diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index a6a85c3..64734f1 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ set(CMAKE_MODULE_FILES
     cmake/modules/LibraryTarget.cmake
     cmake/modules/TestUtilities.cmake
     cmake/modules/TestTarget.cmake
+    cmake/modules/AppUtilities.cmake
     cmake/modules/AppTarget.cmake
     cmake/modules/WindowsResources.cmake
     cmake/modules/TemplateFinder.cmake
diff --git a/cmake/modules/AppTarget.cmake b/cmake/modules/AppTarget.cmake
index de1678f..13e76c1 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/AppTarget.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/AppTarget.cmake
@@ -180,108 +180,6 @@ if (NOT META_NO_INSTALL_TARGETS AND ENABLE_INSTALL_TARGETS)
     endif ()
 endif ()
 
-# find template for *.desktop and AppStream files
-include(TemplateFinder)
-find_template_file("desktop" CPP_UTILITIES APP_DESKTOP_TEMPLATE_FILE)
-find_template_file("appdata.xml" CPP_UTILITIES APP_APPSTREAM_TEMPLATE_FILE)
-
-# define generic function to add *.desktop files
-include(CMakeParseArguments)
-function (add_custom_desktop_file)
-    # skip if not building with GUI support
-    if (NOT META_DESKTOP_FILE_FOR_CLI AND ((NOT DEFINED META_GUI_OPTIONAL OR META_GUI_OPTIONAL) AND NOT (WIDGETS_GUI
-                                                                                                         OR QUICK_GUI)))
-        return()
-    endif ()
-
-    # parse arguments
-    set(ONE_VALUE_ARGS
-        FILE_NAME
-        DESKTOP_FILE_APP_NAME
-        DESKTOP_FILE_GENERIC_NAME
-        DESKTOP_FILE_DESCRIPTION
-        DESKTOP_FILE_CATEGORIES
-        DESKTOP_FILE_CMD
-        DESKTOP_FILE_ICON
-        DESKTOP_FILE_ADDITIONAL_ENTRIES)
-    set(MULTI_VALUE_ARGS)
-    set(OPTIONAL_ARGS)
-    cmake_parse_arguments(ARGS "${OPTIONAL_ARGS}" "${ONE_VALUE_ARGS}" "${MULTI_VALUE_ARGS}" ${ARGN})
-    if (NOT ARGS_FILE_NAME
-        OR NOT ARGS_DESKTOP_FILE_APP_NAME
-        OR NOT ARGS_DESKTOP_FILE_CMD)
-        message(FATAL_ERROR "Not all mandatory arguments specified.")
-    endif ()
-    if (NOT ARGS_DESKTOP_FILE_GENERIC_NAME)
-        set(ARGS_DESKTOP_FILE_GENERIC_NAME "${ARGS_DESKTOP_FILE_APP_NAME}")
-    endif ()
-
-    # create desktop file from template
-    configure_file("${APP_DESKTOP_TEMPLATE_FILE}" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/resources/${ARGS_FILE_NAME}.desktop")
-    # add install for the desktop file
-    install(
-        FILES "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/resources/${ARGS_FILE_NAME}.desktop"
-        DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_DATAROOTDIR}/applications"
-        COMPONENT desktop)
-endfunction ()
-
-# define function to add *.desktop file and meta info from project meta data
-function (add_desktop_file)
-    # skip if not building with GUI support
-    if (NOT META_DESKTOP_FILE_FOR_CLI AND ((NOT DEFINED META_GUI_OPTIONAL OR META_GUI_OPTIONAL) AND NOT (WIDGETS_GUI
-                                                                                                         OR QUICK_GUI)))
-        return()
-    endif ()
-
-    # compose actions
-    set(DESKTOP_FILE_ADDITIONAL_ENTRIES "")
-    foreach (ACTION_VAR ${META_APP_ACTIONS})
-        list(GET META_APP_ACTION_${ACTION_VAR} 0 ACTION_ID)
-        list(GET META_APP_ACTION_${ACTION_VAR} 1 ACTION_NAME)
-        list(GET META_APP_ACTION_${ACTION_VAR} 2 ACTION_ARGS)
-        set(DESKTOP_FILE_ADDITIONAL_ENTRIES
-            "${DESKTOP_FILE_ADDITIONAL_ENTRIES}\n[Desktop Action ${ACTION_ID}]\nName=${ACTION_NAME}\nExec=${META_TARGET_NAME} ${ACTION_ARGS}"
-        )
