diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 6a8737b6..ea4da6df 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ tincd_SOURCES = \
 	buffer.c conf.c connection.c control.c edge.c graph.c logger.c meta.c net.c net_packet.c net_setup.c \
 	net_socket.c netutl.c node.c process.c protocol.c protocol_auth.c protocol_edge.c protocol_misc.c \
 	protocol_key.c protocol_subnet.c route.c sptps.c subnet.c subnet_parse.c event.c tincd.c \
-	dummy_device.c raw_socket_device.c multicast_device.c
+	dummy_device.c raw_socket_device.c multicast_device.c names.c
 	
 if UML
 tincd_SOURCES += uml_device.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ nodist_tincd_SOURCES = \
 
 tincctl_SOURCES = \
 	utils.c getopt.c getopt1.c dropin.c \
-	info.c list.c subnet_parse.c tincctl.c top.c
+	info.c list.c subnet_parse.c tincctl.c top.c names.c
 
 nodist_tincctl_SOURCES = \
 	ecdsagen.c rsagen.c
diff --git a/src/bsd/device.c b/src/bsd/device.c
index dd351459..fa580cac 100644
--- a/src/bsd/device.c
+++ b/src/bsd/device.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "conf.h"
 #include "device.h"
 #include "logger.h"
+#include "names.h"
 #include "net.h"
 #include "route.h"
 #include "utils.h"
diff --git a/src/conf.c b/src/conf.c
index b9bfbf67..46fd81d5 100644
--- a/src/conf.c
+++ b/src/conf.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "conf.h"
 #include "list.h"
 #include "logger.h"
+#include "names.h"
 #include "netutl.h"             /* for str2address */
 #include "protocol.h"
 #include "utils.h"              /* for cp */
@@ -37,11 +38,8 @@ splay_tree_t *config_tree;
 
 int pinginterval = 0;           /* seconds between pings */
 int pingtimeout = 0;            /* seconds to wait for response */
-char *confbase = NULL;          /* directory in which all config files are */
-char *netname = NULL;           /* name of the vpn network */
 list_t *cmdline_conf = NULL;    /* global/host configuration values given at the command line */
 
-
 static int config_compare(const config_t *a, const config_t *b) {
 	int result;
 
diff --git a/src/conf.h b/src/conf.h
index 20a78a91..5395322e 100644
--- a/src/conf.h
+++ b/src/conf.h
@@ -39,8 +39,6 @@ extern int pinginterval;
 extern int pingtimeout;
 extern int maxtimeout;
 extern bool bypass_security;
-extern char *confbase;
-extern char *netname;
 extern list_t *cmdline_conf;
 
 extern void init_configuration(splay_tree_t **);
diff --git a/src/control.c b/src/control.c
index 83a9d79c..cc5bbb0a 100644
--- a/src/control.c
+++ b/src/control.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "graph.h"
 #include "logger.h"
 #include "meta.h"
+#include "names.h"
 #include "net.h"
 #include "netutl.h"
 #include "protocol.h"
@@ -33,7 +34,6 @@
 #include "xalloc.h"
 
 char controlcookie[65];
-extern char *pidfilename;
 
