diff --git a/my/core/common.py b/my/core/common.py
index 920657a..389dedc 100644
--- a/my/core/common.py
+++ b/my/core/common.py
@@ -34,37 +34,6 @@ from .compat import deprecated
 # some helper functions
 PathIsh = Union[Path, str]
 
-# TODO only used in tests? not sure if useful at all.
-def import_file(p: PathIsh, name: Optional[str] = None) -> types.ModuleType:
-    p = Path(p)
-    if name is None:
-        name = p.stem
-    import importlib.util
-    spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(name, p)
-    assert spec is not None, f"Fatal error; Could not create module spec from {name} {p}"
-    foo = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
-    loader = spec.loader; assert loader is not None
-    loader.exec_module(foo)
-    return foo
-
-
-def import_from(path: PathIsh, name: str) -> types.ModuleType:
-    path = str(path)
-    try:
-        sys.path.append(path)
-        import importlib
-        return importlib.import_module(name)
-    finally:
-        sys.path.remove(path)
-
-
-def import_dir(path: PathIsh, extra: str='') -> types.ModuleType:
-    p = Path(path)
-    if p.parts[0] == '~':
-        p = p.expanduser() # TODO eh. not sure about this..
-    return import_from(p.parent, p.name + extra)
-
-
 from .logging import setup_logger, LazyLogger
 
 
diff --git a/my/core/compat.py b/my/core/compat.py
index d73c60c..7bbe509 100644
--- a/my/core/compat.py
+++ b/my/core/compat.py
@@ -131,12 +131,6 @@ else:
 
 
 if sys.version_info[:2] >= (3, 11):
-    from typing import assert_never
+    from typing import assert_never, assert_type, Never
 else:
-    from typing_extensions import assert_never
-
-
-if sys.version_info[:2] >= (3, 11):
-    from typing import Never
-else:
-    from typing_extensions import Never
+    from typing_extensions import assert_never, assert_type, Never
diff --git a/my/core/hpi_compat.py b/my/core/hpi_compat.py
index 61121de..3c567d9 100644
--- a/my/core/hpi_compat.py
+++ b/my/core/hpi_compat.py
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ Please install {' '.join(requires)} as PIP packages (see the corresponding READM
 def _get_dal(cfg, module_name: str):
     mpath = getattr(cfg, module_name, None)
     if mpath is not None:
-        from .common import import_dir
+        from .utils.imports import import_dir
 
         return import_dir(mpath, '.dal')
     else:
diff --git a/my/core/utils/imports.py b/my/core/utils/imports.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..efd8e9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/my/core/utils/imports.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import importlib
+import importlib.util
+from pathlib import Path
+import sys
+from typing import Optional
+from types import ModuleType
+
+from ..common import PathIsh
+
+
+# TODO only used in tests? not sure if useful at all.
+def import_file(p: PathIsh, name: Optional[str] = None) -> ModuleType:
+    p = Path(p)
+    if name is None:
+        name = p.stem
+    spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(name, p)
+    assert spec is not None, f"Fatal error; Could not create module spec from {name} {p}"
+    foo = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+    loader = spec.loader; assert loader is not None
+    loader.exec_module(foo)
+    return foo
+
+
+def import_from(path: PathIsh, name: str) -> ModuleType:
+    path = str(path)
+    sys.path.append(path)
+    try:
+        return importlib.import_module(name)
+    finally:
+        sys.path.remove(path)
+
+
+def import_dir(path: PathIsh, extra: str = '') -> ModuleType:
+    p = Path(path)
+    if p.parts[0] == '~':
+        p = p.expanduser()  # TODO eh. not sure about this..
+    return import_from(p.parent, p.name + extra)
diff --git a/my/core/utils/itertools.py b/my/core/utils/itertools.py
index cab4b2c..7046acf 100644
--- a/my/core/utils/itertools.py
+++ b/my/core/utils/itertools.py
@@ -105,12 +105,13 @@ else:
 
 
 def test_listify() -> None:
+    from ..compat import assert_type
+
     @listify
     def it() -> Iterator[int]:
         yield 1
         yield 2
 
     res = it()
-    from typing_extensions import assert_type  # TODO move to compat?
     assert_type(res, List[int])
     assert res == [1, 2]
diff --git a/my/demo.py b/my/demo.py
index 75954d6..645be4f 100644
--- a/my/demo.py
+++ b/my/demo.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class demo(user_config):
     def external_module(self):
         rpath = self.external
         if rpath is not None:
-            from .core.common import import_dir
+            from .core.utils.imports import import_dir
             return import_dir(rpath)
 
         import my.config.repos.external as m # type: ignore
diff --git a/tests/extra/polar.py b/tests/extra/polar.py
index b2bc562..b5858b6 100644
--- a/tests/extra/polar.py
+++ b/tests/extra/polar.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ def test_hpi(prepare: str) -> None:
     assert len(list(get_entries())) > 1
 
 def test_orger(prepare: str, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
-    from my.core.common import import_from, import_file
+    from my.core.utils.imports import import_from, import_file
     om = import_file(ROOT / 'orger/modules/polar.py')
     # reload(om)