diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index e78a24c7..4ad8cfd6 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1,82 +1,10 @@
 import sys
 import os
 import os.path as osp
-import platform
-import tempfile
 import importlib.util
 from setuptools import setup, find_packages
 from maestral import __version__, __author__, __url__
-
-
-# check for running daemons before updating to prevent
-# incompatible versions of CLI / GUI and daemon
-
-def get_home_dir():
-    try:
-        path = osp.expanduser('~')
-    except Exception:
-        path = ''
-
-    if osp.isdir(path):
-        return path
-    else:
-        for env_var in ('HOME', 'USERPROFILE', 'TMP'):
-            path = os.environ.get(env_var, '')
-            if osp.isdir(path):
-                return path
-            else:
-                path = ''
-
-        if not path:
-            raise RuntimeError('Please set the environment variable HOME to '
-                               'your user/home directory.')
-
-
-_home_dir = get_home_dir()
-
-
-def _to_full_path(path, subfolder, filename, create):
-
-    if subfolder:
-        path = osp.join(path, subfolder)
-
-    if create:
-        os.makedirs(path, exist_ok=True)
-
-    if filename:
-        path = osp.join(path, filename)
-
-    return path
-
-
-def get_conf_path(subfolder=None, filename=None, create=True):
-    if platform.system() == 'Darwin':
-        conf_path = osp.join(get_home_dir(), 'Library', 'Application Support')
-    else:
-        fallback = osp.join(get_home_dir(), '.config')
-        conf_path = os.environ.get('XDG_CONFIG_HOME', fallback)
-
-    return _to_full_path(conf_path, subfolder, filename, create)
-
-
-def get_runtime_path(subfolder=None, filename=None, create=True):
-    if platform.system() == 'Darwin':
-        runtime_path = get_conf_path(create=False)
-    else:
-        fallback = os.environ.get('XDG_CACHE_HOME', osp.join(_home_dir, '.cache'))
-        runtime_path = os.environ.get('XDG_RUNTIME_DIR', fallback)
-
-    return _to_full_path(runtime_path, subfolder, filename, create)
-
-
-def get_old_runtime_path(subfolder=None, filename=None, create=True):
-    if platform.system() == 'Darwin':
-        runtime_path = tempfile.gettempdir()
-    else:
-        fallback = os.environ.get('XDG_CACHE_HOME', osp.join(_home_dir, '.cache'))
-        runtime_path = os.environ.get('XDG_RUNTIME_DIR', fallback)
-
-    return _to_full_path(runtime_path, subfolder, filename, create)
+from maestral.utils.appdirs import get_conf_path, get_runtime_path, get_old_runtime_path
 
 
 def list_configs():