diff --git a/cmd/Makemodule.am b/cmd/Makemodule.am
index 5c9ed56..e472106 100644
--- a/cmd/Makemodule.am
+++ b/cmd/Makemodule.am
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ SRVHEADERS = cmd/service/servicecmd.h
 service_SOURCES = cmd/service/servicecmd.c cmd/service/help.c
 service_SOURCES += cmd/service/enable.c cmd/service/disable.c
 service_SOURCES += cmd/service/dumpscript.c cmd/service/list.c
-service_SOURCES += cmd/service/status.c
+service_SOURCES += cmd/service/status.c cmd/service/loadsvc.c
 service_SOURCES += $(SRVHEADERS)
 service_CPPFLAGS = $(AM_CPPFLAGS)
 service_CFLAGS = $(AM_CFLAGS)
diff --git a/cmd/service/dumpscript.c b/cmd/service/dumpscript.c
index 7102b5c..23966ee 100644
--- a/cmd/service/dumpscript.c
+++ b/cmd/service/dumpscript.c
@@ -6,24 +6,6 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 
 #include "servicecmd.h"
-#include "service.h"
-
-static service_t *try_load(const char *directory, const char *filename)
-{
-	service_t *svc;
-	int dirfd;
-
-	dirfd = open(directory, O_RDONLY | O_DIRECTORY);
-
-	if (dirfd < 0) {
-		perror(directory);
-		return NULL;
-	}
-
-	svc = rdsvc(dirfd, filename, 0);
-	close(dirfd);
-	return svc;
-}
 
 enum {
 	NEED_QUOTES = 0x01,
@@ -111,7 +93,7 @@ static int cmd_dumpscript(int argc, char **argv)
 		strcat(filename, argv[i]);
 	}
 
-	svc = try_load(SVCDIR, filename);
+	svc = loadsvc(SVCDIR, filename, 0);
 
 	if (svc == NULL) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Could not load service '%s'\n", filename);
diff --git a/cmd/service/loadsvc.c b/cmd/service/loadsvc.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bbd15f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/service/loadsvc.c
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: ISC */
+#include "servicecmd.h"
+
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <fcntl.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+service_t *loadsvc(const char *directory, const char *filename, int flags)
+{
+	service_t *svc;
+	int dirfd;
+
+	dirfd = open(directory, O_RDONLY | O_DIRECTORY);
+
+	if (dirfd < 0) {
+		perror(directory);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	svc = rdsvc(dirfd, filename, flags);
+	close(dirfd);
+	return svc;
+}
diff --git a/cmd/service/servicecmd.h b/cmd/service/servicecmd.h
index a8d3b2a..e7cc998 100644
--- a/cmd/service/servicecmd.h
+++ b/cmd/service/servicecmd.h
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <ctype.h>
 
+#include "service.h"
 #include "util.h"
 
 /*
@@ -38,6 +39,8 @@ typedef struct command_t {
 /* Global list of available commands */
 extern command_t *commands;
 
+service_t *loadsvc(const char *directory, const char *filename, int flags);
+
 /*
 	Implemented in servicecmd.c. Prints program usage message and
 	terminates with the given exit status.