diff --git a/data/core/common.lua b/data/core/common.lua
index fce50a1e..d83a7afc 100644
--- a/data/core/common.lua
+++ b/data/core/common.lua
@@ -102,6 +102,18 @@ function common.path_suggest(text)
 end
 
 
+function common.matches_pattern(text, pattern, ...)
+  if type(pattern) == "string" then
+    return text:find(pattern, ...)
+  end
+  for _, p in ipairs(pattern) do
+    local s, e = common.matches_pattern(text, p, ...)
+    if s then return s, e end
+  end
+  return false
+end
+
+
 function common.draw_text(font, color, text, align, x,y,w,h)
   local tw, th = font:get_width(text), font:get_height(text)
   if align == "center" then
diff --git a/data/core/syntax.lua b/data/core/syntax.lua
index 08db473c..ddc1b2f2 100644
--- a/data/core/syntax.lua
+++ b/data/core/syntax.lua
@@ -1,21 +1,11 @@
-local syntax = {}
+local common = require "core.common"
 
+local syntax = {}
 syntax.items = {}
 
 local plain_text_syntax = { patterns = {}, symbols = {} }
 
 
-local function matches_pattern(text, pattern)
-  if type(pattern) == "string" then
-    return text:find(pattern)
-  end
-  for _, p in ipairs(pattern) do
-    if matches_pattern(text, p) then return true end
-  end
-  return false
-end
-
-
 function syntax.add(t)
   table.insert(syntax.items, t)
 end
@@ -24,7 +14,7 @@ end
 function syntax.get(filename)
   for i = #syntax.items, 1, -1 do
     local t = syntax.items[i]
-    if matches_pattern(filename, t.files) then
+    if common.matches_pattern(filename, t.files) then
       return t
     end
   end