diff --git a/src/calamares/testmain.cpp b/src/calamares/testmain.cpp
index 0845218eb..8dcf41faa 100644
--- a/src/calamares/testmain.cpp
+++ b/src/calamares/testmain.cpp
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ load_module( const ModuleConfig& moduleConfig )
 
     cDebug() << "Module" << moduleName << "job-configuration:" << configFile;
 
-    Calamares::Module* module = Calamares::Module::fromDescriptor( descriptor, name, configFile, moduleDirectory );
+    Calamares::Module* module = Calamares::moduleFromDescriptor( descriptor, name, configFile, moduleDirectory );
 
     return module;
 }
diff --git a/src/libcalamaresui/CMakeLists.txt b/src/libcalamaresui/CMakeLists.txt
index ed50d777b..da4e4b42b 100644
--- a/src/libcalamaresui/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/libcalamaresui/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ include_directories( ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/libcalamares ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/sr
 set( calamaresui_SOURCES
     modulesystem/CppJobModule.cpp
     modulesystem/Module.cpp
+    modulesystem/ModuleFactory.cpp
     modulesystem/ModuleManager.cpp
     modulesystem/ProcessJobModule.cpp
     modulesystem/RequirementsChecker.cpp
diff --git a/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/CppJobModule.h b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/CppJobModule.h
index d97443a8a..8f7cfb03a 100644
--- a/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/CppJobModule.h
+++ b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/CppJobModule.h
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@
 #ifndef CALAMARES_CPPJOBMODULE_H
 #define CALAMARES_CPPJOBMODULE_H
 
-#include "Module.h"
 #include "DllMacro.h"
+#include "Module.h"
 
 class QPluginLoader;
 
@@ -42,12 +42,16 @@ protected:
     void initFrom( const QVariantMap& moduleDescriptor ) override;
 
 private:
-    friend class Module;  //so only the superclass can instantiate
     explicit CppJobModule();
     virtual ~CppJobModule() override;
 
     QPluginLoader* m_loader;
     job_ptr m_job;
+
+    friend Module* Calamares::moduleFromDescriptor( const ModuleSystem::Descriptor& moduleDescriptor,
+                                                    const QString& instanceId,
+                                                    const QString& configFileName,
+                                                    const QString& moduleDirectory );
 };
 
 }  // namespace Calamares
diff --git a/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/Module.cpp b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/Module.cpp
index 35b1508f1..08a46e546 100644
--- a/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/Module.cpp
+++ b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/Module.cpp
@@ -66,111 +66,6 @@ Module::initFrom( const Calamares::ModuleSystem::Descriptor& moduleDescriptor, c
     }
 }
 
-Module*
-Module::fromDescriptor( const Calamares::ModuleSystem::Descriptor& moduleDescriptor,
-                        const QString& instanceId,
-                        const QString& configFileName,
-                        const QString& moduleDirectory )
-{
-    std::unique_ptr< Module > m;
-
-    QString typeString = moduleDescriptor.value( "type" ).toString();
-    QString intfString = moduleDescriptor.value( "interface" ).toString();
-
-    if ( typeString.isEmpty() || intfString.isEmpty() )
-    {
-        cError() << "Bad module descriptor format" << instanceId;
-        return nullptr;
-    }
-    if ( ( typeString == "view" ) || ( typeString == "viewmodule" ) )
-    {
-        if ( intfString == "qtplugin" )
-        {
-            m.reset( new ViewModule() );
-        }
-        else if ( intfString == "pythonqt" )
-        {
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHONQT
-            m.reset( new PythonQtViewModule() );
-#else
-            cError() << "PythonQt view modules are not supported in this version of Calamares.";
-#endif
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            cError() << "Bad interface" << intfString << "for module type" << typeString;
-        }
-    }
-    else if ( typeString == "job" )
-    {
-        if ( intfString == "qtplugin" )
-        {
-            m.reset( new CppJobModule() );
-        }
-        else if ( intfString == "process" )
-        {
-            m.reset( new ProcessJobModule() );
-        }
-        else if ( intfString == "python" )
-        {
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
-            m.reset( new PythonJobModule() );
-#else
-            cError() << "Python modules are not supported in this version of Calamares.";
-#endif
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            cError() << "Bad interface" << intfString << "for module type" << typeString;
-        }
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        cError() << "Bad module type" << typeString;
-    }
-
-    if ( !m )
-    {
-        cError() << "Bad module type (" << typeString << ") or interface string (" << intfString << ") for module "
-                 << instanceId;
-        return nullptr;
-    }
-
-    QDir moduleDir( moduleDirectory );
-    if ( moduleDir.exists() && moduleDir.isReadable() )
-    {
-        m->m_directory = moduleDir.absolutePath();
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        cError() << "Bad module directory" << moduleDirectory << "for" << instanceId;
-        return nullptr;
-    }
-
-    m->initFrom( moduleDescriptor, instanceId );
-    if ( !m->m_key.isValid() )
-    {
-        cError() << "Module" << instanceId << "invalid ID";
-        return nullptr;
-    }
-
-    m->initFrom( moduleDescriptor );
-    if ( !configFileName.isEmpty() )
-    {
-        try
-        {
-            m->loadConfigurationFile( configFileName );
-        }
-        catch ( YAML::Exception& e )
-        {
-            cError() << "YAML parser error " << e.what();
-            return nullptr;
-        }
-    }
-    return m.release();
-}
-
-
 static QStringList
 moduleConfigurationCandidates( bool assumeBuildDir, const QString& moduleName, const QString& configFileName )
 {
@@ -211,7 +106,8 @@ moduleConfigurationCandidates( bool assumeBuildDir, const QString& moduleName, c
     return paths;
 }
 