-    endforeach ()
-
-    # create desktop file
-    add_custom_desktop_file(
-        FILE_NAME
-        "${META_ID}"
-        DESKTOP_FILE_APP_NAME
-        "${META_APP_NAME}"
-        DESKTOP_FILE_GENERIC_NAME
-        "${META_GENERIC_NAME}"
-        DESKTOP_FILE_DESCRIPTION
-        "${META_APP_DESCRIPTION}"
-        DESKTOP_FILE_CATEGORIES
-        "${META_APP_CATEGORIES}"
-        DESKTOP_FILE_CMD
-        "${META_TARGET_NAME}"
-        DESKTOP_FILE_ICON
-        "${NAMESPACE_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${META_CONFIG_SUFFIX}"
-        DESKTOP_FILE_ADDITIONAL_ENTRIES
-        "${DESKTOP_FILE_ADDITIONAL_ENTRIES}")
-
-    # read body for appstream desktop file from resources
-    set(META_APP_APPDATA_BODY_FILE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/resources/body.appdata.xml")
-    set(META_APP_APPDATA_SUBSTITUTED_BODY_FILE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/resources/${META_ID}.body.appdata.xml")
-    if (EXISTS "${META_APP_APPDATA_BODY_FILE}")
-        configure_file("${META_APP_APPDATA_BODY_FILE}" "${META_APP_APPDATA_SUBSTITUTED_BODY_FILE}" @ONLY)
-        file(READ "${META_APP_APPDATA_SUBSTITUTED_BODY_FILE}" META_APP_APPDATA_BODY)
-        # add indentation of two additional spaces
-        string(REGEX REPLACE "\n([^$])" "\n  \\1" META_APP_APPDATA_BODY "${META_APP_APPDATA_BODY}")
-    endif ()
-
-    # create appstream desktop file from template
-    set(APPSTREAM_FILE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/resources/${META_ID}.appdata.xml")
-    configure_file("${APP_APPSTREAM_TEMPLATE_FILE}" "${APPSTREAM_FILE}" @ONLY)
-
-    # add install for the appstream file
-    install(
-        FILES "${APPSTREAM_FILE}"
-        DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_DATAROOTDIR}/metainfo"
-        COMPONENT appimage)
-endfunction ()
+include(AppUtilities)
 
 set(TARGET_CONFIG_DONE YES)
diff --git a/cmake/modules/AppUtilities.cmake b/cmake/modules/AppUtilities.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3077f98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/modules/AppUtilities.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.3.0 FATAL_ERROR)
+
+# prevent multiple inclusion
+if (DEFINED APPLICATION_UTILITIES_LOADED)
+    return()
+endif ()
+set(APPLICATION_UTILITIES_LOADED YES)
+
+# find template for *.desktop and AppStream files
+include(TemplateFinder)
+find_template_file("desktop" CPP_UTILITIES APP_DESKTOP_TEMPLATE_FILE)
+find_template_file("appdata.xml" CPP_UTILITIES APP_APPSTREAM_TEMPLATE_FILE)
+
+# define generic function to add *.desktop files
+include(CMakeParseArguments)
+function (add_custom_desktop_file)
+    # skip if not building with GUI support
+    if (NOT META_DESKTOP_FILE_FOR_CLI AND ((NOT DEFINED META_GUI_OPTIONAL OR META_GUI_OPTIONAL) AND NOT (WIDGETS_GUI
+                                                                                                         OR QUICK_GUI)))
+        return()
+    endif ()
+
+    # parse arguments
+    set(ONE_VALUE_ARGS
+        FILE_NAME
+        DESKTOP_FILE_APP_NAME
+        DESKTOP_FILE_GENERIC_NAME
+        DESKTOP_FILE_DESCRIPTION
+        DESKTOP_FILE_CATEGORIES
+        DESKTOP_FILE_CMD
+        DESKTOP_FILE_ICON
+        DESKTOP_FILE_ADDITIONAL_ENTRIES)
+    set(MULTI_VALUE_ARGS)
+    set(OPTIONAL_ARGS)
+    cmake_parse_arguments(ARGS "${OPTIONAL_ARGS}" "${ONE_VALUE_ARGS}" "${MULTI_VALUE_ARGS}" ${ARGN})
+    if (NOT ARGS_FILE_NAME
+        OR NOT ARGS_DESKTOP_FILE_APP_NAME
+        OR NOT ARGS_DESKTOP_FILE_CMD)
+        message(FATAL_ERROR "Not all mandatory arguments specified.")
