diff --git a/runtime/include/util.h b/runtime/include/util.h
index 3776819..41f69f8 100644
--- a/runtime/include/util.h
+++ b/runtime/include/util.h
@@ -5,6 +5,6 @@
 #include <module.h>
 
 /* perhaps move it to module.h or sandbox.h? */
-int util_parse_modules_file_json(char *filename);
+int util__parse_modules_file_json(char *filename);
 
 #endif /* SFRT_UTIL_H */
diff --git a/runtime/src/main.c b/runtime/src/main.c
index 4e5b5ee..f4f3a5e 100644
--- a/runtime/src/main.c
+++ b/runtime/src/main.c
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	initialize_runtime();
 
 	debuglog("Parsing modules file [%s]\n", argv[1]);
-	if (util_parse_modules_file_json(argv[1])) {
+	if (util__parse_modules_file_json(argv[1])) {
 		printf("failed to parse modules file[%s]\n", argv[1]);
 		exit(-1);
 	}
diff --git a/runtime/src/util.c b/runtime/src/util.c
index 77704f7..0dc1b0b 100644
--- a/runtime/src/util.c
+++ b/runtime/src/util.c
@@ -11,30 +11,13 @@
 
 #define UTIL_MOD_LINE_MAX 1024
 
-/**
- * Removes leading and trailing spaces from a string
- * @param str source string
- * @return string without leading or training spaces
- **/
-static char *
-util_remove_spaces(char *str)
-{
-	int i = 0;
-	while (isspace(*str)) str++;
-	i = strlen(str);
-	while (isspace(str[i - 1])) str[i - 1] = '\0';
-
-	return str;
-}
-
-
 /**
  * Parses a JSON file and allocates one or more new modules
  * @param file_name The path of the JSON file
  * @return RC 0 on Success. -1 on Error
  */
 int
-util_parse_modules_file_json(char *file_name)
+util__parse_modules_file_json(char *file_name)
 {
 	// Use stat to get file attributes and make sure file is there and OK
 	struct stat stat_buffer;