diff --git a/libgimp/gimp-private.h b/libgimp/gimp-private.h
index 12d8f387db..d1f6cb7859 100644
--- a/libgimp/gimp-private.h
+++ b/libgimp/gimp-private.h
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ void   _gimp_config          (GPConfig        *config);
 void   _gimp_loop            (GimpRunProc      run_proc);
 void   _gimp_read_expect_msg (GimpWireMessage *msg,
                               gint             type);
+void   _gimp_process_message (GimpWireMessage *msg);
 
 
 G_END_DECLS
diff --git a/libgimp/gimp.c b/libgimp/gimp.c
index 51493f36bf..21797b4b78 100644
--- a/libgimp/gimp.c
+++ b/libgimp/gimp.c
@@ -801,6 +801,38 @@ gimp_quit (void)
   exit (EXIT_SUCCESS);
 }
 
+void
+_gimp_read_expect_msg (GimpWireMessage *msg,
+                       gint             type)
+{
+  while (TRUE)
+    {
+      if (! gimp_wire_read_msg (_gimp_readchannel, msg, NULL))
+        gimp_quit ();
+
+      if (msg->type == type)
+        return; /* up to the caller to call wire_destroy() */
+
+      if (msg->type == GP_TEMP_PROC_RUN || msg->type == GP_QUIT)
+        {
+          if (PLUG_IN)
+            {
+              _gimp_plug_in_process_message (PLUG_IN, msg);
+            }
+          else
+            {
+              _gimp_process_message (msg);
+            }
+        }
+      else
+        {
+          g_error ("unexpected message: %d", msg->type);
+        }
+
+      gimp_wire_destroy (msg);
+    }
+}
+
 GimpValueArray *
 gimp_run_procedure_with_array (const gchar    *name,
                                GimpValueArray *arguments)
diff --git a/libgimp/gimplegacy.c b/libgimp/gimplegacy.c
index 6b0c8e56be..3ecd2a2ae1 100644
--- a/libgimp/gimplegacy.c
+++ b/libgimp/gimplegacy.c
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@
 static gpointer   gimp_param_copy (gpointer boxed);
 static void       gimp_param_free (gpointer boxed);
 
-static void       gimp_process_message         (GimpWireMessage *msg);
 static void       gimp_single_message          (void);
 static gboolean   gimp_extension_read          (GIOChannel      *channel,
                                                 GIOCondition     condition,
@@ -589,31 +588,6 @@ gimp_extension_process (guint timeout)
 #endif
 }
 
-void
-_gimp_read_expect_msg (GimpWireMessage *msg,
-                       gint             type)
-{
-  while (TRUE)
-    {
-      if (! gimp_wire_read_msg (_gimp_readchannel, msg, NULL))
-        gimp_quit ();
-
-      if (msg->type == type)
-        return; /* up to the caller to call wire_destroy() */
-
-      if (msg->type == GP_TEMP_PROC_RUN || msg->type == GP_QUIT)
-        {
-          gimp_process_message (msg);
-        }
-      else
-        {
-          g_error ("unexpected message: %d", msg->type);
-        }
-
-      gimp_wire_destroy (msg);
-    }
-}
-
 /**
  * gimp_run_procedure: (skip)
  * @name:          the name of the procedure to run
@@ -1261,8 +1235,8 @@ gimp_plugin_icon_register (const gchar  *procedure_name,
 
 /*  private functions  */
 
-static void
-gimp_process_message (GimpWireMessage *msg)
+void
+_gimp_process_message (GimpWireMessage *msg)
 {
   switch (msg->type)
     {
@@ -1307,7 +1281,7 @@ gimp_single_message (void)
   if (! gimp_wire_read_msg (_gimp_readchannel, &msg, NULL))
     gimp_quit ();
 
-  gimp_process_message (&msg);
+  _gimp_process_message (&msg);
 
   gimp_wire_destroy (&msg);
 }
diff --git a/libgimp/gimpplugin-private.c b/libgimp/gimpplugin-private.c
index 0350883d53..320eae912b 100644
--- a/libgimp/gimpplugin-private.c
+++ b/libgimp/gimpplugin-private.c
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@
 static void   gimp_plug_in_register          (GimpPlugIn      *plug_in,
                                               gboolean         init);
 static void   gimp_plug_in_loop              (GimpPlugIn      *plug_in);
-static void   gimp_plug_in_process_message   (GimpPlugIn      *plug_in,
-                                              GimpWireMessage *msg);
 static void   gimp_plug_in_proc_run          (GimpPlugIn      *plug_in,
                                               GPProcRun       *proc_run);
 static void   gimp_plug_in_temp_proc_run     (GimpPlugIn      *plug_in,
@@ -233,14 +231,14 @@ _gimp_plug_in_single_message (GimpPlugIn *plug_in)
   if (! gimp_wire_read_msg (_gimp_readchannel, &msg, NULL))
     gimp_quit ();
 
-  gimp_plug_in_process_message (plug_in, &msg);
+  _gimp_plug_in_process_message (plug_in, &msg);
 
   gimp_wire_destroy (&msg);
 }
 
-static void
-gimp_plug_in_process_message (GimpPlugIn      *plug_in,
-                              GimpWireMessage *msg)
+void
+_gimp_plug_in_process_message (GimpPlugIn      *plug_in,
+                               GimpWireMessage *msg)
 {
   switch (msg->type)
     {
diff --git a/libgimp/gimpplugin-private.h b/libgimp/gimpplugin-private.h
index 66fe8acba8..bf0edf4aa0 100644
--- a/libgimp/gimpplugin-private.h
+++ b/libgimp/gimpplugin-private.h
@@ -49,15 +49,17 @@ struct _GimpPlugInPrivate
 };
 
 
-void       _gimp_plug_in_query          (GimpPlugIn  *plug_in);
-void       _gimp_plug_in_init           (GimpPlugIn  *plug_in);
-void       _gimp_plug_in_run            (GimpPlugIn  *plug_in);
-void       _gimp_plug_in_quit           (GimpPlugIn  *plug_in);
+void       _gimp_plug_in_query           (GimpPlugIn      *plug_in);
+void       _gimp_plug_in_init            (GimpPlugIn      *plug_in);
+void       _gimp_plug_in_run             (GimpPlugIn      *plug_in);
+void       _gimp_plug_in_quit            (GimpPlugIn      *plug_in);
 
-gboolean   _gimp_plug_in_extension_read (GIOChannel  *channel,
-                                         GIOCondition condition,
-                                         gpointer     data);
-void       _gimp_plug_in_single_message (GimpPlugIn  *plug_in);
+gboolean   _gimp_plug_in_extension_read  (GIOChannel      *channel,
+                                          GIOCondition     condition,
+                                          gpointer         data);
+void       _gimp_plug_in_single_message  (GimpPlugIn      *plug_in);
+void       _gimp_plug_in_process_message (GimpPlugIn      *plug_in,
+                                          GimpWireMessage *msg);
 
 
 G_END_DECLS