diff --git a/autoload/syntastic.vim b/autoload/syntastic.vim
index a4777365..7e3dc14a 100644
--- a/autoload/syntastic.vim
+++ b/autoload/syntastic.vim
@@ -22,3 +22,161 @@ function! syntastic#HighlightErrors(errors, termfunc, ...)
     endfor
 endfunction
 
+" initialize c/cpp syntax checker handlers
+function! s:Init()
+    let s:handlers = []
+    let s:cflags = {}
+
+    call syntastic#RegHandler('gtk', 'syntastic#CheckPKG',
+                \ ['gtk', 'gtk+-2.0', 'gtk+', 'glib-2.0', 'glib'])
+    call syntastic#RegHandler('glib', 'syntastic#CheckPKG',
+                \ ['glib', 'glib-2.0', 'glib'])
+    call syntastic#RegHandler('glade', 'syntastic#CheckPKG',
+                \ ['glade', 'libglade-2.0', 'libglade'])
+    call syntastic#RegHandler('libsoup', 'syntastic#CheckPKG',
+                \ ['libsoup', 'libsoup-2.4', 'libsoup-2.2'])
+    call syntastic#RegHandler('webkit', 'syntastic#CheckPKG',
+                \ ['webkit', 'webkit-1.0'])
+    call syntastic#RegHandler('cairo', 'syntastic#CheckPKG',
+                \ ['cairo', 'cairo'])
+    call syntastic#RegHandler('pango', 'syntastic#CheckPKG',
+                \ ['pango', 'pango'])
+    call syntastic#RegHandler('libxml', 'syntastic#CheckPKG',
+                \ ['libxml', 'libxml-2.0', 'libxml'])
+    call syntastic#RegHandler('freetype', 'syntastic#CheckPKG',
+                \ ['freetype', 'freetype2', 'freetype'])
+    call syntastic#RegHandler('SDL', 'syntastic#CheckPKG',
+                \ ['sdl', 'sdl'])
+    call syntastic#RegHandler('opengl', 'syntastic#CheckPKG',
+                \ ['opengl', 'gl'])
+    call syntastic#RegHandler('ruby', 'syntastic#CheckRuby', [])
+    call syntastic#RegHandler('Python\.h', 'syntastic#CheckPython', [])
+    call syntastic#RegHandler('php\.h', 'syntastic#CheckPhp', [])
+endfunction
+
+" search the first 100 lines for include statements that are
+" given in the handlers dictionary
+function! syntastic#SearchHeaders()
+    let includes = ''
+    let files = []
+    let found = []
+    let lines = filter(getline(1, 100), 'v:val =~# "#\s*include"')
+
+    " search current buffer
+    for line in lines
+        let file = matchstr(line, '"\zs\S\+\ze"')
+        if file != ''
+            call add(files, file)
+            continue
+        endif
+        for handler in s:handlers
+            if line =~# handler["regex"]
+                let includes .= call(handler["func"], handler["args"])
+                call add(found, handler["regex"])
+                break
+            endif
+        endfor
+    endfor
+
+    " search included headers
+    for hfile in files
+        if hfile != ''
+            let filename = expand('%:p:h') . ((has('win32') || has('win64')) ?
+                        \ '\' : '/') . hfile
+            try
+                let lines = readfile(filename, '', 100)
+            catch /E484/
+                continue
+            endtry
+            let lines = filter(lines, 'v:val =~# "#\s*include"')
+            for handler in s:handlers
+                if index(found, handler["regex"]) != -1
+                    continue
+                endif
+                for line in lines
+                    if line =~# handler["regex"]
+                        let includes .= call(handler["func"], handler["args"])
+                        call add(found, handler["regex"])
+                        break
+                    endif
+                endfor
+            endfor
+        endif
+    endfor
+
+    return includes
+endfunction
+
+" try to find library with 'pkg-config'
+" search possible libraries from first to last given
+" argument until one is found
+function! syntastic#CheckPKG(name, ...)