-void Module::loadConfigurationFile( const QString& configFileName )  //throws YAML::Exception
+void
+Module::loadConfigurationFile( const QString& configFileName )  //throws YAML::Exception
 {
     QStringList configCandidates
         = moduleConfigurationCandidates( Settings::instance()->debugMode(), name(), configFileName );
diff --git a/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/Module.h b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/Module.h
index 5455916e4..67b76601a 100644
--- a/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/Module.h
+++ b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/Module.h
@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@
 
 namespace Calamares
 {
+class Module;
+Module* moduleFromDescriptor( const ModuleSystem::Descriptor& moduleDescriptor,
+                              const QString& instanceId,
+                              const QString& configFileName,
+                              const QString& moduleDirectory );
+
 
 /**
  * @brief The Module class is a common supertype for Calamares modules.
@@ -68,18 +74,6 @@ public:
         PythonQt  // Views only, available as enum even if PythonQt isn't used
     };
 
-    /**
-     * @brief fromDescriptor creates a new Module object of the correct type.
-     * @param moduleDescriptor a module descriptor, already parsed into a variant map.
-     * @param instanceId the instance id of the new module instance.
-     * @param configFileName the name of the configuration file to read.
-     * @param moduleDirectory the path to the directory with this module's files.
-     * @return a pointer to an object of a subtype of Module.
-     */
-    static Module* fromDescriptor( const ModuleSystem::Descriptor& moduleDescriptor,
-                                   const QString& instanceId,
-                                   const QString& configFileName,
-                                   const QString& moduleDirectory );
     virtual ~Module();
 
     /**
@@ -193,6 +187,11 @@ private:
 
     QString m_directory;
     ModuleSystem::InstanceKey m_key;
+
+    friend Module* Calamares::moduleFromDescriptor( const ModuleSystem::Descriptor& moduleDescriptor,
+                                                    const QString& instanceId,
+                                                    const QString& configFileName,
+                                                    const QString& moduleDirectory );
 };
 
