diff --git a/command_npc_talk_privs.lua b/command_npc_talk_privs.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d184da5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/command_npc_talk_privs.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+-- used by privs.lua
+
+-- a chat command to grant or deny or disallow npc these privs;
+-- it is not checked if the NPC exists
+minetest.register_chatcommand( 'npc_talk_privs', {
+        description = "Grants or revokes the privilege <priv> to the "..
+		"yl_speak_up-NPC with the ID <n_id>.\n"..
+		"Call:  [grant|revoke] <n_id> <priv>\n"..
+		"If called with parameter [list], all granted privs for all NPC are shown.",
+        privs = {privs = true},
+        func = function(pname, param)
+		if(not(param) or param == "") then
+			minetest.chat_send_player(pname,
+				"Usage: [grant|revoke|list] <n_id> <priv>\n"..
+				"The following privilege exist:\n\t"..
+				table.concat(yl_speak_up.npc_priv_names, ", ")..".")
+			return
+		end
+		local parts = string.split(param, " ")
+		if(parts[1] == "list") then
+			local text = "This list contains the privs of each NPC in the form of "..
+				"<npc_name>: <list of privs>"
+			-- create list of all existing extra privs for npc
+			for n_id, v in pairs(yl_speak_up.npc_priv_table) do
+				text = text..".\n"..tostring(n_id)..":"
+				local found = false
+				for priv, w in pairs(v) do
+					text = text.." "..tostring(priv)
+					found = true
+				end
+				if(not(found)) then
+					text = text.." <none>"
+				end
+			end
+			minetest.chat_send_player(pname, text..".")
+			return
+		end
+		if((parts[1] ~= "grant" and parts[1] ~= "revoke") or #parts ~= 3) then
+			minetest.chat_send_player(pname, "Usage: [grant|revoke] <n_id> <priv>")
+			return
+		end
+		local command = parts[1]
+		local n_id = parts[2]
+		local priv = parts[3]
+		if(table.indexof(yl_speak_up.npc_priv_names, priv) == -1) then
+			minetest.chat_send_player(pname,
+				"Unknown priv \""..tostring(priv).."\".\n"..
+				"The following privilege exist:\n\t"..
+				table.concat(yl_speak_up.npc_priv_names, ", ")..".")
+			return
+		end
+		if(command == "grant" and not(yl_speak_up.npc_priv_table[n_id])) then
+			yl_speak_up.npc_priv_table[n_id] = {}
+		end
+		if(command == "grant") then
+			yl_speak_up.npc_priv_table[n_id][priv] = true
+		elseif(yl_speak_up.npc_priv_table[n_id]) then
+			yl_speak_up.npc_priv_table[n_id][priv] = nil
+		end
+		local text = "New privs of NPC "..tostring(n_id)..":"
+		local found = false
+		if(yl_speak_up.npc_priv_table[n_id]) then
+			for k, v in pairs(yl_speak_up.npc_priv_table[n_id]) do
+				text = text.." "..tostring(k)
+				found = true
+			end
+		end
+		if(not(found)) then
+			text = text.." <none>"
+			yl_speak_up.npc_priv_table[n_id] = nil
+		end
+		minetest.chat_send_player(pname, text..".")
+		yl_speak_up.npc_privs_store()
+	end
+})
diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index 9b269a2..044e269 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ yl_speak_up.custom_server_functions = {}
 dofile(modpath .. "config.lua")
 -- players *and* npc need privs for certain things
 dofile(modpath .. "privs.lua")
+-- contains the command to hand out privs to NPC
+dofile(modpath .. "command_npc_talk_privs.lua")
 -- add generic dialogs
 dofile(modpath .. "add_generic_dialogs.lua")
 -- the actual command to add or remove generic npc dialogs
diff --git a/privs.lua b/privs.lua
index a494a3f..11b7958 100644
--- a/privs.lua
+++ b/privs.lua
@@ -90,79 +90,7 @@ yl_speak_up.npc_privs_store = function()
 end
 
 
--- a chat command to grant or deny or disallow npc these privs;
--- it is not checked if the NPC exists
-minetest.register_chatcommand( 'npc_talk_privs', {
-        description = "Grants or revokes the privilege <priv> to the "..
-		"yl_speak_up-NPC with the ID <n_id>.\n"..
-		"Call:  [grant|revoke] <n_id> <priv>\n"..
-		"If called with parameter [list], all granted privs for all NPC are shown.",
-        privs = {privs = true},
-        func = function(pname, param)
-		if(not(param) or param == "") then
-			minetest.chat_send_player(pname,
-				"Usage: [grant|revoke|list] <n_id> <priv>\n"..
-				"The following privilege exist:\n\t"..
-				table.concat(yl_speak_up.npc_priv_names, ", ")..".")
-			return
-		end
-		local parts = string.split(param, " ")
-		if(parts[1] == "list") then
-			local text = "This list contains the privs of each NPC in the form of "..
-				"<npc_name>: <list of privs>"
-			-- create list of all existing extra privs for npc
-			for n_id, v in pairs(yl_speak_up.npc_priv_table) do
-				text = text..".\n"..tostring(n_id)..":"
-				local found = false
-				for priv, w in pairs(v) do
-					text = text.." "..tostring(priv)
-					found = true
-				end
-				if(not(found)) then
-					text = text.." <none>"
-				end
-			end
-			minetest.chat_send_player(pname, text..".")
-			return
-		end
-		if((parts[1] ~= "grant" and parts[1] ~= "revoke") or #parts ~= 3) then
-			minetest.chat_send_player(pname, "Usage: [grant|revoke] <n_id> <priv>")
-			return
-		end
-		local command = parts[1]
-		local n_id = parts[2]
-		local priv = parts[3]
-		if(table.indexof(yl_speak_up.npc_priv_names, priv) == -1) then
-			minetest.chat_send_player(pname,
-				"Unknown priv \""..tostring(priv).."\".\n"..
-				"The following privilege exist:\n\t"..
-				table.concat(yl_speak_up.npc_priv_names, ", ")..".")
-			return
-		end
-		if(command == "grant" and not(yl_speak_up.npc_priv_table[n_id])) then
-			yl_speak_up.npc_priv_table[n_id] = {}
-		end
-		if(command == "grant") then
-			yl_speak_up.npc_priv_table[n_id][priv] = true
-		elseif(yl_speak_up.npc_priv_table[n_id]) then
-			yl_speak_up.npc_priv_table[n_id][priv] = nil
-		end
-		local text = "New privs of NPC "..tostring(n_id)..":"
-		local found = false
-		if(yl_speak_up.npc_priv_table[n_id]) then
-			for k, v in pairs(yl_speak_up.npc_priv_table[n_id]) do
-				text = text.." "..tostring(k)
-				found = true
-			end
-		end
-		if(not(found)) then
-			text = text.." <none>"
-			yl_speak_up.npc_priv_table[n_id] = nil
-		end
-		minetest.chat_send_player(pname, text..".")
-		yl_speak_up.npc_privs_store()
-	end
-})
-
 -- when the game is started: load the npc privs
 yl_speak_up.npc_privs_load()
+
+-- the privs for NPC can be set via the chat command in command_npc_talk_priv.lua