diff --git a/posix.hh b/posix.hh
index b41ea43d9b..e40f5405ee 100644
--- a/posix.hh
+++ b/posix.hh
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 #ifndef FILE_DESC_HH_
 #define FILE_DESC_HH_
 
-#include "reactor.hh"
 #include "sstring.hh"
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <assert.h>
@@ -13,6 +12,12 @@
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <sys/ioctl.h>
 
+inline void throw_system_error_on(bool condition);
+
+template <typename T>
+inline void throw_kernel_error(T r);
+
+
 class file_desc {
     int _fd;
 public:
@@ -82,6 +87,20 @@ private:
     file_desc(int fd) : _fd(fd) {}
  };
 
+inline
+void throw_system_error_on(bool condition) {
+    if (condition) {
+        throw std::system_error(errno, std::system_category());
+    }
+}
 
+template <typename T>
+inline
+void throw_kernel_error(T r) {
+    static_assert(std::is_signed<T>::value, "kernel error variables must be signed");
+    if (r < 0) {
+        throw std::system_error(-r, std::system_category());
+    }
+}
 
 #endif /* FILE_DESC_HH_ */
diff --git a/reactor.hh b/reactor.hh
index ac8a12f703..8d27f10885 100644
--- a/reactor.hh
+++ b/reactor.hh
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include <system_error>
 #include <boost/lockfree/queue.hpp>
 #include <boost/optional.hpp>
+#include "posix.hh"
 #include "apply.hh"
 #include "sstring.hh"
 
@@ -335,22 +336,6 @@ future<T...> make_exception_future(std::exception_ptr ex) {
     return future<T...>::do_make_exception_future(std::move(ex));
 }
 
-inline
-void throw_system_error_on(bool condition) {
-    if (condition) {
-        throw std::system_error(errno, std::system_category());
-    }
-}
-
-template <typename T>
-inline
-void throw_kernel_error(T r) {
-    static_assert(std::is_signed<T>::value, "kernel error variables must be signed");
-    if (r < 0) {
-        throw std::system_error(-r, std::system_category());
-    }
-}
-
 struct free_deleter {
     void operator()(void* p) { ::free(p); }
 };