diff --git a/init.c b/init.c
index 2b1d21336..6dad7181b 100644
--- a/init.c
+++ b/init.c
@@ -115,25 +115,6 @@ static char termType[32] = "TERM=ansi";
 static char console[32] = _PATH_CONSOLE;
 
 
-/* try to open up the specified device */
-int device_open(char *device, int mode)
-{
-    int m, f, fd = -1;
-
-    m = mode | O_NONBLOCK;
-
-    /* Retry up to 5 times */
-    for (f = 0; f < 5; f++)
-	if ((fd = open(device, m, 0600)) >= 0)
-	    break;
-    if (fd < 0)
-	return fd;
-    /* Reset original flags. */
-    if (m != mode)
-	fcntl(fd, F_SETFL, mode);
-    return fd;
-}
-
 /* print a message to the specified device:
  * device may be bitwise-or'd from LOG | CONSOLE */
 void message(int device, char *fmt, ...)
diff --git a/init/init.c b/init/init.c
index 2b1d21336..6dad7181b 100644
--- a/init/init.c
+++ b/init/init.c
@@ -115,25 +115,6 @@ static char termType[32] = "TERM=ansi";
 static char console[32] = _PATH_CONSOLE;
 
 
-/* try to open up the specified device */
-int device_open(char *device, int mode)
-{
-    int m, f, fd = -1;
-
-    m = mode | O_NONBLOCK;
-
-    /* Retry up to 5 times */
-    for (f = 0; f < 5; f++)
-	if ((fd = open(device, m, 0600)) >= 0)
-	    break;
-    if (fd < 0)
-	return fd;
-    /* Reset original flags. */
-    if (m != mode)
-	fcntl(fd, F_SETFL, mode);
-    return fd;
-}
-
 /* print a message to the specified device:
  * device may be bitwise-or'd from LOG | CONSOLE */
 void message(int device, char *fmt, ...)
diff --git a/internal.h b/internal.h
index 79e6a039a..5053e699d 100644
--- a/internal.h
+++ b/internal.h
@@ -183,6 +183,9 @@ extern char *mtab_getinfo(const char *match, const char which);
 extern int check_wildcard_match(const char* text, const char* pattern);
 extern long getNum (const char *cp);
 extern pid_t findInitPid();
+#if defined BB_INIT || defined BB_SYSLOGD
+extern int device_open(char *device, int mode)
+#endif
 
 #if defined BB_FEATURE_MOUNT_LOOP
 extern int del_loop(const char *device);
diff --git a/sysklogd/syslogd.c b/sysklogd/syslogd.c
index 29ede13db..c48d5a435 100644
--- a/sysklogd/syslogd.c
+++ b/sysklogd/syslogd.c
@@ -68,25 +68,6 @@ static const char syslogd_usage[] =
     "\t-O\tSpecify an alternate log file.  default=/var/log/messages\n";
 
 
-/* try to open up the specified device */
-static int device_open(char *device, int mode)
-{
-    int m, f, fd = -1;
-
-    m = mode | O_NONBLOCK;
-
-    /* Retry up to 5 times */
-    for (f = 0; f < 5; f++)
-	if ((fd = open(device, m, 0600)) >= 0)
-	    break;
-    if (fd < 0)
-	return fd;
-    /* Reset original flags. */
-    if (m != mode)
-	fcntl(fd, F_SETFL, mode);
-    return fd;
-}
-
 /* print a message to the log file */
 static void message(char *fmt, ...)
 {
diff --git a/syslogd.c b/syslogd.c
index 29ede13db..c48d5a435 100644
--- a/syslogd.c
+++ b/syslogd.c
@@ -68,25 +68,6 @@ static const char syslogd_usage[] =
     "\t-O\tSpecify an alternate log file.  default=/var/log/messages\n";
 
 
-/* try to open up the specified device */
-static int device_open(char *device, int mode)
-{
-    int m, f, fd = -1;
-
-    m = mode | O_NONBLOCK;
-
-    /* Retry up to 5 times */
-    for (f = 0; f < 5; f++)
-	if ((fd = open(device, m, 0600)) >= 0)
-	    break;
-    if (fd < 0)
-	return fd;
-    /* Reset original flags. */
-    if (m != mode)
-	fcntl(fd, F_SETFL, mode);
-    return fd;
-}
-
 /* print a message to the log file */
 static void message(char *fmt, ...)
 {
diff --git a/utility.c b/utility.c
index a27aaa2ae..6d7fa955b 100644
--- a/utility.c
+++ b/utility.c
@@ -1121,6 +1121,28 @@ extern long getNum (const char *cp)
 #endif /* BB_DD || BB_TAIL */
 
 
+#if defined BB_INIT || defined BB_SYSLOGD
+/* try to open up the specified device */
+extern int device_open(char *device, int mode)
+{
+    int m, f, fd = -1;
+
+    m = mode | O_NONBLOCK;
+
+    /* Retry up to 5 times */
+    for (f = 0; f < 5; f++)
+	if ((fd = open(device, m, 0600)) >= 0)
+	    break;
+    if (fd < 0)
+	return fd;
+    /* Reset original flags. */
+    if (m != mode)
+	fcntl(fd, F_SETFL, mode);
+    return fd;
+}
+#endif /* BB_INIT BB_SYSLOGD */
+
+
 #if defined BB_INIT || defined BB_HALT || defined BB_REBOOT 
 
 #if ! defined BB_FEATURE_USE_PROCFS