 static bool control_return(connection_t *c, int type, int error) {
 	return send_request(c, "%d %d %d", CONTROL, type, error);
diff --git a/src/cygwin/device.c b/src/cygwin/device.c
index 6266e87e..c028cbf9 100644
--- a/src/cygwin/device.c
+++ b/src/cygwin/device.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "conf.h"
 #include "device.h"
 #include "logger.h"
+#include "names.h"
 #include "net.h"
 #include "route.h"
 #include "utils.h"
diff --git a/src/graph.c b/src/graph.c
index 4cf30eb7..e5f70902 100644
--- a/src/graph.c
+++ b/src/graph.c
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
 #include "graph.h"
 #include "list.h"
 #include "logger.h"
+#include "names.h"
 #include "netutl.h"
 #include "node.h"
 #include "process.h"
diff --git a/src/linux/device.c b/src/linux/device.c
index 18f1b6e5..45df6382 100644
--- a/src/linux/device.c
+++ b/src/linux/device.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "conf.h"
 #include "device.h"
 #include "logger.h"
+#include "names.h"
 #include "net.h"
 #include "route.h"
 #include "utils.h"
diff --git a/src/logger.c b/src/logger.c
index e01980e9..6fb972d1 100644
--- a/src/logger.c
+++ b/src/logger.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 
 #include "conf.h"
 #include "meta.h"
+#include "names.h"
 #include "logger.h"
 #include "connection.h"
 #include "control_common.h"
@@ -30,7 +31,6 @@
 debug_t debug_level = DEBUG_NOTHING;
 static logmode_t logmode = LOGMODE_STDERR;
 static pid_t logpid;
-extern char *logfilename;
 static FILE *logfile = NULL;
 #ifdef HAVE_MINGW
 static HANDLE loghandle = NULL;
diff --git a/src/mingw/device.c b/src/mingw/device.c
index 3b1458c6..00644dba 100644
--- a/src/mingw/device.c
+++ b/src/mingw/device.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "conf.h"
 #include "device.h"
 #include "logger.h"
+#include "names.h"
 #include "net.h"
 #include "route.h"
 #include "utils.h"
diff --git a/src/names.c b/src/names.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5a5270a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/names.c
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+/*
+    names.c -- generate commonly used (file)names
+    Copyright (C) 1998-2005 Ivo Timmermans
+                  2000-2013 Guus Sliepen <guus@tinc-vpn.org>
+
+    This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+    it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+    the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+    (at your option) any later version.
+
+    This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+    but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+    GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+    with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+    51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+*/
+
+#include "system.h"
+
+#include "logger.h"
+#include "xalloc.h"
+
+char *netname = NULL;
+char *confdir = NULL;           /* base configuration directory */
+char *confbase = NULL;          /* base configuration directory for this instance of tinc */
+char *identname = NULL;         /* program name for syslog */
+char *logfilename = NULL;       /* log file location */
+char *pidfilename = NULL;
+char *program_name = NULL;
+
+/*
+  Set all files and paths according to netname
+*/
+void make_names(void) {
+#ifdef HAVE_MINGW
+	HKEY key;
+	char installdir[1024] = "";
+	long len = sizeof installdir;
+#endif
+
+	if(netname)
+		xasprintf(&identname, "tinc.%s", netname);
+	else
+		identname = xstrdup("tinc");
+
+#ifdef HAVE_MINGW
+	if(!RegOpenKeyEx(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "SOFTWARE\\tinc", 0, KEY_READ, &key)) {
+		if(!RegQueryValueEx(key, NULL, 0, 0, installdir, &len)) {
+			confdir = xstrdup(installdir);
+			if(!logfilename)
+				xasprintf(&logfilename, "%s" SLASH "log" SLASH "%s.log", installdir, identname);
+			if(!confbase) {
+				if(netname)
+					xasprintf(&confbase, "%s" SLASH "%s", installdir, netname);
+				else
+					xasprintf(&confbase, "%s", installdir);
+			}
+			if(!pidfilename)
+				xasprintf(&pidfilename, "%s" SLASH "pid", confbase);
+		}
+		RegCloseKey(key);
+	}
+#endif
+	if(!confdir)
+		confdir = xstrdup(CONFDIR);
+
+	if(!logfilename)
+		xasprintf(&logfilename, LOCALSTATEDIR SLASH "log" SLASH "%s.log", identname);
+
+	if(!pidfilename)
+		xasprintf(&pidfilename, LOCALSTATEDIR SLASH "run" SLASH "%s.pid", identname);
+
+	if(netname) {
+		if(!confbase)
+			xasprintf(&confbase, CONFDIR SLASH "tinc" SLASH "%s", netname);
+		else
+			logger(DEBUG_ALWAYS, LOG_INFO, "Both netname and configuration directory given, using the latter...");
+	} else {
+		if(!confbase)
+			xasprintf(&confbase, CONFDIR SLASH "tinc");
+	}
+}
+
+void free_names(void) {
+	free(identname);
+	free(netname);
+	free(pidfilename);
+	free(logfilename);
+	free(confbase);
+	free(confdir);
+}
diff --git a/src/names.h b/src/names.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..aef8b45a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/names.h
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/*
+    names.h -- header for names.c
+    Copyright (C) 1998-2005 Ivo Timmermans
+                  2000-2013 Guus Sliepen <guus@tinc-vpn.org>
+
+    This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+    it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+    the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+    (at your option) any later version.
+
+    This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+    but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+    GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+    with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+    51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+*/
+
+#ifndef __TINC_NAMES_H__
+#define __TINC_NAMES_H__
+
+extern char *confdir;
+extern char *confbase;
+extern char *netname;
+extern char *identname;
+extern char *logfilename;
+extern char *pidfilename;
+extern char *program_name;
+
+extern void make_names(void);
+extern void free_names(void);
+
+#endif /* __TINC_NAMES_H__ */
diff --git a/src/net.c b/src/net.c
index 343ac717..f34c8c63 100644
--- a/src/net.c
+++ b/src/net.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "graph.h"
 #include "logger.h"
 #include "meta.h"
+#include "names.h"
 #include "net.h"
 #include "netutl.h"
 #include "process.h"
diff --git a/src/net_setup.c b/src/net_setup.c
index c5c83e7b..0e424eef 100644
--- a/src/net_setup.c
+++ b/src/net_setup.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "ecdsa.h"
 #include "graph.h"
 #include "logger.h"
+#include "names.h"
 #include "net.h"
 #include "netutl.h"
 #include "process.h"
diff --git a/src/net_socket.c b/src/net_socket.c
index 212649ba..051955bf 100644
--- a/src/net_socket.c
+++ b/src/net_socket.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "list.h"
 #include "logger.h"
 #include "meta.h"
+#include "names.h"
 #include "net.h"
 #include "netutl.h"
 #include "protocol.h"
diff --git a/src/process.c b/src/process.c
index 2fd3d936..04c19ed9 100644
--- a/src/process.c
+++ b/src/process.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "edge.h"
 #include "event.h"
 #include "logger.h"
+#include "names.h"
 #include "net.h"
 #include "node.h"
 #include "process.h"
@@ -38,17 +39,12 @@
 bool do_detach = true;
 bool sigalrm = false;
 