+    if executable('pkg-config')
+        if !has_key(s:cflags, a:name)
+            for i in range(a:0)
+                let l:cflags = system('pkg-config --cflags '.a:000[i])
+                " since we cannot necessarily trust the pkg-config exit code
+                " we have to check for an error output as well
+                if v:shell_error == 0 && l:cflags !~? 'not found'
+                    let l:cflags = ' '.substitute(l:cflags, "\n", '', '')
+                    let s:cflags[a:name] = l:cflags
+                    return l:cflags
+                endif
+            endfor
+        else
+            return s:cflags[a:name]
+        endif
+    endif
+    return ''
+endfunction
+
+" try to find PHP includes with 'php-config'
+function! syntastic#CheckPhp()
+    if executable('php-config')
+        if !exists('s:php_flags')
+            let s:php_flags = system('php-config --includes')
+            let s:php_flags = ' ' . substitute(s:php_flags, "\n", '', '')
+        endif
+        return s:php_flags
+    endif
+    return ''
+endfunction
+
+" try to find the ruby headers with 'rbconfig'
+function! syntastic#CheckRuby()
+    if executable('ruby')
+        if !exists('s:ruby_flags')
+            let s:ruby_flags = system('ruby -r rbconfig -e '
+                        \ . '''puts Config::CONFIG["archdir"]''')
+            let s:ruby_flags = substitute(s:ruby_flags, "\n", '', '')
+            let s:ruby_flags = ' -I' . s:ruby_flags
+        endif
+        return s:ruby_flags
+    endif
+    return ''
+endfunction
+
+" try to find the python headers with distutils
+function! syntastic#CheckPython()
+    if executable('python')
+        if !exists('s:python_flags')
+            let s:python_flags = system('python -c ''from distutils import '
+                        \ . 'sysconfig; print sysconfig.get_python_inc()''')
+            let s:python_flags = substitute(s:python_flags, "\n", '', '')
+            let s:python_flags = ' -I' . s:python_flags
+        endif
+        return s:python_flags
+    endif
+    return ''
+endfunction
+
+" return a handler dictionary object
+function! syntastic#RegHandler(regex, function, args)
+    let handler = {}
+    let handler["regex"] = a:regex
+    let handler["func"] = function(a:function)
+    let handler["args"] = a:args
+    call add(s:handlers, handler)
+endfunction
+
+call s:Init()
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/c.vim b/syntax_checkers/c.vim
index f6e2e07a..59a4df2f 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/c.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/c.vim
@@ -47,40 +47,6 @@ endif
 let s:save_cpo = &cpo
 set cpo&vim
 
-" initialize handlers
-function! s:Init()
-    let s:handlers = []
-    let s:cflags = {}
-
-    call s:RegHandler('gtk', 's:CheckPKG',
-                \ ['gtk', 'gtk+-2.0', 'gtk+', 'glib-2.0', 'glib'])
-    call s:RegHandler('glib', 's:CheckPKG',
-                \ ['glib', 'glib-2.0', 'glib'])
-    call s:RegHandler('glade', 's:CheckPKG',
-                \ ['glade', 'libglade-2.0', 'libglade'])
-    call s:RegHandler('libsoup', 's:CheckPKG',
-                \ ['libsoup', 'libsoup-2.4', 'libsoup-2.2'])
-    call s:RegHandler('webkit', 's:CheckPKG',
-                \ ['webkit', 'webkit-1.0'])
-    call s:RegHandler('cairo', 's:CheckPKG',
-                \ ['cairo', 'cairo'])
-    call s:RegHandler('pango', 's:CheckPKG',
-                \ ['pango', 'pango'])
-    call s:RegHandler('libxml', 's:CheckPKG',
-                \ ['libxml', 'libxml-2.0', 'libxml'])
-    call s:RegHandler('freetype', 's:CheckPKG',
-                \ ['freetype', 'freetype2', 'freetype'])
-    call s:RegHandler('SDL', 's:CheckPKG',
-                \ ['sdl', 'sdl'])
-    call s:RegHandler('opengl', 's:CheckPKG',
-                \ ['opengl', 'gl'])
-    call s:RegHandler('ruby', 's:CheckRuby', [])
-    call s:RegHandler('Python\.h', 's:CheckPython', [])
-    call s:RegHandler('php\.h', 's:CheckPhp', [])
-
-    unlet! s:RegHandler
-endfunction
-
 function! SyntaxCheckers_c_GetLocList()
     let makeprg = 'gcc -fsyntax-only '.shellescape(expand('%')).' -I. -I..'
     let errorformat = '%-G%f:%s:,%-G%f:%l: %#error: %#(Each undeclared '.
