diff --git a/src/algebra.c b/src/algebra.c
index 484e2e68..4fa5e975 100644
--- a/src/algebra.c
+++ b/src/algebra.c
@@ -243,3 +243,25 @@ int compare(const char *expr)
 	/* not reached */
 	return -2;
 }
+
+int check_if_match(struct text_object *obj)
+{
+	char expression[max_user_text];
+	int val;
+	struct information *tmp_info;
+	int result = 1;
+
+	tmp_info = malloc(sizeof(struct information));
+	memcpy(tmp_info, &info, sizeof(struct information));
+	generate_text_internal(expression, max_user_text, *obj->sub, tmp_info);
+	DBGP("parsed arg into '%s'", expression);
+
+	val = compare(expression);
+	if (val == -2) {
+		NORM_ERR("compare failed for expression '%s'", expression);
+	} else if (!val) {
+		result = 0;
+	}
+	free(tmp_info);
+	return result;
+}
diff --git a/src/algebra.h b/src/algebra.h
index 46dc1e99..eb142dba 100644
--- a/src/algebra.h
+++ b/src/algebra.h
@@ -46,5 +46,6 @@ enum arg_type {
 };
 
 int compare(const char *);
+int check_if_match(struct text_object *);
 
 #endif /* _ALGEBRA_H */
diff --git a/src/common.c b/src/common.c
index f8f24e4c..4567a58c 100644
--- a/src/common.c
+++ b/src/common.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include "net_stat.h"
 #include "specials.h"
 #include "timeinfo.h"
+#include "top.h"
 #include <ctype.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <sys/time.h>
@@ -606,3 +607,71 @@ void print_evaluate(struct text_object *obj, char *p, int p_max_size)
 {
 	evaluate(obj->data.s, p, p_max_size);
 }
+
+int if_empty_iftest(struct text_object *obj)
+{
+	char buf[max_user_text];
+	struct information *tmp_info;
+	int result = 1;
+
+	tmp_info = malloc(sizeof(struct information));
+	memcpy(tmp_info, &info, sizeof(struct information));
+
+	generate_text_internal(buf, max_user_text, *obj->sub, tmp_info);
+
+	if (strlen(buf) != 0) {
+		result = 0;
+	}
+	free(tmp_info);
+	return result;
+}
+
+static int check_contains(char *f, char *s)
+{
+	int ret = 0;
+	FILE *where = open_file(f, 0);
+
+	if (where) {
+		char buf1[256];
+
+		while (fgets(buf1, 256, where)) {
+			if (strstr(buf1, s)) {
+				ret = 1;
+				break;
+			}
+		}
+		fclose(where);
+	} else {
+		NORM_ERR("Could not open the file");
+	}
+	return ret;
+}
+
+int if_existing_iftest(struct text_object *obj)
+{
+	char *spc;
+	int result = 1;
+
+	spc = strchr(obj->data.s, ' ');
+	if (!spc && access(obj->data.s, F_OK)) {
+		result = 0;
+	} else if (spc) {
+		*spc = '\0';
+		if (check_contains(obj->data.s, spc + 1))
+			result = 0;
+		*spc = ' ';
+	}
+	return result;
+}
+
+int if_running_iftest(struct text_object *obj)
+{
+#ifdef __linux__
+	if (!get_process_by_name(obj->data.s)) {
+#else
+	if ((obj->data.s) && system(obj->data.s)) {
+#endif
+		return 0;
+	}
+	return 1;
+}
diff --git a/src/common.h b/src/common.h
index ae957be1..43f717ec 100644
--- a/src/common.h
+++ b/src/common.h
@@ -104,4 +104,8 @@ void print_cached(struct text_object *, char *, int);
 
 void print_evaluate(struct text_object *, char *, int);
 
+int if_empty_iftest(struct text_object *);
+int if_existing_iftest(struct text_object *);
+int if_running_iftest(struct text_object *);
+
 #endif /* _COMMON_H */
diff --git a/src/conky.c b/src/conky.c
index 2b9dd8ed..b834ecba 100644
--- a/src/conky.c
+++ b/src/conky.c
@@ -434,27 +434,6 @@ int get_updatereset(void)
 	return updatereset;
 }
 