-extern char *identname;
 extern char **g_argv;
 extern bool use_logfile;
 
 /* Some functions the less gifted operating systems might lack... */
 
 #ifdef HAVE_MINGW
-extern char *identname;
-extern char *program_name;
-extern char **g_argv;
-
 static SC_HANDLE manager = NULL;
 static SC_HANDLE service = NULL;
 static SERVICE_STATUS status = {0};
diff --git a/src/solaris/device.c b/src/solaris/device.c
index cb2ece79..03f7fe9e 100644
--- a/src/solaris/device.c
+++ b/src/solaris/device.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "conf.h"
 #include "device.h"
 #include "logger.h"
+#include "names.h"
 #include "net.h"
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "xalloc.h"
diff --git a/src/subnet.c b/src/subnet.c
index 4b6c0686..06fee32f 100644
--- a/src/subnet.c
+++ b/src/subnet.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "device.h"
 #include "hash.h"
 #include "logger.h"
+#include "names.h"
 #include "net.h"
 #include "netutl.h"
 #include "node.h"
diff --git a/src/tincctl.c b/src/tincctl.c
index 6b36aa74..1576ba86 100644
--- a/src/tincctl.c
+++ b/src/tincctl.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "control_common.h"
 #include "ecdsagen.h"
 #include "info.h"
+#include "names.h"
 #include "rsagen.h"
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "tincctl.h"
@@ -40,10 +41,6 @@
 #define mkdir(a, b) mkdir(a)
 #endif
 
-
-/* The name this program was run with. */
-static char *program_name = NULL;
-
 static char **orig_argv;
 static int orig_argc;
 
