diff --git a/doc/variables.xml b/doc/variables.xml
index 40e99078..2505c701 100644
--- a/doc/variables.xml
+++ b/doc/variables.xml
@@ -657,7 +657,7 @@
             <command>
                 <option>curl</option>
             </command>
-            <option>url interval_in_minutes</option>
+            <option>url (interval_in_minutes)</option>
         </term>
         <listitem>
             <para>Download data from URI using Curl at the
diff --git a/src/ccurl_thread.c b/src/ccurl_thread.c
index 52f3c454..c26487e1 100644
--- a/src/ccurl_thread.c
+++ b/src/ccurl_thread.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "conky.h"
 #include "logging.h"
 #include "ccurl_thread.h"
+#include "text_object.h"
 
 #ifdef DEBUG
 #include <assert.h>
@@ -193,7 +194,7 @@ void ccurl_free_info(void)
 }
 
 /* straight copy, used by $curl */
-void ccurl_parse_data(void *result, const char *data)
+static void ccurl_parse_data(void *result, const char *data)
 {
 	strncpy(result, data, max_user_text);
 }
@@ -217,3 +218,27 @@ void ccurl_process_info(char *p, int p_max_size, char *uri, int interval)
 	timed_thread_unlock(curloc->p_timed_thread);
 }
 
+void curl_parse_arg(struct text_object *obj, const char *arg)
+{
+	int argc;
+	float interval = 0;
+	char *uri = (char *) malloc(128 * sizeof(char));
+
+	argc = sscanf(arg, "%127s %f", uri, &interval);
+	if (argc < 1) {
+		free(uri);
+		NORM_ERR("wrong number of arguments for $curl");
+		return;
+	}
+	obj->data.curl.uri = uri;
+	obj->data.curl.interval = interval > 0 ? interval * 60 : 15*60;
+}
+
+void curl_print(struct text_object *obj, char *p, int p_max_size)
+{
+	if (!obj->data.curl.uri) {
+		NORM_ERR("error processing Curl data");
+		return;
+	}
+	ccurl_process_info(p, p_max_size, obj->data.curl.uri, obj->data.curl.interval);
+}
diff --git a/src/ccurl_thread.h b/src/ccurl_thread.h
index eb48d325..594479c0 100644
--- a/src/ccurl_thread.h
+++ b/src/ccurl_thread.h
@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@ void ccurl_free_info(void);
 /* runs instance of $curl */
 void ccurl_process_info(char *p, int p_max_size, char *uri, int interval);
 
+void curl_parse_arg(struct text_object *, const char *);
+void curl_print(struct text_object *, char *, int);
+
 /* $curl exports end */
 
 #endif /* _CURL_THREAD_H_ */
diff --git a/src/conky.c b/src/conky.c
index 7bf799af..69589951 100644
--- a/src/conky.c
+++ b/src/conky.c
@@ -1833,11 +1833,7 @@ static void generate_text_internal(char *p, int p_max_size,
 #endif
 #ifdef HAVE_CURL
 			OBJ(curl) {
-				if (obj->data.curl.uri != NULL) {
-					ccurl_process_info(p, p_max_size, obj->data.curl.uri, obj->data.curl.interval);
-				} else {
-					NORM_ERR("error processing Curl data");
-				}
+				curl_print(obj, p, p_max_size);
 			}
 #endif
 #ifdef RSS
diff --git a/src/core.c b/src/core.c
index 4cfa856d..13e2536e 100644
--- a/src/core.c
+++ b/src/core.c
@@ -1449,17 +1449,7 @@ struct text_object *construct_text_object(const char *s, const char *arg, long
 #endif
 #ifdef HAVE_CURL
 	END OBJ_ARG(curl, 0, "curl needs arguments: <uri> <interval in minutes>")
-		int argc;
-		float interval = 0;
-		char *uri = (char *) malloc(128 * sizeof(char));
-
-		argc = sscanf(arg, "%127s %f", uri, &interval);
-		if (argc == 2) {
-			obj->data.curl.uri = uri;
-			obj->data.curl.interval = interval > 0 ? interval * 60 : 15*60;
-		} else {
-			NORM_ERR("wrong number of arguments for $curl");
-		}
+		curl_parse_arg(obj, arg);
 #endif
 #ifdef RSS
 	END OBJ_ARG(rss, 0, "rss needs arguments: <uri> <interval in minutes> <action> [act_par] [spaces in front]")