diff --git a/atari/settings.c b/atari/settings.c
index e921da247..0b4c5f747 100644
--- a/atari/settings.c
+++ b/atari/settings.c
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
-#include <dirent.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <time.h>
 #include <limits.h>
@@ -29,6 +28,7 @@
 #include <cflib.h>
 #include <gem.h>
 
+#include "utils/dirent.h"
 #include "utils/nsoption.h"
 #include "utils/log.h"
 #include "desktop/plot_style.h"
diff --git a/content/fetchers/about.c b/content/fetchers/about.c
index eeea3d992..cf66a622b 100644
--- a/content/fetchers/about.c
+++ b/content/fetchers/about.c
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
 #include <strings.h>
 #include <time.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
-#include <dirent.h>
 #include <limits.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
 
@@ -46,6 +45,7 @@
 #include "testament.h"
 
 #include "utils/config.h"
+#include "utils/dirent.h"
 #include "content/fetch.h"
 #include "content/fetchers.h"
 #include "content/fetchers/about.h"
diff --git a/content/fetchers/file.c b/content/fetchers/file.c
index c2f8bed2f..ff40386fe 100644
--- a/content/fetchers/file.c
+++ b/content/fetchers/file.c
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@
 #include <strings.h>
 #include <time.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
-#include <dirent.h>
 #include <limits.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
 
@@ -46,6 +45,7 @@
 
 #include <libwapcaplet/libwapcaplet.h>
 
+#include "utils/dirent.h"
 #include "utils/corestrings.h"
 #include "utils/nsoption.h"
 #include "utils/errors.h"
diff --git a/content/fetchers/resource.c b/content/fetchers/resource.c
index 7a55b54ed..2db414d68 100644
--- a/content/fetchers/resource.c
+++ b/content/fetchers/resource.c
@@ -33,13 +33,12 @@
 #include <strings.h>
 #include <time.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
-#include <dirent.h>
 #include <limits.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
 
 #include <libwapcaplet/libwapcaplet.h>
 
-#include "utils/config.h"
+#include "utils/dirent.h"
 #include "utils/errors.h"
 #include "utils/corestrings.h"
 #include "utils/nsoption.h"
diff --git a/javascript/fetcher.c b/javascript/fetcher.c
index de1ce66db..5bbe3dd9f 100644
--- a/javascript/fetcher.c
+++ b/javascript/fetcher.c
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
 #include <strings.h>
 #include <time.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
-#include <dirent.h>
 #include <limits.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
 
diff --git a/utils/config.h b/utils/config.h
index 8f05b23dc..ddd1c6e8e 100644
--- a/utils/config.h
+++ b/utils/config.h
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 #define _NETSURF_UTILS_CONFIG_H_
 
 #include <stddef.h>
-#include <dirent.h>
 
 /* Try to detect which features the target OS supports */
 
@@ -107,10 +106,6 @@ char *realpath(const char *path, char *resolved_path);
 #define HAVE_SCANDIR
 #if (defined(_WIN32))
 #undef HAVE_SCANDIR
-int alphasort(const struct dirent **d1, const struct dirent **d2);
-int scandir(const char *dir, struct dirent ***namelist,
-		int (*sel)(const struct dirent *),
-		int (*compar)(const struct dirent **, const struct dirent **));
 #endif
 
 /* This section toggles build options on and off.
diff --git a/utils/dirent.h b/utils/dirent.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a22e21ac3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/dirent.h
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2016 Vincent Sanders <vince@netsurf-browser.org>
+ *
+ * This file is part of NetSurf, http://www.netsurf-browser.org/
+ *
+ * NetSurf is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; version 2 of the License.
+ *
+ * NetSurf is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \file directory traversal and entry
+ *
+ * This allows the obtaining of standard directory entry routines
+ * functions in a uniform way despite any oddities in headers and
+ * supported API between OS.
+ *
+ * \note This functionality was previously provided as a side effect of the
+ *  utils config header include.
+ */
+
+#ifndef _NETSURF_UTILS_DIRENT_H_
+#define _NETSURF_UTILS_DIRENT_H_
+
+#include "utils/config.h"
+
+#include <dirent.h>
+
+#ifndef HAVE_SCANDIR
+
+int alphasort(const struct dirent **d1, const struct dirent **d2);
+int scandir(const char *dir, struct dirent ***namelist,
+		int (*sel)(const struct dirent *),
+		int (*compar)(const struct dirent **, const struct dirent **));
+#endif
+
+#endif
diff --git a/utils/filename.c b/utils/filename.c
index 19ee03968..9c95901a1 100644
--- a/utils/filename.c
+++ b/utils/filename.c
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
-#include <dirent.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -33,7 +32,7 @@
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
-#include "utils/config.h"
+#include "utils/dirent.h"
 #include "utils/filename.h"
 #include "utils/log.h"
 #include "utils/utils.h"
diff --git a/utils/utils.c b/utils/utils.c
index 53c0fbe38..a332f88f7 100644
--- a/utils/utils.c
+++ b/utils/utils.c
@@ -38,7 +38,9 @@
 #include "utils/messages.h"
 #include "utils/utf8.h"
 #include "utils/time.h"
+#include "utils/sys_time.h"
 #include "utils/inet.h"
+#include "utils/dirent.h"
 #include "utils/utils.h"
 
 /* exported interface documented in utils/utils.h */
@@ -399,11 +401,14 @@ int dir_sort_alpha(const struct dirent **d1, const struct dirent **d2)
 
 
 #ifndef HAVE_SCANDIR
+
+/* exported function documented in utils/dirent.h */
 int alphasort(const struct dirent **d1, const struct dirent **d2)
 {
 	return strcasecmp((*d1)->d_name, (*d2)->d_name);
 }
 
+/* exported function documented in utils/dirent.h */
 int scandir(const char *dir, struct dirent ***namelist,
 		int (*sel)(const struct dirent *),
 		int (*compar)(const struct dirent **, const struct dirent **))
diff --git a/windows/main.c b/windows/main.c
index 736199cd9..dfb3ad107 100644
--- a/windows/main.c
+++ b/windows/main.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include <limits.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <windows.h>
+#include <io.h>
 
 #include "utils/utils.h"
 #include "utils/log.h"