diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 48ba117e1..268d34efd 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ set (ERESSEA_SRC
   travelthru.c
   monsters.c
   wormhole.c
+  xmlreader.c
   ${SPELLS_SRC}
   ${RACES_SRC}
   ${ITEMS_SRC}
@@ -239,6 +240,7 @@ set(TESTS_SRC
   volcano.test.c
   vortex.test.c
   wormhole.test.c
+# xmlreader.test.c
   spells/flyingship.test.c
   spells/magicresistance.test.c
   triggers/shock.test.c
diff --git a/src/convert.c b/src/convert.c
index 5691a3486..2368043bb 100644
--- a/src/convert.c
+++ b/src/convert.c
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #include <platform.h>
 
 
-#include <kernel/xmlreader.h>
+#include "xmlreader.h"
 #include <util/xml.h>
 #include <kernel/race.h>
 #include <kernel/rules.h>
diff --git a/src/eressea.c b/src/eressea.c
index 0b5d2f6b4..95d190d70 100644
--- a/src/eressea.c
+++ b/src/eressea.c
@@ -2,17 +2,6 @@
 #include "settings.h"
 #include "eressea.h"
 
-#include "calendar.h"
-#include "chaos.h"
-#include "items.h"
-#include "creport.h"
-#include "report.h"
-#include "names.h"
-#include "reports.h"
-#include "spells.h"
-#include "vortex.h"
-#include "wormhole.h"
-
 #include <kernel/config.h>
 #include <util/log.h>
 
@@ -24,7 +13,6 @@
 #include <kernel/curse.h>
 #include <kernel/equipment.h>
 #include <kernel/item.h>
-#include <kernel/xmlreader.h>
 #include <kernel/database.h>
 #include <modules/gmcmd.h>
 #include <modules/xmas.h>
@@ -35,6 +23,18 @@
 #include <util/message.h>
 #include <races/races.h>
 
+#include "calendar.h"
+#include "chaos.h"
+#include "items.h"
+#include "creport.h"
+#include "report.h"
+#include "names.h"
+#include "reports.h"
+#include "spells.h"
+#include "vortex.h"
+#include "wormhole.h"
+#include "xmlreader.h"
+
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
diff --git a/src/gmtool.c b/src/gmtool.c
index a3c6ef78c..d74f1e46b 100644
--- a/src/gmtool.c
+++ b/src/gmtool.c
@@ -17,13 +17,6 @@
 #include <kernel/config.h>
 
 #include "gmtool.h"
-#include "gmtool_structs.h"
-#include "chaos.h"
-#include "console.h"
-#include "listbox.h"
-#include "wormhole.h"
-#include "calendar.h"
-#include "teleport.h"
 
 #include <modules/xmas.h>
 #include <modules/gmcmd.h>
@@ -42,7 +35,6 @@
 #include <kernel/save.h>
 #include <kernel/ship.h>
 #include <kernel/terrain.h>
-#include <kernel/xmlreader.h>
 
 #include <attributes/attributes.h>
 #include <triggers/triggers.h>
@@ -56,6 +48,15 @@
 #include <util/rng.h>
 #include <util/unicode.h>
 
+#include "gmtool_structs.h"
+#include "chaos.h"
+#include "console.h"
+#include "listbox.h"
+#include "wormhole.h"
+#include "calendar.h"
+#include "teleport.h"
+#include "xmlreader.h"
+
 #include <storage.h>
 #include <lua.h>
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt b/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
index 3458d6947..93f805ebc 100644
--- a/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ spellbook.test.c
 spell.test.c
 # terrain.test.c
 unit.test.c
-# xmlreader.test.c
 )
 
 SET(_DBFILES db/critbit.c)
@@ -78,7 +77,6 @@ spellbook.c
 spell.c
 terrain.c
 unit.c
-xmlreader.c
 )
 