@@ -54,12 +51,7 @@ static bool show_help = false;
 static bool show_version = false;
 
 static char *name = NULL;
-static char *identname = NULL;          /* program name for syslog */
-static char *pidfilename = NULL;        /* pid file location */
-static char *confdir = NULL;
 static char controlcookie[1025];
-char *netname = NULL;
-char *confbase = NULL;
 static char *tinc_conf = NULL;
 static char *hosts_dir = NULL;
 struct timeval now;
@@ -107,10 +99,9 @@ static void version(void) {
 }
 
 static void usage(bool status) {
-	if(status)
-		fprintf(stderr, "Try `%s --help\' for more information.\n",
-				program_name);
-	else {
+	if(status) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Try `%s --help\' for more information.\n", program_name);
+	} else {
 		printf("Usage: %s [options] command\n\n", program_name);
 		printf("Valid options are:\n"
 				"  -c, --config=DIR        Read configuration options from DIR.\n"
@@ -455,62 +446,6 @@ static bool rsa_keygen(int bits, bool ask) {
 	return true;
 }
 
-/*
-  Set all files and paths according to netname
-*/
-static void make_names(void) {
-#ifdef HAVE_MINGW
-	HKEY key;
-	char installdir[1024] = "";
-	long len = sizeof installdir;
-#endif
-
-	if(netname)
-		xasprintf(&identname, "tinc.%s", netname);
-	else
-		identname = xstrdup("tinc");
-
-#ifdef HAVE_MINGW
-	if(!RegOpenKeyEx(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "SOFTWARE\\tinc", 0, KEY_READ, &key)) {
-		if(!RegQueryValueEx(key, NULL, 0, 0, installdir, &len)) {
-			if(!confbase) {
-				if(netname)
-					xasprintf(&confbase, "%s" SLASH "%s", installdir, netname);
-				else
-					xasprintf(&confbase, "%s", installdir);
-			}
-		}
-		if(!pidfilename)
-			xasprintf(&pidfilename, "%s" SLASH "pid", confbase);
-		RegCloseKey(key);
-	}
-
-	if(!*installdir) {
-#endif
-	confdir = xstrdup(CONFDIR);
-
-	if(!pidfilename)
-		xasprintf(&pidfilename, "%s" SLASH "run" SLASH "%s.pid", LOCALSTATEDIR, identname);
-
-	if(netname) {
-		if(!confbase)
-			xasprintf(&confbase, CONFDIR SLASH "tinc" SLASH "%s", netname);
-		else
-			fprintf(stderr, "Both netname and configuration directory given, using the latter...\n");
-	} else {
-		if(!confbase)
-			xasprintf(&confbase, CONFDIR SLASH "tinc");
-	}
-
-#ifdef HAVE_MINGW
-	} else
-		confdir = xstrdup(installdir);
-#endif
-
-	xasprintf(&tinc_conf, "%s" SLASH "tinc.conf", confbase);
-	xasprintf(&hosts_dir, "%s" SLASH "hosts", confbase);
-}
-
 static char buffer[4096];
 static size_t blen = 0;
 
@@ -2285,6 +2220,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 		return 1;
 
 	make_names();
+	xasprintf(&tinc_conf, "%s" SLASH "tinc.conf", confbase);
+	xasprintf(&hosts_dir, "%s" SLASH "hosts", confbase);
 
 	if(show_version) {
 		version();
diff --git a/src/tincd.c b/src/tincd.c
index 5d715891..cd49400b 100644
--- a/src/tincd.c
+++ b/src/tincd.c
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
 #include "crypto.h"
 #include "device.h"
 #include "logger.h"
+#include "names.h"
 #include "net.h"
 #include "netutl.h"
 #include "process.h"
@@ -63,9 +64,6 @@
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "xalloc.h"
 
-/* The name this program was run with. */
-char *program_name = NULL;
-
 /* If nonzero, display usage information and exit. */
 static bool show_help = false;
 