@@ -101,10 +67,10 @@ function! SyntaxCheckers_c_GetLocList()
                     \ g:syntastic_c_no_include_search != 1
             if exists('g:syntastic_c_auto_refresh_includes') &&
                         \ g:syntastic_c_auto_refresh_includes != 0
-                let makeprg .= s:SearchHeaders()
+                let makeprg .= syntastic#SearchHeaders()
             else
                 if !exists('b:syntastic_c_includes')
-                    let b:syntastic_c_includes = s:SearchHeaders()
+                    let b:syntastic_c_includes = syntastic#SearchHeaders()
                 endif
                 let makeprg .= b:syntastic_c_includes
             endif
@@ -116,132 +82,5 @@ function! SyntaxCheckers_c_GetLocList()
     return SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg, 'errorformat': errorformat })
 endfunction
 
-" search the first 100 lines for include statements that are
-" given in the s:handlers dictionary
-function! s:SearchHeaders()
-    let includes = ''
-    let files = []
-    let found = []
-    let lines = filter(getline(1, 100), 'v:val =~# "#\s*include"')
-
-    " search current buffer
-    for line in lines
-        let file = matchstr(line, '"\zs\S\+\ze"')
-        if file != ''
-            call add(files, file)
-            continue
-        endif
-        for handler in s:handlers
-            if line =~# handler["regex"]
-                let includes .= call(handler["func"], handler["args"])
-                call add(found, handler["regex"])
-                break
-            endif
-        endfor
-    endfor
-
-    " search included headers
-    for hfile in files
-        if hfile != ''
-            let filename = expand('%:p:h') . ((has('win32') || has('win64')) ?
-                        \ '\' : '/') . hfile
-            try
-                let lines = readfile(filename, '', 100)
-            catch /E484/
-                continue
-            endtry
-            let lines = filter(lines, 'v:val =~# "#\s*include"')
-            for handler in s:handlers
-                if index(found, handler["regex"]) != -1
-                    continue
-                endif
-                for line in lines
-                    if line =~# handler["regex"]
-                        let includes .= call(handler["func"], handler["args"])
-                        call add(found, handler["regex"])
-                        break
-                    endif
-                endfor
-            endfor
-        endif
-    endfor
-
-    return includes
-endfunction
-
-" try to find library with 'pkg-config'
-" search possible libraries from first to last given
-" argument until one is found
-function! s:CheckPKG(name, ...)
-    if executable('pkg-config')
-        if !has_key(s:cflags, a:name)
-            for i in range(a:0)
-                let l:cflags = system('pkg-config --cflags '.a:000[i])
-                " since we cannot necessarily trust the pkg-config exit code
-                " we have to check for an error output as well
-                if v:shell_error == 0 && l:cflags !~? 'not found'
-                    let l:cflags = ' '.substitute(l:cflags, "\n", '', '')
-                    let s:cflags[a:name] = l:cflags
-                    return l:cflags
-                endif
-            endfor
-        else
-            return s:cflags[a:name]
-        endif
-    endif
-    return ''
-endfunction
-
-" try to find PHP includes with 'php-config'
-function! s:CheckPhp()
-    if executable('php-config')
-        if !exists('s:php_flags')
-            let s:php_flags = system('php-config --includes')
-            let s:php_flags = ' ' . substitute(s:php_flags, "\n", '', '')
-        endif
-        return s:php_flags
-    endif
-    return ''
-endfunction
-
-" try to find the ruby headers with 'rbconfig'
-function! s:CheckRuby()
-    if executable('ruby')
-        if !exists('s:ruby_flags')
-            let s:ruby_flags = system('ruby -r rbconfig -e '
-                        \ . '''puts Config::CONFIG["archdir"]''')
-            let s:ruby_flags = substitute(s:ruby_flags, "\n", '', '')
-            let s:ruby_flags = ' -I' . s:ruby_flags
-        endif
-        return s:ruby_flags
-    endif
-    return ''
-endfunction
-
-" try to find the python headers with distutils
-function! s:CheckPython()
-    if executable('python')
-        if !exists('s:python_flags')
-            let s:python_flags = system('python -c ''from distutils import '
-                        \ . 'sysconfig; print sysconfig.get_python_inc()''')
-            let s:python_flags = substitute(s:python_flags, "\n", '', '')
-            let s:python_flags = ' -I' . s:python_flags
-        endif
-        return s:python_flags
-    endif
-    return ''
-endfunction
-
-" return a handler dictionary object
-function! s:RegHandler(regex, function, args)
-    let handler = {}
-    let handler["regex"] = a:regex
-    let handler["func"] = function(a:function)
-    let handler["args"] = a:args
-    call add(s:handlers, handler)
-endfunction
-
-call s:Init()
-
 let &cpo = s:save_cpo
 unlet s:save_cpo