diff --git a/src/keystore/gosbot.rs b/src/keystore/gosbot.rs
index 2b0b3dc..d29e9b8 100644
--- a/src/keystore/gosbot.rs
+++ b/src/keystore/gosbot.rs
@@ -7,18 +7,12 @@ use async_std::{
     prelude::*,
 };
 
-use std::string::ToString;
-
 use super::{
     error::{Error, Result},
-    JsonSSBSecret, OwnedIdentity, CURVE_ED25519,
+    util, JsonSSBSecret, OwnedIdentity, CURVE_ED25519,
 };
 use crate::crypto::{ToSodiumObject, ToSsbId};
 
-fn to_io_error<T: ToString>(err: T) -> async_std::io::Error {
-    async_std::io::Error::new(std::io::ErrorKind::Other, err.to_string())
-}
-
 /// Return an `OwnedIdentity` from the local go-sbot secret file.
 pub async fn from_gosbot_local() -> Result<OwnedIdentity> {
     let home_dir = dirs::home_dir().ok_or(Error::HomeNotFound)?;
@@ -34,7 +28,7 @@ pub async fn read_gosbot_config<R: Read + Unpin>(reader: &mut R) -> Result<Owned
     reader.read_to_string(&mut buf).await?;
 
     // parse json
-    let secret: JsonSSBSecret = serde_json::from_str(buf.as_ref()).map_err(to_io_error)?;
+    let secret: JsonSSBSecret = serde_json::from_str(buf.as_ref()).map_err(util::to_io_error)?;
 
     if secret.curve != CURVE_ED25519 {
         return Err(Error::InvalidConfig);
diff --git a/src/keystore/mod.rs b/src/keystore/mod.rs
index 5e5cb3f..6d9b4a6 100644
--- a/src/keystore/mod.rs
+++ b/src/keystore/mod.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ mod error;
 pub mod gosbot;
 mod identity;
 pub mod patchwork;
+mod util;
 
 pub use gosbot::{from_gosbot_local, read_gosbot_config, write_gosbot_config};
 pub use identity::{JsonSSBSecret, OwnedIdentity, CURVE_ED25519};
diff --git a/src/keystore/patchwork.rs b/src/keystore/patchwork.rs
index 0340226..b5ad05b 100644
--- a/src/keystore/patchwork.rs
+++ b/src/keystore/patchwork.rs
@@ -3,19 +3,13 @@ use async_std::{
     prelude::*,
 };
 
-use std::string::ToString;
-
 use super::{
     error::{Error, Result},
-    JsonSSBSecret, OwnedIdentity, CURVE_ED25519,
+    util, JsonSSBSecret, OwnedIdentity, CURVE_ED25519,
 };
 use crate::crypto::{ToSodiumObject, ToSsbId};
 use serde_json::to_vec_pretty;
 
-fn to_io_error<T: ToString>(err: T) -> async_std::io::Error {
-    async_std::io::Error::new(std::io::ErrorKind::Other, err.to_string())
-}
-
 pub async fn from_patchwork_local() -> Result<OwnedIdentity> {
     let home_dir = dirs::home_dir().ok_or(Error::HomeNotFound)?;
     let local_key_file = format!("{}/.ssb/secret", home_dir.to_string_lossy());
@@ -34,7 +28,7 @@ pub async fn read_patchwork_config<R: Read + Unpin>(reader: &mut R) -> Result<Ow
         .join("");
 
     // parse json
-    let secret: JsonSSBSecret = serde_json::from_str(json.as_ref()).map_err(to_io_error)?;
+    let secret: JsonSSBSecret = serde_json::from_str(json.as_ref()).map_err(util::to_io_error)?;
 
     if secret.curve != CURVE_ED25519 {
         return Err(Error::InvalidConfig);
diff --git a/src/keystore/util.rs b/src/keystore/util.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8d38ea9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/keystore/util.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+use std::string::ToString;
+
+pub fn to_io_error<T: ToString>(err: T) -> async_std::io::Error {
+    async_std::io::Error::new(std::io::ErrorKind::Other, err.to_string())
+}