diff --git a/src/cc65/preproc.c b/src/cc65/preproc.c
index 5219c79f6..ed7a767a7 100644
--- a/src/cc65/preproc.c
+++ b/src/cc65/preproc.c
@@ -37,9 +37,6 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <errno.h>
-#if defined(_WIN32)
-#include <windows.h>
-#endif
 
 /* common */
 #include "chartype.h"
@@ -49,6 +46,7 @@
 #include "xmalloc.h"
 #include "strpool.h"
 #include "abend.h"
+#include "pathutil.h"
 
 /* cc65 */
 #include "codegen.h"
@@ -2970,31 +2968,6 @@ static void DoLine (void)
     MLine = InitLine (MLine);
 }
 
-/**
- * Determines the absolute path of the given relative path.
- * The absolute path for the file is stored in a malloced buffer.
- * Returns NULL if some error occured.
- */
-char *FindAbsolutePath (const char *path);
-
-
-#if defined(_WIN32)
-
-char *FindAbsolutePath (const char *path) {
-    return  _fullpath (NULL, path, MAX_PATH);
-}
-
-#else
-
-extern char* realpath (const char* path, char* resolved_path);
-
-/* this uses the POSIX1.-2008 version of the function,
-   which solves the problem of finding a maximum path length for the file */
-char* FindAbsolutePath (const char* path) {
-    return realpath (path, NULL);
-}
-
-#endif
 
 /* Possible outcomes of preprocessing a pragma */
 typedef enum {
diff --git a/src/common.vcxproj b/src/common.vcxproj
index 6098c98a0..5a6855208 100644
--- a/src/common.vcxproj
+++ b/src/common.vcxproj
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <Project DefaultTargets="Build" ToolsVersion="15.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
   <ItemGroup Label="ProjectConfigurations">
     <ProjectConfiguration Include="Debug|Win32">
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@
     <ClInclude Include="common\objdefs.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="common\optdefs.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="common\print.h" />
+    <ClInclude Include="common\pathutil.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="common\scopedefs.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="common\searchpath.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="common\segdefs.h" />
@@ -155,6 +156,7 @@
     <ClCompile Include="common\matchpat.c" />
     <ClCompile Include="common\mmodel.c" />
     <ClCompile Include="common\print.c" />
+    <ClCompile Include="common\pathutil.c" />
     <ClCompile Include="common\searchpath.c" />
     <ClCompile Include="common\segnames.c" />
     <ClCompile Include="common\shift.c" />
@@ -171,4 +173,4 @@
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.targets" />
   <ImportGroup Label="ExtensionTargets">
   </ImportGroup>
-</Project>
\ No newline at end of file
+</Project>
diff --git a/src/common/pathutil.c b/src/common/pathutil.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ce4a63106
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/common/pathutil.c
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+
+#if defined(_WIN32)
+#   include <windows.h>
+#endif
+
+#if defined(_WIN32)
+
+char *FindAbsolutePath (const char *path) {
+    return  _fullpath (NULL, path, MAX_PATH);
+}
+
+#else
+
+extern char* realpath (const char* path, char* resolved_path);
+
+/* this uses the POSIX1.-2008 version of the function,
+   which solves the problem of finding a maximum path length for the file */
+char* FindAbsolutePath (const char* path) {
+    return realpath (path, NULL);
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/common/pathutil.h b/src/common/pathutil.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0efd6490a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/common/pathutil.h
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+/*****************************************************************************/
+/*                                                                           */
+/*                                pathutil.h                                 */
+/*                           Path manipulation utilities                     */
+/*                                                                           */
+/*                                                                           */
+/*                                                                           */
+/* (C) 2003-2008 Ullrich von Bassewitz                                       */
+/*               Roemerstrasse 52                                            */
+/*               D-70794 Filderstadt                                         */
+/* EMail:        uz@cc65.org                                                 */
+/*                                                                           */
+/*                                                                           */
+/* This software is provided 'as-is', without any expressed or implied       */
+/* warranty.  In no event will the authors be held liable for any damages    */
+/* arising from the use of this software.                                    */
+/*                                                                           */
+/* Permission is granted to anyone to use this software for any purpose,     */
+/* including commercial applications, and to alter it and redistribute it    */
+/* freely, subject to the following restrictions:                            */
+/*                                                                           */
+/* 1. The origin of this software must not be misrepresented; you must not   */
+/*    claim that you wrote the original software. If you use this software   */
+/*    in a product, an acknowledgment in the product documentation would be  */
+/*    appreciated but is not required.                                       */
+/* 2. Altered source versions must be plainly marked as such, and must not   */
+/*    be misrepresented as being the original software.                      */
+/* 3. This notice may not be removed or altered from any source              */
+/*    distribution.                                                          */
+/*                                                                           */
+/*****************************************************************************/
+
+
+
+#ifndef PATHUTIL_H
+#define PATHUTIL_H
+
+
+/*****************************************************************************/
+/*                                     Code                                  */
+/*****************************************************************************/
+
+
+/**
+ * Determines the absolute path of the given relative path.
+ * The absolute path for the file is stored in a malloced buffer.
+ * Returns NULL if some error occured.
+ * The returned path's separator is system specific.
+ */
+char *FindAbsolutePath (const char *path);
+
+
+
+/* End of pathutil.h */
+
+#endif