 }  // namespace Calamares
diff --git a/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/ModuleFactory.cpp b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/ModuleFactory.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f3b46eab7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/ModuleFactory.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+/* === This file is part of Calamares - <https://github.com/calamares> ===
+ *
+ *   Copyright 2014-2015, Teo Mrnjavac <teo@kde.org>
+ *   Copyright 2017-2018, Adriaan de Groot <groot@kde.org>
+ *
+ *   Calamares is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ *   it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ *   the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ *   (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ *   Calamares is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ *   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ *   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
+ *   GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ *   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ *   along with Calamares. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include "ModuleFactory.h"
+
+#include "CalamaresConfig.h"
+#include "CppJobModule.h"
+#include "ProcessJobModule.h"
+#include "ViewModule.h"
+
+#include "utils/Dirs.h"
+#include "utils/Logger.h"
+#include "utils/NamedEnum.h"
+#include "utils/Yaml.h"
+
+#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#include "PythonJobModule.h"
+#endif
+
+#ifdef WITH_PYTHONQT
+#include "PythonQtViewModule.h"
+#endif
+
+#include <QDir>
+#include <QFile>
+#include <QFileInfo>
+#include <QString>
+
+
+namespace Calamares
+{
+
+Module*
+moduleFromDescriptor( const Calamares::ModuleSystem::Descriptor& moduleDescriptor,
+                      const QString& instanceId,
+                      const QString& configFileName,
+                      const QString& moduleDirectory )
+{
+    std::unique_ptr< Module > m;
+
+    QString typeString = moduleDescriptor.value( "type" ).toString();
+    QString intfString = moduleDescriptor.value( "interface" ).toString();
+
+    if ( typeString.isEmpty() || intfString.isEmpty() )
+    {
+        cError() << "Bad module descriptor format" << instanceId;
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+    if ( ( typeString == "view" ) || ( typeString == "viewmodule" ) )
+    {
+        if ( intfString == "qtplugin" )
+        {
+            m.reset( new ViewModule() );
+        }
+        else if ( intfString == "pythonqt" )
+        {
+#ifdef WITH_PYTHONQT
+            m.reset( new PythonQtViewModule() );
+#else
+            cError() << "PythonQt view modules are not supported in this version of Calamares.";
+#endif
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            cError() << "Bad interface" << intfString << "for module type" << typeString;
+        }
+    }
+    else if ( typeString == "job" )
+    {
+        if ( intfString == "qtplugin" )
+        {
+            m.reset( new CppJobModule() );
+        }
+        else if ( intfString == "process" )
+        {
+            m.reset( new ProcessJobModule() );
+        }
+        else if ( intfString == "python" )
+        {
+#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+            m.reset( new PythonJobModule() );
+#else
+            cError() << "Python modules are not supported in this version of Calamares.";
+#endif
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            cError() << "Bad interface" << intfString << "for module type" << typeString;
+        }
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        cError() << "Bad module type" << typeString;
+    }
+
+    if ( !m )
+    {
+        cError() << "Bad module type (" << typeString << ") or interface string (" << intfString << ") for module "
+                 << instanceId;
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
+    QDir moduleDir( moduleDirectory );
+    if ( moduleDir.exists() && moduleDir.isReadable() )
+    {
+        m->m_directory = moduleDir.absolutePath();
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        cError() << "Bad module directory" << moduleDirectory << "for" << instanceId;
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
+    m->initFrom( moduleDescriptor, instanceId );
+    if ( !m->m_key.isValid() )
+    {
+        cError() << "Module" << instanceId << "invalid ID";
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
+    m->initFrom( moduleDescriptor );
+    if ( !configFileName.isEmpty() )
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            m->loadConfigurationFile( configFileName );
+        }
+        catch ( YAML::Exception& e )
+        {
+            cError() << "YAML parser error " << e.what();
+            return nullptr;
+        }
+    }
+    return m.release();
+}
+
+
+}  // namespace Calamares
diff --git a/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/ModuleFactory.h b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/ModuleFactory.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8184967d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/ModuleFactory.h
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+/* === This file is part of Calamares - <https://github.com/calamares> ===
+ *
+ *   Copyright 2014-2015, Teo Mrnjavac <teo@kde.org>
+ *   Copyright 2017, Adriaan de Groot <groot@kde.org>
+ *
+ *   Calamares is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ *   it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ *   the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ *   (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ *   Calamares is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ *   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ *   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
+ *   GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ *   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ *   along with Calamares. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#ifndef CALAMARES_MODULEFACTORY_H
+#define CALAMARES_MODULEFACTORY_H
+
+#include "DllMacro.h"
+
+#include "modulesystem/Descriptor.h"
+#include "modulesystem/Module.h"
+
+#include <QString>
+
+namespace Calamares
+{
+
+/**
+ * @brief fromDescriptor creates a new Module object of the correct type.
+ * @param moduleDescriptor a module descriptor, already parsed into a variant map.
+ * @param instanceId the instance id of the new module instance.
+ * @param configFileName the name of the configuration file to read.
+ * @param moduleDirectory the path to the directory with this module's files.
+ * @return a pointer to an object of a subtype of Module.
+ */
+UIDLLEXPORT Module* moduleFromDescriptor( const ModuleSystem::Descriptor& moduleDescriptor,
+                                          const QString& instanceId,
+                                          const QString& configFileName,
+                                          const QString& moduleDirectory );
+}  // namespace Calamares
+
+#endif  // CALAMARES_MODULEFACTORY_H
diff --git a/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/ModuleManager.cpp b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/ModuleManager.cpp
index f88d5999d..cd79afad4 100644
--- a/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/ModuleManager.cpp
+++ b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/ModuleManager.cpp
@@ -285,10 +285,11 @@ ModuleManager::loadModules()
             }
             else
             {
-                thisModule = Module::fromDescriptor( descriptor,
-                                                     instanceKey.id(),
-                                                     configFileName,
-                                                     m_moduleDirectoriesByModuleName.value( instanceKey.module() ) );
+                thisModule
+                    = Calamares::moduleFromDescriptor( descriptor,
+                                                       instanceKey.id(),
+                                                       configFileName,
+                                                       m_moduleDirectoriesByModuleName.value( instanceKey.module() ) );
                 if ( !thisModule )
                 {
                     cError() << "Module" << instanceKey.toString() << "cannot be created from descriptor"
diff --git a/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/ProcessJobModule.h b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/ProcessJobModule.h
index da2badbd0..5be5de837 100644
--- a/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/ProcessJobModule.h
+++ b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/ProcessJobModule.h
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ protected:
     void initFrom( const QVariantMap& moduleDescriptor ) override;
 
