3_SOCKET_PATH");
-    atom_reply = xcb_intern_atom_reply(conn, atom_cookie, NULL);
-    if (atom_reply == NULL)
-        return NULL;
-
-    xcb_get_property_cookie_t prop_cookie;
-    xcb_get_property_reply_t *prop_reply;
-    prop_cookie = xcb_get_property_unchecked(conn, false, root, atom_reply->atom,
-                                             XCB_GET_PROPERTY_TYPE_ANY, 0, PATH_MAX);
-    prop_reply = xcb_get_property_reply(conn, prop_cookie, NULL);
-    if (prop_reply == NULL || xcb_get_property_value_length(prop_reply) == 0)
-        return NULL;
-    if (asprintf(&socket_path, "%.*s", xcb_get_property_value_length(prop_reply),
-                 (char*)xcb_get_property_value(prop_reply)) == -1)
-        return NULL;
-    return socket_path;
-}
-
 /*
  * Formats a message (payload) of the given size and type and sends it to i3 via
  * the given socket file descriptor.
diff --git a/i3-nagbar/Makefile b/i3-nagbar/Makefile
index 933ae76c..fed223db 100644
--- a/i3-nagbar/Makefile
+++ b/i3-nagbar/Makefile
@@ -9,17 +9,17 @@ HEADERS=$(wildcard *.h)
 
 # Depend on the specific file (.c for each .o) and on all headers
 %.o: %.c ${HEADERS}
-	echo "CC $<"
+	echo "[i3-nagbar] CC $<"
 	$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -c -o $@ $<
 
 all: i3-nagbar
 
 i3-nagbar: ${FILES}
-	echo "LINK i3-nagbar"
+	echo "[i3-nagbar] LINK i3-nagbar"
 	$(CC) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ ${FILES} $(LIBS)
 
 install: all
-	echo "INSTALL"
+	echo "[i3-nagbar] INSTALL"
 	$(INSTALL) -d -m 0755 $(DESTDIR)$(PREFIX)/bin
 	$(INSTALL) -m 0755 i3-nagbar $(DESTDIR)$(PREFIX)/bin/
 
diff --git a/include/all.h b/include/all.h
index 9c08ebef..38cda89c 100644
--- a/include/all.h
+++ b/include/all.h
@@ -65,5 +65,6 @@
 #include "ewmh.h"
 #include "assignments.h"
 #include "regex.h"
+#include "libi3.h"
 
 #endif
diff --git a/libi3/Makefile b/libi3/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e9efcf7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libi3/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# Default value so one can compile i3-msg standalone
+TOPDIR=..
+
+include $(TOPDIR)/common.mk
+
+CFLAGS += -I$(TOPDIR)/include
+
+# Depend on the object files of all source-files in src/*.c and on all header files
+FILES=$(patsubst %.c,%.o,$(wildcard *.c))
+HEADERS=$(wildcard *.h)
+
+# Depend on the specific file (.c for each .o) and on all headers
+%.o: %.c ${HEADERS}
+	echo "[libi3] CC $<"
+	$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -c -o $@ $<
+
+all: libi3.a
+
+libi3.a: ${FILES}
+	echo "[libi3] AR libi3.a"
+	ar rcs libi3.a ${FILES}
+
+clean:
+	rm -f *.o libi3.a
+
+distclean: clean
diff --git a/libi3/README b/libi3/README
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..740ef22e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libi3/README
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+Introduction
+============
+
+libi3 is an *INTERNAL* library which contains functions that i3 and related
+tools (i3-msg, i3-input, i3-nagbar, i3-config-wizard, i3bar) use.
+
+It is NOT to be used by other programs.
+
+Structure
+=========
+
+Every function gets its own .c file, which in turn gets compiled into an .o
+object file. Afterwards, all .o files are archived into one static library
+(libi3.a). This library will be linked into all i3 binaries. The linker is able
+to eliminate unused .o files when linking, so only the functions which you
+actually use will be included in the corresponding binary.
diff --git a/libi3/get_socket_path.c b/libi3/get_socket_path.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9e02ec51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libi3/get_socket_path.c
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+/*
+ * vim:ts=4:sw=4:expandtab
+ *
+ * i3 - an improved dynamic tiling window manager
+ *
+ * © 2009-2011 Michael Stapelberg and contributors
+ *
+ * See file LICENSE for license information.
+ *
+ */
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#include <limits.h>
+
+#include <xcb/xcb.h>
+#include <xcb/xcb_aux.h>
+
+/*
+ * Try to get the socket path from X11 and return NULL if it doesn’t work.
+ *
+ * The memory for the socket path is dynamically allocated and has to be
+ * free()d by the caller.
+ *
+ */
+char *socket_path_from_x11() {
+    xcb_connection_t *conn;
+    xcb_intern_atom_cookie_t atom_cookie;
+    xcb_intern_atom_reply_t *atom_reply;
+    int screen;
+    char *socket_path;
+
+    if ((conn = xcb_connect(NULL, &screen)) == NULL ||
+        xcb_connection_has_error(conn))
+        return NULL;
+
+    atom_cookie = xcb_intern_atom(conn, 0, strlen("I3_SOCKET_PATH"), "I3_SOCKET_PATH");
+
+    xcb_screen_t *root_screen = xcb_aux_get_screen(conn, screen);
+    xcb_window_t root = root_screen->root;
+
+    atom_reply = xcb_intern_atom_reply(conn, atom_cookie, NULL);
+    if (atom_reply == NULL)
+        return NULL;
+
+    xcb_get_property_cookie_t prop_cookie;
+    xcb_get_property_reply_t *prop_reply;
+    prop_cookie = xcb_get_property_unchecked(conn, false, root, atom_reply->atom,
+                                             XCB_GET_PROPERTY_TYPE_ANY, 0, PATH_MAX);
+    prop_reply = xcb_get_property_reply(conn, prop_cookie, NULL);
+    if (prop_reply == NULL || xcb_get_property_value_length(prop_reply) == 0)
+        return NULL;
+    if (asprintf(&socket_path, "%.*s", xcb_get_property_value_length(prop_reply),
+                 (char*)xcb_get_property_value(prop_reply)) == -1)
+        return NULL;
+    xcb_disconnect(conn);
+    return socket_path;
+}
+
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index cc60d69c..19c45681 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -172,7 +172,6 @@ static void i3_exit() {
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
-    //parse_cmd("[ foo ] attach, attach ; focus");
     int screens;
     char *override_configpath = NULL;
     bool autostart = true;
@@ -190,6 +189,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         {"restart", required_argument, 0, 0},
         {"force-xinerama", no_argument, 0, 0},
         {"disable-signalhandler", no_argument, 0, 0},
+        {"get-socketpath", no_argument, 0, 0},
         {0, 0, 0, 0}
     };
     int option_index = 0, opt;
@@ -248,6 +248,14 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                 } else if (strcmp(long_options[option_index].name, "disable-signalhandler") == 0) {
                     disable_signalhandler = true;
                     break;
+                } else if (strcmp(long_options[option_index].name, "get-socketpath") == 0) {
+                    char *socket_path = socket_path_from_x11();
+                    if (socket_path) {
+                        printf("%s\n", socket_path);
+                        return 0;
+                    }
+
+                    return 1;
                 } else if (strcmp(long_options[option_index].name, "restart") == 0) {
                     FREE(layout_path);
                     layout_path = sstrdup(optarg);