diff --git a/lib/handlebars.js b/lib/handlebars.js
index 69bcb410..7d7f4d45 100644
--- a/lib/handlebars.js
+++ b/lib/handlebars.js
@@ -9,10 +9,9 @@ import Visitor from './handlebars/compiler/visitor';
 
 import noConflict from './handlebars/no-conflict';
 
-let _create = runtime.create;
 function create() {
-  let hb = _create();
-
+  let hb = runtime.create();
+  hb.create = create;
   hb.compile = function(input, options) {
     return compile(input, options, hb);
   };
@@ -31,8 +30,6 @@ function create() {
 }
 
 let inst = create();
-inst.create = create;
-
 noConflict(inst);
 
 inst.Visitor = Visitor;
diff --git a/lib/handlebars.runtime.js b/lib/handlebars.runtime.js
index 2df802dd..43569691 100644
--- a/lib/handlebars.runtime.js
+++ b/lib/handlebars.runtime.js
@@ -4,21 +4,43 @@ import * as base from './handlebars/base';
 // (This is done to easily share code between commonjs and browse envs)
 import SafeString from './handlebars/safe-string';
 import Exception from './handlebars/exception';
-import * as Utils from './handlebars/utils';
+import {
+  extend,
+  toString,
+  isFunction,
+  isArray,
+  indexOf,
+  escapeExpression,
+  isEmpty,
+  createFrame,
+  blockParams,
+  appendContextPath
+} from './handlebars/utils';
 import {checkRevision, template, wrapProgram, resolvePartial, invokePartial, noop} from './handlebars/runtime';
 
 import noConflict from './handlebars/no-conflict';
 
 // For compatibility and usage outside of module systems, make the Handlebars object a namespace
-function create() {
+export function create() {
   let hb = new base.HandlebarsEnvironment();
 
-  Utils.extend(hb, base);
+  extend(hb, base);
   hb.SafeString = SafeString;
   hb.Exception = Exception;
-  hb.Utils = Utils;
-  hb.escapeExpression = Utils.escapeExpression;
-
+  hb.Utils = {
+    extend,
+    toString,
+    isFunction,
+    isArray,
+    indexOf,
+    escapeExpression,
+    isEmpty,
+    createFrame,
+    blockParams,
+    appendContextPath
+  };
+  hb.escapeExpression = escapeExpression;
+  hb.create = create;
   hb.VM = {checkRevision, template, wrapProgram, resolvePartial, invokePartial, noop};
   hb.template = function(spec) {
     return template(spec, hb);
@@ -28,7 +50,6 @@ function create() {
 }
 
 let inst = create();
-inst.create = create;
 
 noConflict(inst);
 
diff --git a/lib/handlebars/utils.js b/lib/handlebars/utils.js
index fa52ae50..ffa0b4f7 100644
--- a/lib/handlebars/utils.js
+++ b/lib/handlebars/utils.js
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ export function indexOf(array, value) {
 }
 
 
+
 export function escapeExpression(string) {
   if (typeof string !== 'string') {
     // don't escape SafeStrings, since they're already safe
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ export function escapeExpression(string) {
   return string.replace(badChars, escapeChar);
 }
 
+
 export function isEmpty(value) {
   if (!value && value !== 0) {
     return true;