-int check_contains(char *f, char *s)
-{
-	int ret = 0;
-	FILE *where = open_file(f, 0);
-
-	if (where) {
-		char buf1[256];
-
-		while (fgets(buf1, 256, where)) {
-			if (strstr(buf1, s)) {
-				ret = 1;
-				break;
-			}
-		}
-		fclose(where);
-	} else {
-		NORM_ERR("Could not open the file");
-	}
-	return ret;
-}
-
 #define SECRIT_MULTILINE_CHAR '\x02'
 
 static inline int calc_text_width(const char *s)
@@ -889,61 +868,6 @@ void generate_text_internal(char *p, int p_max_size,
 				cimlib_add_image(obj->data.s);
 			}
 #endif /* IMLIB2 */
-			OBJ(if_empty) {
-				char buf[max_user_text];
-				struct information *tmp_info =
-					malloc(sizeof(struct information));
-				memcpy(tmp_info, cur, sizeof(struct information));
-				generate_text_internal(buf, max_user_text,
-				                       *obj->sub, tmp_info);
-
-				if (strlen(buf) != 0) {
-					DO_JUMP;
-				}
-				free(tmp_info);
-			}
-			OBJ(if_match) {
-				char expression[max_user_text];
-				int val;
-				struct information *tmp_info;
-
-				tmp_info = malloc(sizeof(struct information));
-				memcpy(tmp_info, cur, sizeof(struct information));
-				generate_text_internal(expression, max_user_text,
-				                       *obj->sub, tmp_info);
-				DBGP("parsed arg into '%s'", expression);
-
-				val = compare(expression);
-				if (val == -2) {
-					NORM_ERR("compare failed for expression '%s'",
-							expression);
-				} else if (!val) {
-					DO_JUMP;
-				}
-				free(tmp_info);
-			}
-			OBJ(if_existing) {
-				char *spc;
-
-				spc = strchr(obj->data.s, ' ');
-				if (!spc && access(obj->data.s, F_OK)) {
-					DO_JUMP;
-				} else if (spc) {
-					*spc = '\0';
-					if (check_contains(obj->data.s, spc + 1))
-						DO_JUMP;
-					*spc = ' ';
-				}
-			}
-			OBJ(if_running) {
-#ifdef __linux__
-				if (!get_process_by_name(obj->data.s)) {
-#else
-				if ((obj->data.s) && system(obj->data.s)) {
-#endif
-					DO_JUMP;
-				}
-			}
 			OBJ(pid_chroot) {
 				char buf[max_user_text];
 
diff --git a/src/core.c b/src/core.c
index 0c2ce224..e83affb8 100644
--- a/src/core.c
+++ b/src/core.c
@@ -692,11 +692,14 @@ struct text_object *construct_text_object(const char *s, const char *arg, long
 	END OBJ_IF_ARG(if_empty, 0, "if_empty needs an argument")
 		obj->sub = malloc(sizeof(struct text_object));
 		extract_variable_text_internal(obj->sub, arg);
+		obj->callbacks.iftest = &if_empty_iftest;
 	END OBJ_IF_ARG(if_match, 0, "if_match needs arguments")
 		obj->sub = malloc(sizeof(struct text_object));
 		extract_variable_text_internal(obj->sub, arg);
+		obj->callbacks.iftest = &check_if_match;
 	END OBJ_IF_ARG(if_existing, 0, "if_existing needs an argument or two")
 		obj->data.s = strndup(arg, text_buffer_size);
+		obj->callbacks.iftest = &if_existing_iftest;
 		obj->callbacks.free = &gen_free_opaque;
 	END OBJ_IF_ARG(if_mounted, 0, "if_mounted needs an argument")
 		obj->data.s = strndup(arg, text_buffer_size);
@@ -706,6 +709,7 @@ struct text_object *construct_text_object(const char *s, const char *arg, long
 	END OBJ_IF_ARG(if_running, &update_top, "if_running needs an argument")
 		top_running = 1;
 		obj->data.s = strndup(arg, text_buffer_size);
+		obj->callbacks.iftest = &if_running_iftest;
 		obj->callbacks.free = &gen_free_opaque;
 #else
 	END OBJ_IF_ARG(if_running, 0, "if_running needs an argument")
@@ -713,6 +717,8 @@ struct text_object *construct_text_object(const char *s, const char *arg, long
 
 		snprintf(buf, text_buffer_size, "pidof %s >/dev/null", arg);
 		obj->data.s = strndup(buf, text_buffer_size);
+		/* XXX: maybe use a different callback here */
+		obj->callbacks.iftest = &if_running_iftest;
 #endif
 	END OBJ(kernel, 0)
 		obj->callbacks.print = &print_kernel;