diff --git a/openbr/core/utility.cpp b/openbr/core/utility.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e6f2508
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openbr/core/utility.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+#include <openbr/core/qtutils.h>
+#include "utility.h"
+
+QStringList br::getFiles(QDir dir, bool recursive)
+{
+    dir = QDir(dir.canonicalPath());
+
+    QStringList files;
+    foreach (const QString &file, QtUtils::naturalSort(dir.entryList(QDir::Files)))
+        files.append(dir.absoluteFilePath(file));
+
+    if (!recursive) return files;
+
+    foreach (const QString &folder, QtUtils::naturalSort(dir.entryList(QDir::Dirs | QDir::NoDotAndDotDot))) {
+        QDir subdir(dir);
+        bool success = subdir.cd(folder); if (!success) qFatal("cd failure.");
+        files.append(getFiles(subdir, true));
+    }
+    return files;
+}
+
+QStringList br::getFiles(const QString &regexp)
+{
+    QFileInfo fileInfo(regexp);
+    QDir dir(fileInfo.dir());
+    QRegExp re(fileInfo.fileName());
+    re.setPatternSyntax(QRegExp::Wildcard);
+
+    QStringList files;
+    foreach (const QString &fileName, dir.entryList(QDir::Files))
+        if (re.exactMatch(fileName))
+            files.append(dir.filePath(fileName));
+    return files;
+}
diff --git a/openbr/core/utility.h b/openbr/core/utility.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b6b1d1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openbr/core/utility.h
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#ifndef BR_CORE_UTILITY_H
+#define BR_CORE_UTILITY_H
+
+#include <QStringList>
+#include <QDir>
+
+#include <opencv2/core/core.hpp>
+#include <openbr/openbr_export.h>
+
+namespace br
+{
+
+BR_EXPORT QStringList getFiles(QDir dir, bool recursive);
+BR_EXPORT QStringList getFiles(const QString &regexp);
+
+} // namespace br
+
+#endif // BR_CORE_UTILITY_H
diff --git a/openbr/gui/utility.cpp b/openbr/gui/utility.cpp
index 4a509ea..013ece0 100644
--- a/openbr/gui/utility.cpp
+++ b/openbr/gui/utility.cpp
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <opencv2/imgproc/imgproc.hpp>
 #include <opencv2/imgproc/imgproc_c.h>
-#include <openbr/core/qtutils.h>
 #include "utility.h"
 
 using namespace cv;
@@ -46,35 +45,3 @@ QImage br::toQImage(const Mat &mat)
 
     return QImage(mat8uc3.data, mat8uc3.cols, mat8uc3.rows, 3*mat8uc3.cols, QImage::Format_RGB888).copy();
 }
-
-QStringList br::getFiles(QDir dir, bool recursive)
-{
-    dir = QDir(dir.canonicalPath());
-
-    QStringList files;
-    foreach (const QString &file, QtUtils::naturalSort(dir.entryList(QDir::Files)))
-        files.append(dir.absoluteFilePath(file));
-
-    if (!recursive) return files;
-
-    foreach (const QString &folder, QtUtils::naturalSort(dir.entryList(QDir::Dirs | QDir::NoDotAndDotDot))) {
-        QDir subdir(dir);
-        bool success = subdir.cd(folder); if (!success) qFatal("cd failure.");
-        files.append(getFiles(subdir, true));
-    }
-    return files;
-}
-
-QStringList br::getFiles(const QString &regexp)
-{
-    QFileInfo fileInfo(regexp);
-    QDir dir(fileInfo.dir());
-    QRegExp re(fileInfo.fileName());
-    re.setPatternSyntax(QRegExp::Wildcard);
-
-    QStringList files;
-    foreach (const QString &fileName, dir.entryList(QDir::Files))
-        if (re.exactMatch(fileName))
-            files.append(dir.filePath(fileName));
-    return files;
-}
diff --git a/openbr/gui/utility.h b/openbr/gui/utility.h
index 4552215..80b1ccb 100644
--- a/openbr/gui/utility.h
+++ b/openbr/gui/utility.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-#ifndef BR_UTILITY_H
-#define BR_UTILITY_H
+#ifndef BR_GUI_UTILITY_H
+#define BR_GUI_UTILITY_H
 
 #include <QImage>
 #include <QStringList>
@@ -12,9 +12,7 @@ namespace br
 {
 
 BR_EXPORT QImage toQImage(const cv::Mat &mat);
-BR_EXPORT QStringList getFiles(QDir dir, bool recursive);
-BR_EXPORT QStringList getFiles(const QString &regexp);
 
 } // namespace br
 
-#endif // BR_UTILITY_H
+#endif // BR_GUI_UTILITY_H
diff --git a/openbr/plugins/gallery/db.cpp b/openbr/plugins/gallery/db.cpp
index 9b7d5b5..a529440 100644
--- a/openbr/plugins/gallery/db.cpp
+++ b/openbr/plugins/gallery/db.cpp
@@ -14,7 +14,9 @@
  * limitations under the License.                                            *
  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * */
 
+#ifndef BR_EMBEDDED
 #include <QtSql>
+#endif // BR_EMBEDDED
 
 #include <openbr/plugins/openbr_internal.h>
 #include <openbr/core/qtutils.h>
diff --git a/openbr/plugins/gallery/empty.cpp b/openbr/plugins/gallery/empty.cpp
index 698efc4..c73aaae 100644
--- a/openbr/plugins/gallery/empty.cpp
+++ b/openbr/plugins/gallery/empty.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 #include <openbr/plugins/openbr_internal.h>
 #include <openbr/core/qtutils.h>
-#include <openbr/gui/utility.h>
+#include <openbr/core/utility.h>
 
 namespace br
 {
diff --git a/openbr/plugins/gallery/xml.cpp b/openbr/plugins/gallery/xml.cpp
index 4df2e00..7965c15 100644
--- a/openbr/plugins/gallery/xml.cpp
+++ b/openbr/plugins/gallery/xml.cpp
@@ -14,7 +14,9 @@
  * limitations under the License.                                            *
  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * */
 
+#ifndef BR_EMBEDDED
 #include <QtXml>
+#endif // BR_EMBEDDED
 
 #include <openbr/plugins/openbr_internal.h>
 #include <openbr/core/bee.h>
@@ -36,10 +38,12 @@ class xmlGallery : public FileGallery
     BR_PROPERTY(bool, skipMissing, false)
     FileList files;
 
+#ifndef BR_EMBEDDED
     QXmlStreamReader reader;
+    bool signatureActive;
+#endif // BR_EMBEDDED
 
     QString currentSignatureName;
-    bool signatureActive;
 
     ~xmlGallery()
     {
@@ -50,15 +54,17 @@ class xmlGallery : public FileGallery
 
     TemplateList readBlock(bool *done)
     {
+        TemplateList templates;
+
+#ifndef BR_EMBEDDED
+        qint64 count = 0;
+
         if (readOpen())
             reader.setDevice(&f);
 
         if (reader.atEnd())
             f.seek(0);
 
-        TemplateList templates;
-        qint64 count = 0;
-
         while (!reader.atEnd())
         {
             // if an identity is active we try to read presentations
@@ -169,8 +175,9 @@ class xmlGallery : public FileGallery
                 }
             }
         }
-        *done = true;
+#endif // BR_EMBEDDED
 
+        *done = true;
         return templates;
     }