 private:
-    friend class Module;
     explicit ProcessJobModule();
     virtual ~ProcessJobModule() override;
 
@@ -51,6 +50,11 @@ private:
     std::chrono::seconds m_secondsTimeout;
     bool m_runInChroot;
     job_ptr m_job;
+
+    friend Module* Calamares::moduleFromDescriptor( const ModuleSystem::Descriptor& moduleDescriptor,
+                                                    const QString& instanceId,
+                                                    const QString& configFileName,
+                                                    const QString& moduleDirectory );
 };
 
 }  // namespace Calamares
diff --git a/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/PythonJobModule.h b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/PythonJobModule.h
index 295ab5942..8f65daa48 100644
--- a/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/PythonJobModule.h
+++ b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/PythonJobModule.h
@@ -39,13 +39,17 @@ protected:
     void initFrom( const QVariantMap& moduleDescriptor ) override;
 
 private:
-    friend class Module;
     explicit PythonJobModule();
     virtual ~PythonJobModule() override;
 
     QString m_scriptFileName;
     QString m_workingPath;
     job_ptr m_job;
+
+    friend Module* Calamares::moduleFromDescriptor( const ModuleSystem::Descriptor& moduleDescriptor,
+                                                    const QString& instanceId,
+                                                    const QString& configFileName,
+                                                    const QString& moduleDirectory );
 };
 
 }  // namespace Calamares
diff --git a/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/PythonQtViewModule.h b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/PythonQtViewModule.h
index 33b8d041b..64cc0f8a9 100644
--- a/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/PythonQtViewModule.h
+++ b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/PythonQtViewModule.h
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@
 #ifndef CALAMARES_PYTHONQTVIEWMODULE_H
 #define CALAMARES_PYTHONQTVIEWMODULE_H
 
-#include "Module.h"
 #include "DllMacro.h"
+#include "Module.h"
 
 namespace Calamares
 {
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ protected:
     void initFrom( const QVariantMap& moduleDescriptor ) override;
 
 private:
-    friend class Module;  //so only the superclass can instantiate
     explicit PythonQtViewModule();
     virtual ~PythonQtViewModule();
 
@@ -48,6 +47,11 @@ private:
 
     QString m_scriptFileName;
     QString m_workingPath;
+
+    friend Module* Calamares::moduleFromDescriptor( const ModuleSystem::Descriptor& moduleDescriptor,
+                                                    const QString& instanceId,
+                                                    const QString& configFileName,
+                                                    const QString& moduleDirectory );
 };
 
 }  // namespace Calamares
diff --git a/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/ViewModule.h b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/ViewModule.h
index c1ee8ff69..958b99c1c 100644
--- a/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/ViewModule.h
+++ b/src/libcalamaresui/modulesystem/ViewModule.h
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@
 #ifndef CALAMARES_VIEWMODULE_H
 #define CALAMARES_VIEWMODULE_H
 
-#include "Module.h"
 #include "DllMacro.h"
+#include "Module.h"
 
 class QPluginLoader;
 
@@ -45,12 +45,16 @@ protected:
     void initFrom( const QVariantMap& moduleDescriptor ) override;
 
 private:
-    friend class Module;  //so only the superclass can instantiate
     explicit ViewModule();
     virtual ~ViewModule() override;
 
     QPluginLoader* m_loader;
     ViewStep* m_viewStep = nullptr;
+
+    friend Module* Calamares::moduleFromDescriptor( const ModuleSystem::Descriptor& moduleDescriptor,
+                                                    const QString& instanceId,
+                                                    const QString& configFileName,
+                                                    const QString& moduleDirectory );
 };
 
 }  // namespace Calamares