+    endif ()
+    if (NOT ARGS_DESKTOP_FILE_GENERIC_NAME)
+        set(ARGS_DESKTOP_FILE_GENERIC_NAME "${ARGS_DESKTOP_FILE_APP_NAME}")
+    endif ()
+
+    # create desktop file from template
+    configure_file("${APP_DESKTOP_TEMPLATE_FILE}" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/resources/${ARGS_FILE_NAME}.desktop")
+    # add install for the desktop file
+    install(
+        FILES "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/resources/${ARGS_FILE_NAME}.desktop"
+        DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_DATAROOTDIR}/applications"
+        COMPONENT desktop)
+endfunction ()
+
+# define function to add appstream file
+function (add_appstream_file)
+    # read body for appstream desktop file from resources
+    set(META_APP_APPDATA_BODY_FILE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/resources/body.appdata.xml")
+    set(META_APP_APPDATA_SUBSTITUTED_BODY_FILE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/resources/${META_ID}.body.appdata.xml")
+    if (EXISTS "${META_APP_APPDATA_BODY_FILE}")
+        configure_file("${META_APP_APPDATA_BODY_FILE}" "${META_APP_APPDATA_SUBSTITUTED_BODY_FILE}" @ONLY)
+        file(READ "${META_APP_APPDATA_SUBSTITUTED_BODY_FILE}" META_APP_APPDATA_BODY)
+        # add indentation of two additional spaces
+        string(REGEX REPLACE "\n([^$])" "\n  \\1" META_APP_APPDATA_BODY "${META_APP_APPDATA_BODY}")
+    endif ()
+
+    # create appstream desktop file from template
+    set(APPSTREAM_FILE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/resources/${META_ID}.appdata.xml")
+    configure_file("${APP_APPSTREAM_TEMPLATE_FILE}" "${APPSTREAM_FILE}" @ONLY)
+
+    # add install for the appstream file
+    install(
+        FILES "${APPSTREAM_FILE}"
+        DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_DATAROOTDIR}/metainfo"
+        COMPONENT appimage)
+endfunction ()
+
+# define function to add *.desktop file and meta info from project meta data
+function (add_desktop_file)
+    # skip if not building with GUI support
+    if (NOT META_DESKTOP_FILE_FOR_CLI AND ((NOT DEFINED META_GUI_OPTIONAL OR META_GUI_OPTIONAL) AND NOT (WIDGETS_GUI
+                                                                                                         OR QUICK_GUI)))
+        return()
+    endif ()
+
+    # compose actions
+    set(DESKTOP_FILE_ADDITIONAL_ENTRIES "")
+    foreach (ACTION_VAR ${META_APP_ACTIONS})
+        list(GET META_APP_ACTION_${ACTION_VAR} 0 ACTION_ID)
+        list(GET META_APP_ACTION_${ACTION_VAR} 1 ACTION_NAME)
+        list(GET META_APP_ACTION_${ACTION_VAR} 2 ACTION_ARGS)
+        set(DESKTOP_FILE_ADDITIONAL_ENTRIES
+            "${DESKTOP_FILE_ADDITIONAL_ENTRIES}\n[Desktop Action ${ACTION_ID}]\nName=${ACTION_NAME}\nExec=${META_TARGET_NAME} ${ACTION_ARGS}"
+        )
+    endforeach ()
+
+    # create desktop file
+    add_custom_desktop_file(
+        FILE_NAME
+        "${META_ID}"
+        DESKTOP_FILE_APP_NAME
+        "${META_APP_NAME}"
+        DESKTOP_FILE_GENERIC_NAME
+        "${META_GENERIC_NAME}"
+        DESKTOP_FILE_DESCRIPTION
+        "${META_APP_DESCRIPTION}"
+        DESKTOP_FILE_CATEGORIES
+        "${META_APP_CATEGORIES}"
+        DESKTOP_FILE_CMD
+        "${META_TARGET_NAME}"
+        DESKTOP_FILE_ICON
+        "${NAMESPACE_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${META_CONFIG_SUFFIX}"
+        DESKTOP_FILE_ADDITIONAL_ENTRIES
+        "${DESKTOP_FILE_ADDITIONAL_ENTRIES}")
+
+    add_appstream_file()
+endfunction ()