diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index b87b7fb2d..d0ee01818 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # Nmap Changelog ($Id$); -*-text-*-
 
+o [NSE] Created an ftp.lua library. [David]
+
 o [NSE] Added gopher-ls.nse by Toni Ruotto, which lists the root of a
   Gopher server.
 
diff --git a/nselib/ftp.lua b/nselib/ftp.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d3b52a0a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nselib/ftp.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+---
+-- FTP functions.
+--
+-- @copyright Same as Nmap--See http://nmap.org/book/man-legal.html
+
+module(... or "ftp", package.seeall)
+
+---
+-- Read an FTP reply and return the numeric code and the message. See RFC 959,
+-- section 4.2.
+-- @param buffer should have been created with
+-- <code>stdnse.make_buffer(socket, "\r?\n")</code>.
+-- @return numeric code or <code>nil</code>.
+-- @return text reply or error message.
+function read_reply(buffer)
+	local readline
+	local line, err
+	local code, message
+	local _, p, tmp
+
+	line, err = buffer()
+	if not line then
+		    return line, err
+	end
+
+	-- Single-line response?
+	code, message = string.match(line, "^(%d%d%d) (.*)$")
+	if code then
+		return tonumber(code), message
+	end
+
+	-- Multi-line response?
+	_, p, code, message = string.find(line, "^(%d%d%d)-(.*)$")
+	if p then
+	while true do
+		line, err = buffer()
+		if not line then
+			return line, err
+		end
+		tmp = string.match(line, "^%d%d%d (.*)$")
+		if tmp then
+			message = message .. "\n" .. tmp
+			break
+		end
+		message = message .. "\n" .. line
+		end
+
+		return tonumber(code), message
+	end
+
+	return nil, string.format("Unparseable response: %q", line)
+end
diff --git a/scripts/ftp-anon.nse b/scripts/ftp-anon.nse
index 0d4f362f8..01d3f02c4 100644
--- a/scripts/ftp-anon.nse
+++ b/scripts/ftp-anon.nse
@@ -27,53 +27,11 @@ author = "Eddie Bell, Rob Nicholls, Ange Gutek, David Fifield"
 license = "Same as Nmap--See http://nmap.org/book/man-legal.html"
 categories = {"default", "auth", "safe"}
 
+require "ftp"
 require "shortport"
 
 portrule = shortport.port_or_service(21, "ftp")
 
--- Read an FTP reply and return the numeric code and the message. See RFC 959,
--- section 4.2. The buffer argument should have been created with
--- stdnse.make_buffer(socket, "\r?\n"). On error, returns nil and an error
--- message.
-local function read_reply(buffer)
-	local readline
-	local line, err
-	local code, message
-	local _, p, tmp
-
-	line, err = buffer()
-	if not line then
-		    return line, err
-	end
-
-	-- Single-line response?
-	code, message = string.match(line, "^(%d%d%d) (.*)$")
-	if code then
-		return tonumber(code), message
-	end
-
-	-- Multi-line response?
-	_, p, code, message = string.find(line, "^(%d%d%d)-(.*)$")
-	if p then
-	while true do
-		line, err = buffer()
-		if not line then
-			return line, err
-		end
-		tmp = string.match(line, "^%d%d%d (.*)$")
-		if tmp then
-			message = message .. "\n" .. tmp
-			break
-		end
-		message = message .. "\n" .. line
-		end
-
-		return tonumber(code), message
-	end
-
-	return nil, string.format("Unparseable response: %q", line)
-end
-
 -- ---------------------
 -- Directory listing function.
 -- We ask for a PASV connexion, catch the port returned by the server, send a
@@ -90,7 +48,7 @@ local function list(socket, target, max_lines)
 	if not status then
 		return status, err
 	end
-	code, message = read_reply(buffer)
+	code, message = ftp.read_reply(buffer)
 
 	-- Compute the PASV port as given by the server
 	-- The server should answer with something like
@@ -160,14 +118,14 @@ action = function(host, port)
 	buffer = stdnse.make_buffer(socket, "\r?\n")
 
 	-- Read banner.
-	code, message = read_reply(buffer)
+	code, message = ftp.read_reply(buffer)
 	if code and code == 220 then
 		try(socket:send("USER anonymous\r\n"))
-		code, message = read_reply(buffer)
+		code, message = ftp.read_reply(buffer)
 		if code == 331 then
 			-- 331: User name okay, need password.
 			try(socket:send("PASS IEUser@\r\n"))
-			code, message = read_reply(buffer)
+			code, message = ftp.read_reply(buffer)
 		end
 
 		if code == 332 then
@@ -176,11 +134,11 @@ action = function(host, port)
 			-- USER or PASS command. As we're doing this
 			-- anonymously, send back a blank ACCT.
 			try(socket:send("ACCT\r\n"))
-			code, message = read_reply(buffer)
+			code, message = ftp.read_reply(buffer)
 			if code == 331 then
 				-- 331: User name okay, need password.
 				try(socket:send("PASS IEUser@\r\n"))
-				code, message = read_reply(buffer)
+				code, message = ftp.read_reply(buffer)
 			end
 		end
 	end