 SET(VERSION_SRC ${PROJECT_NAME}/version.c PARENT_SCOPE)
diff --git a/src/spells.c b/src/spells.c
index c4bebb2dd..4c7eb431e 100644
--- a/src/spells.c
+++ b/src/spells.c
@@ -14,20 +14,32 @@
 #ifdef _MSC_VER
 #include <platform.h>
 #endif
-#include <kernel/config.h>
+
+#include "spells.h"
 
 #include "guard.h"
 #include "spy.h"
 #include "vortex.h"
 #include "laws.h"
-#include "spells.h"
 #include "direction.h"
 #include "randenc.h"
 #include "monsters.h"
 #include "teleport.h"
+#include "xmlreader.h"
 
+ /* triggers includes */
+#include <triggers/changefaction.h>
+#include <triggers/changerace.h>
+#include <triggers/createcurse.h>
+#include <triggers/createunit.h>
+#include <triggers/killunit.h>
+#include <triggers/timeout.h>
+
+ /* attributes includes */
+#include <attributes/targetregion.h>
+#include <attributes/hate.h>
 #include <attributes/attributes.h>
-
+#include <races/races.h>
 #include <spells/borders.h>
 #include <spells/buildingcurse.h>
 #include <spells/regioncurse.h>
@@ -38,6 +50,7 @@
 
 /* kernel includes */
 #include <kernel/building.h>
+#include <kernel/config.h>
 #include <kernel/curse.h>
 #include <kernel/connection.h>
 #include <kernel/faction.h>
@@ -54,9 +67,6 @@
 #include <kernel/terrain.h>
 #include <kernel/terrainid.h>
 #include <kernel/unit.h>
-#include <kernel/xmlreader.h>
-
-#include <races/races.h>
 
 /* util includes */
 #include <util/assert.h>
@@ -91,17 +101,6 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <limits.h>
 
-/* triggers includes */
-#include <triggers/changefaction.h>
-#include <triggers/changerace.h>
-#include <triggers/createcurse.h>
-#include <triggers/createunit.h>
-#include <triggers/killunit.h>
-#include <triggers/timeout.h>
-
-/* attributes includes */
-#include <attributes/targetregion.h>
-#include <attributes/hate.h>
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 #if defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER >= 1900
diff --git a/src/kernel/xmlreader.c b/src/xmlreader.c
similarity index 99%
rename from src/kernel/xmlreader.c
rename to src/xmlreader.c
index cfdee7513..ad01ff7ca 100644
--- a/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
+++ b/src/xmlreader.c
@@ -12,28 +12,28 @@ without prior permission by the authors of Eressea.
 
 #include <platform.h>
 #include <kernel/config.h>
+
 #include "xmlreader.h"
 
-#include "building.h"
-#include "guard.h"
-#include "equipment.h"
-#include "item.h"
-#include "keyword.h"
-#include "messages.h"
-#include "race.h"
-#include "region.h"
-#include "resources.h"
-#include "ship.h"
-#include "terrain.h"
-#include "skills.h"
-#include "spell.h"
-#include "spellbook.h"
-#include "calendar.h"
-#include "prefix.h"
-#include "move.h"
+#include "kernel/building.h"
+#include "kernel/equipment.h"
+#include "kernel/item.h"
+#include "kernel/messages.h"
+#include "kernel/race.h"
+#include "kernel/region.h"
+#include "kernel/resources.h"
+#include "kernel/ship.h"
+#include "kernel/terrain.h"
+#include "kernel/skills.h"
+#include "kernel/spell.h"
+#include "kernel/spellbook.h"
 
-/* TODO: core code should not include these files: */
 #include "alchemy.h"
+#include "calendar.h"
+#include "guard.h"
+#include "keyword.h"
+#include "move.h"
+#include "prefix.h"
 
 #include <modules/score.h>
 #include <attributes/attributes.h>
diff --git a/src/kernel/xmlreader.h b/src/xmlreader.h
similarity index 100%
rename from src/kernel/xmlreader.h
rename to src/xmlreader.h