diff --git a/life.tlv b/life.tlv
index 7567697..22293ea 100644
--- a/life.tlv
+++ b/life.tlv
@@ -332,54 +332,6 @@
     >                  '123  ',
     >              'test_check_screen')
     >end
-- __teliva_timestamp: original
-  start_reading:
-    >-- primitive for reading files from a file system (or, later, network)
-    >-- returns a channel or nil on error
-    >-- read lines from the channel using :recv()
-    >-- recv() on the channel will indicate end of file.
-    >function start_reading(fs, filename)
-    >  local result = task.Channel:new()
-    >  local infile = io.open(filename)
-    >  if infile == nil then return nil end
-    >  task.spawn(reading_task, infile, result)
-    >  return result
-    >end
-    >
-    >function reading_task(infile, chanout)
-    >  for line in infile:lines() do
-    >    chanout:send(line)
-    >  end
-    >  chanout:send(nil)  -- eof
-    >end
-- __teliva_timestamp: original
-  start_writing:
-    >-- primitive for writing files to a file system (or, later, network)
-    >-- returns a channel or nil on error
-    >-- write to the channel using :send()
-    >-- indicate you're done writing by calling :close()
-    >-- file will not be externally visible until :close()
-    >function start_writing(fs, filename)
-    >  local result = task.Channel:new()
-    >  local initial_filename = os.tmpname()
-    >  local outfile = io.open(initial_filename, 'w')
-    >  if outfile == nil then return nil end
-    >  result.close = function()
-    >    result:send(nil)  -- end of file
-    >    outfile:close()
-    >    os.rename(initial_filename, filename)
-    >  end
-    >  task.spawn(writing_task, outfile, result)
-    >  return result
-    >end
-    >
-    >function writing_task(outfile, chanin)
-    >  while true do
-    >    local line = chanin:recv()
-    >    if line == nil then break end  -- end of file
-    >    outfile:write(line)
-    >  end
-    >end
 - __teliva_timestamp: original
   grid:
     >-- main data structure
diff --git a/src/file.lua b/src/file.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..faac0c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/file.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+-- primitive for reading files from a file system (or, later, network)
+-- returns a channel or nil on error
+-- read lines from the channel using :recv()
+-- recv() on the channel will indicate end of file.
+function start_reading(fs, filename)
+  local result = task.Channel:new()
+  local infile = io.open(filename)
+  if infile == nil then return nil end
+  task.spawn(reading_task, infile, result)
+  return result
+end
+
+local function reading_task(infile, chanout)
+  for line in infile:lines() do
+    chanout:send(line)
+  end
+  chanout:send(nil)  -- eof
+end
+
+-- primitive for writing files to a file system (or, later, network)
+-- returns a channel or nil on error
+-- write to the channel using :send()
+-- indicate you're done writing by calling :close()
+-- file will not be externally visible until :close()
+function start_writing(fs, filename)
+  local result = task.Channel:new()
+  local initial_filename = os.tmpname()
+  local outfile = io.open(initial_filename, 'w')
+  if outfile == nil then return nil end
+  result.close = function()
+    result:send(nil)  -- end of file
+    outfile:close()
+    os.rename(initial_filename, filename)
+  end
+  task.spawn(writing_task, outfile, result)
+  return result
+end
+
+local function writing_task(outfile, chanin)
+  while true do
+    local line = chanin:recv()
+    if line == nil then break end  -- end of file
+    outfile:write(line)
+  end
+end
diff --git a/src/lua.c b/src/lua.c
index 11a1221..a553315 100644
--- a/src/lua.c
+++ b/src/lua.c
@@ -236,6 +236,8 @@ static int pmain (lua_State *L) {
   if (status != 0) return 0;
   status = dorequire(L, "src/task.lua", "task");
   if (status != 0) return 0;
+  status = dorequire(L, "src/file.lua", "file");
+  if (status != 0) return 0;
   lua_gc(L, LUA_GCRESTART, 0);
   s->status = handle_luainit(L);
   if (s->status != 0) return 0;
diff --git a/template.tlv b/template.tlv
index 4ec78b2..aa78955 100644
--- a/template.tlv
+++ b/template.tlv
@@ -333,54 +333,6 @@
     >                  '123  ',
     >              'test_check_screen')
     >end
-- __teliva_timestamp: original
-  start_reading:
-    >-- primitive for reading files from a file system (or, later, network)
-    >-- returns a channel or nil on error
-    >-- read lines from the channel using :recv()
-    >-- recv() on the channel will indicate end of file.
