diff --git a/src/clj_jtwig/core.clj b/src/clj_jtwig/core.clj
index 1c8893e..fe29a83 100644
--- a/src/clj_jtwig/core.clj
+++ b/src/clj_jtwig/core.clj
@@ -1,13 +1,10 @@
 (ns clj-jtwig.core
   "wrapper functions for working with JTwig from clojure"
-  (:require [clojure.walk :refer [stringify-keys]]
-            [clj-jtwig.convert :refer [java->clojure clojure->java]])
   (:import (com.lyncode.jtwig JtwigTemplate JtwigContext JtwigModelMap)
-           (com.lyncode.jtwig.functions.exceptions FunctionNotFoundException)
-           (com.lyncode.jtwig.functions.repository DefaultFunctionRepository)
-           (com.lyncode.jtwig.functions JtwigFunction)
            (com.lyncode.jtwig.tree.api Content)
-           (java.io File FileNotFoundException ByteArrayOutputStream)))
+           (java.io File FileNotFoundException ByteArrayOutputStream))
+  (:require [clojure.walk :refer [stringify-keys]])
+  (:use [clj-jtwig.functions]))
 
 ; global options
 (defonce options (atom {; true/false to enable/disable compiled template caching when using templates from
@@ -131,47 +128,6 @@
   []
   (reset! compiled-templates {}))
 
-(defn- create-function-repository []
-  (new DefaultFunctionRepository (make-array JtwigFunction 0)))
-
-; we'll be reusing the same function repository object for all contexts created when rendering templates.
-; any custom functions added will be added to this instance
-(defonce functions (atom (create-function-repository)))
-
-(defn reset-functions!
-  "removes any added custom template function handlers"
-  []
-  (reset! functions (create-function-repository)))
-
-(defn function-exists? [name]
-  (try
-    (.retrieve @functions name)
-    true
-    (catch FunctionNotFoundException ex
-      false)))
-
-(defn add-function!
-  "adds a new template function using the name specified. templates can call the function by the
-   name specified and passing in the same number of arguments accepted by f. the return value of
-   f is returned to the template.
-   prefer to use the 'deftwigfn' macro when possible."
-  [name f]
-  (if (function-exists? name)
-    (throw (new Exception (str "JTwig template function \"" name "\" already defined.")))
-    (let [handler (reify JtwigFunction
-                    (execute [_ arguments]
-                      (clojure->java (apply f (map java->clojure arguments)))))]
-      (.add @functions handler name (make-array String 0))
-      (.retrieve @functions name))))
-
-(defmacro deftwigfn
-  "adds a new template function. templates can call it by by the name specified and passing in the
-   same number of arguments as in args. the return value of the last form in body is returned to the
-   template."
-  [fn-name args & body]
-  `(do
-     (add-function! ~fn-name (fn ~args ~@body))))
-
 (defn- get-resource-path [filename]
   (-> (Thread/currentThread)
       (.getContextClassLoader)
diff --git a/src/clj_jtwig/functions.clj b/src/clj_jtwig/functions.clj
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..27c7818
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/clj_jtwig/functions.clj
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+(ns clj-jtwig.functions
+  "standard functions added to jtwig contexts by default. these are in addition to the
+ functions added by default in all jtwig function repository objects"
+  (:import (com.lyncode.jtwig.functions JtwigFunction)
+           (com.lyncode.jtwig.functions.repository DefaultFunctionRepository)
+           (com.lyncode.jtwig.functions.exceptions FunctionNotFoundException))
+  (:require [clj-jtwig.convert :refer [java->clojure clojure->java]]))
+
+(defn- create-function-repository []
+  (new DefaultFunctionRepository (make-array JtwigFunction 0)))
+
+; we'll be reusing the same function repository object for all contexts created when rendering templates.
+; any custom functions added will be added to this instance
+(defonce functions (atom (create-function-repository)))
+
+(defn reset-functions!
+  "removes any added custom template function handlers"
+  []
+  (reset! functions (create-function-repository)))
+
+(defn function-exists? [name]
+  (try
+    (.retrieve @functions name)
+    true
+    (catch FunctionNotFoundException ex
+      false)))
+
+(defn add-function!
+  "adds a new template function using the name specified. templates can call the function by the
+   name specified and passing in the same number of arguments accepted by f. the return value of
+   f is returned to the template.
+   prefer to use the 'deftwigfn' macro when possible."
+  [name f]
+  (if (function-exists? name)
+    (throw (new Exception (str "JTwig template function \"" name "\" already defined.")))
+    (let [handler (reify JtwigFunction
+                    (execute [_ arguments]
+                      (clojure->java (apply f (map java->clojure arguments)))))]
+      (.add @functions handler name (make-array String 0))
+      (.retrieve @functions name))))
+
+(defmacro deftwigfn
+  "adds a new template function. templates can call it by by the name specified and passing in the
+   same number of arguments as in args. the return value of the last form in body is returned to the
+   template."
+  [fn-name args & body]
+  `(do
+     (add-function! ~fn-name (fn ~args ~@body))))
diff --git a/test/clj_jtwig/core_test.clj b/test/clj_jtwig/core_test.clj
index 92c45c2..8399e3f 100644
--- a/test/clj_jtwig/core_test.clj
+++ b/test/clj_jtwig/core_test.clj
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
   (:import (java.io FileNotFoundException)
            (clojure.lang ArityException))
   (:require [clojure.test :refer :all]
-            [clj-jtwig.core :refer :all]))
+            [clj-jtwig.core :refer :all]
+            [clj-jtwig.functions :refer :all]))
 
 ; The purpose of these tests is to establish that our wrapper around JTwig works. That is,
 ; we will be focusing on stuff like making sure that passing Clojure data structures
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@
        (-> x
            (class)
            (.getName)
-           (.startsWith "clj_jtwig.core$add_function"))))
+           (.startsWith "clj_jtwig.functions$add_function"))))
 
 (deftest string-template
   (testing "Evaluating templates in string vars"