@@ -87,9 +85,6 @@ static const char *switchuser = NULL;
 /* If nonzero, write log entries to a separate file. */
 bool use_logfile = false;
 
-char *identname = NULL;         /* program name for syslog */
-char *logfilename = NULL;       /* log file location */
-char *pidfilename = NULL;
 char **g_argv;                  /* a copy of the cmdline arguments */
 
 static int status = 1;
@@ -256,66 +251,6 @@ static bool parse_options(int argc, char **argv) {
 	return true;
 }
 
-/*
-  Set all files and paths according to netname
-*/
-static void make_names(void) {
-#ifdef HAVE_MINGW
-	HKEY key;
-	char installdir[1024] = "";
-	long len = sizeof installdir;
-#endif
-
-	if(netname)
-		xasprintf(&identname, "tinc.%s", netname);
-	else
-		identname = xstrdup("tinc");
-
-#ifdef HAVE_MINGW
-	if(!RegOpenKeyEx(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "SOFTWARE\\tinc", 0, KEY_READ, &key)) {
-		if(!RegQueryValueEx(key, NULL, 0, 0, installdir, &len)) {
-			if(!logfilename)
-				xasprintf(&logfilename, "%s" SLASH "log" SLASH "%s.log", identname);
-			if(!confbase) {
-				if(netname)
-					xasprintf(&confbase, "%s" SLASH "%s", installdir, netname);
-				else
-					xasprintf(&confbase, "%s", installdir);
-			}
-			if(!pidfilename)
-				xasprintf(&pidfilename, "%s" SLASH "pid", confbase);
-		}
-		RegCloseKey(key);
-		if(*installdir)
-			return;
-	}
-#endif
-
-	if(!logfilename)
-		xasprintf(&logfilename, LOCALSTATEDIR SLASH "log" SLASH "%s.log", identname);
-
-	if(!pidfilename)
-		xasprintf(&pidfilename, LOCALSTATEDIR SLASH "run" SLASH "%s.pid", identname);
-
-	if(netname) {
-		if(!confbase)
-			xasprintf(&confbase, CONFDIR SLASH "tinc" SLASH "%s", netname);
-		else
-			logger(DEBUG_ALWAYS, LOG_INFO, "Both netname and configuration directory given, using the latter...");
-	} else {
-		if(!confbase)
-			xasprintf(&confbase, CONFDIR SLASH "tinc");
-	}
-}
-
-static void free_names(void) {
-	if (identname) free(identname);
-	if (netname) free(netname);
-	if (pidfilename) free(pidfilename);
-	if (logfilename) free(logfilename);
-	if (confbase) free(confbase);
-}
-
 static bool drop_privs(void) {
 #ifdef HAVE_MINGW
 	return false;
diff --git a/src/top.c b/src/top.c
index 28ab56f4..aafc2a44 100644
--- a/src/top.c
+++ b/src/top.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 #include "control_common.h"
 #include "list.h"
+#include "names.h"
 #include "tincctl.h"
 #include "top.h"
 #include "xalloc.h"
diff --git a/src/uml_device.c b/src/uml_device.c
index afdded5e..b5f9c12b 100644
--- a/src/uml_device.c
+++ b/src/uml_device.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 #include "conf.h"
 #include "device.h"
+#include "names.h"
 #include "net.h"
 #include "logger.h"
 #include "utils.h"
@@ -37,7 +38,6 @@ static int write_fd = -1;
 static int state = 0;
 static char *device_info;
 
-extern char *identname;
 extern volatile bool running;
 
 static uint64_t device_total_in = 0;
diff --git a/src/vde_device.c b/src/vde_device.c
index 815b956f..64394af9 100644
--- a/src/vde_device.c
+++ b/src/vde_device.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 #include "conf.h"
 #include "device.h"
+#include "names.h"
 #include "net.h"
 #include "logger.h"
 #include "utils.h"
@@ -35,7 +36,6 @@ static int port = 0;
 static char *group = NULL;
 static char *device_info;
 
-extern char *identname;
 extern volatile bool running;
 
 static uint64_t device_total_in = 0;