diff --git a/lib/libalpm/Makefile.am b/lib/libalpm/Makefile.am
index 67be2b1d..e60d570c 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/libalpm/Makefile.am
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ libalpm_la_SOURCES = \
 	alpm.h alpm.c \
 	alpm_list.h alpm_list.c \
 	backup.h backup.c \
+	base64.h base64.c \
 	be_local.c \
 	be_package.c \
 	be_sync.c \
@@ -60,11 +61,6 @@ libalpm_la_SOURCES += \
 	sha2.h sha2.c
 endif
 
-if HAVE_LIBGPGME
-libalpm_la_SOURCES += \
-	base64.h base64.c
-endif
-
 libalpm_la_LDFLAGS = -no-undefined -version-info $(LIB_VERSION_INFO)
 
 libalpm_la_CFLAGS = \
diff --git a/lib/libalpm/signing.c b/lib/libalpm/signing.c
index 816024f9..8ed8c14e 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/signing.c
+++ b/lib/libalpm/signing.c
@@ -24,17 +24,46 @@
 #if HAVE_LIBGPGME
 #include <locale.h> /* setlocale() */
 #include <gpgme.h>
-#include "base64.h"
 #endif
 
 /* libalpm */
 #include "signing.h"
 #include "package.h"
+#include "base64.h"
 #include "util.h"
 #include "log.h"
 #include "alpm.h"
 #include "handle.h"
 
+/**
+ * Decode a loaded signature in base64 form.
+ * @param base64_data the signature to attempt to decode
+ * @param data the decoded data; must be freed by the caller
+ * @param data_len the length of the returned data
+ * @return 0 on success, -1 on failure to properly decode
+ */
+
+int SYMEXPORT alpm_decode_signature(const char *base64_data,
+		unsigned char **data, size_t *data_len)
+{
+	size_t len = strlen(base64_data);
+	unsigned char *usline = (unsigned char *)base64_data;
+	/* reasonable allocation of expected length is 3/4 of encoded length */
+	size_t destlen = len * 3 / 4;
+	MALLOC(*data, destlen, goto error);
+	if(base64_decode(*data, &destlen, usline, len)) {
+		free(*data);
+		goto error;
+	}
+	*data_len = destlen;
+	return 0;
+
+error:
+	*data = NULL;
+	*data_len = 0;
+	return -1;
+}
+
 #if HAVE_LIBGPGME
 #define CHECK_ERR(void) do { \
 		if(gpg_err_code(gpg_err) != GPG_ERR_NO_ERROR) { goto gpg_error; } \
@@ -417,35 +446,6 @@ int _alpm_key_import(alpm_handle_t *handle, const char *fpr)
 	return ret;
 }
 
-/**
- * Decode a loaded signature in base64 form.
- * @param base64_data the signature to attempt to decode
- * @param data the decoded data; must be freed by the caller
- * @param data_len the length of the returned data
- * @return 0 on success, -1 on failure to properly decode
- */
-
-int SYMEXPORT alpm_decode_signature(const char *base64_data,
-		unsigned char **data, size_t *data_len)
-{
-	size_t len = strlen(base64_data);
-	unsigned char *usline = (unsigned char *)base64_data;
-	/* reasonable allocation of expected length is 3/4 of encoded length */
-	size_t destlen = len * 3 / 4;
-	MALLOC(*data, destlen, goto error);
-	if(base64_decode(*data, &destlen, usline, len)) {
-		free(*data);
-		goto error;
-	}
-	*data_len = destlen;
-	return 0;
-
-error:
-	*data = NULL;
-	*data_len = 0;
-	return -1;
-}
-
 /**
  * Check the PGP signature for the given file path.
  * If base64_sig is provided, it will be used as the signature data after