diff --git a/includes/common.php b/includes/common.php
index bb51a1a60..2f19272f5 100644
--- a/includes/common.php
+++ b/includes/common.php
@@ -2,6 +2,17 @@
 
 ## Common Functions
 
+function external_exec($command)
+{
+  global $debug;
+
+  if ($debug) { echo($command."\n"); }
+  $output = shell_exec($command);
+  if ($debug) { echo($output."\n"); }
+
+  return $output;
+}
+
 function shorthost($hostname, $len=12)
 {
   $parts = explode(".", $hostname);
diff --git a/includes/functions.php b/includes/functions.php
index 12fca48aa..adb591722 100755
--- a/includes/functions.php
+++ b/includes/functions.php
@@ -18,18 +18,6 @@ include_once($config['install_dir'] . "/includes/services.inc.php");
 include_once($config['install_dir'] . "/includes/dbFacile.php");
 include_once($config['install_dir'] . "/includes/console_colour.php");
 
-function external_exec($command)
-{
-  global $debug;
-
-  if ($debug) { echo($command."\n"); }
-  $output = shell_exec($command);
-  if ($debug) { echo($output."\n"); }
-
-  return $output;
-}
-
-
 function mac_clean_to_readable($mac)
 {
   $r = substr($mac, 0, 2);