-    >function start_reading(fs, filename)
-    >  local result = task.Channel:new()
-    >  local infile = io.open(filename)
-    >  if infile == nil then return nil end
-    >  task.spawn(reading_task, infile, result)
-    >  return result
-    >end
-    >
-    >function reading_task(infile, chanout)
-    >  for line in infile:lines() do
-    >    chanout:send(line)
-    >  end
-    >  chanout:send(nil)  -- eof
-    >end
-- __teliva_timestamp: original
-  start_writing:
-    >-- primitive for writing files to a file system (or, later, network)
-    >-- returns a channel or nil on error
-    >-- write to the channel using :send()
-    >-- indicate you're done writing by calling :close()
-    >-- file will not be externally visible until :close()
-    >function start_writing(fs, filename)
-    >  local result = task.Channel:new()
-    >  local initial_filename = os.tmpname()
-    >  local outfile = io.open(initial_filename, 'w')
-    >  if outfile == nil then return nil end
-    >  result.close = function()
-    >    result:send(nil)  -- end of file
-    >    outfile:close()
-    >    os.rename(initial_filename, filename)
-    >  end
-    >  task.spawn(writing_task, outfile, result)
-    >  return result
-    >end
-    >
-    >function writing_task(outfile, chanin)
-    >  while true do
-    >    local line = chanin:recv()
-    >    if line == nil then break end  -- end of file
-    >    outfile:write(line)
-    >  end
-    >end
 - __teliva_timestamp: original
   render:
     >function render(window)
diff --git a/zet.tlv b/zet.tlv
index 6105fda..0977572 100644
--- a/zet.tlv
+++ b/zet.tlv
@@ -335,54 +335,6 @@
     >                  '123  ',
     >              'test_check_screen')
     >end
-- __teliva_timestamp: original
-  start_reading:
-    >-- primitive for reading files from a file system (or, later, network)
-    >-- returns a channel or nil on error
-    >-- read lines from the channel using :recv()
-    >-- recv() on the channel will indicate end of file.
-    >function start_reading(fs, filename)
-    >  local result = task.Channel:new()
-    >  local infile = io.open(filename)
-    >  if infile == nil then return nil end
-    >  task.spawn(reading_task, infile, result)
-    >  return result
-    >end
-    >
-    >function reading_task(infile, chanout)
-    >  for line in infile:lines() do
-    >    chanout:send(line)
-    >  end
-    >  chanout:send(nil)  -- eof
-    >end
-- __teliva_timestamp: original
-  start_writing:
-    >-- primitive for writing files to a file system (or, later, network)
-    >-- returns a channel or nil on error
-    >-- write to the channel using :send()
-    >-- indicate you're done writing by calling :close()
-    >-- file will not be externally visible until :close()
-    >function start_writing(fs, filename)
-    >  local result = task.Channel:new()
-    >  local initial_filename = os.tmpname()
-    >  local outfile = io.open(initial_filename, 'w')
-    >  if outfile == nil then return nil end
-    >  result.close = function()
-    >    result:send(nil)  -- end of file
-    >    outfile:close()
-    >    os.rename(initial_filename, filename)
-    >  end
-    >  task.spawn(writing_task, outfile, result)
-    >  return result
-    >end
-    >
-    >function writing_task(outfile, chanin)
-    >  while true do
-    >    local line = chanin:recv()
-    >    if line == nil then break end  -- end of file
-    >    outfile:write(line)
-    >  end
-    >end
 - __teliva_timestamp: original
   spaces:
     >function spaces(n)