diff --git a/actions/apifriendstimeline.php b/actions/apifriendstimeline.php
index 8c8d934164..2eb00e23a6 100644
--- a/actions/apifriendstimeline.php
+++ b/actions/apifriendstimeline.php
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ if (!defined('STATUSNET')) {
     exit(1);
 }
 
-require_once INSTALLDIR.'/lib/twitterapi.php';
+require_once INSTALLDIR.'/lib/apibareauth.php';
 
-class ApifriendstimelineAction extends TwitterapiAction
+class ApiFriendsTimelineAction extends ApiBareAuthAction
 {
 
     var $user    = null;
@@ -52,33 +52,33 @@ class ApifriendstimelineAction extends TwitterapiAction
     {
         parent::prepare($args);
 
-	$this->page     = (int)$this->arg('page', 1);
+        $this->page     = (int)$this->arg('page', 1);
         $this->count    = (int)$this->arg('count', 20);
         $this->max_id   = (int)$this->arg('max_id', 0);
         $this->since_id = (int)$this->arg('since_id', 0);
         $this->since    = $this->arg('since');
 
-	if ($this->requiresAuth()) {
+        if ($this->requiresAuth()) {
             if ($this->checkBasicAuthUser() == false) {
-		return;
-	    }
-	}
+                return;
+            }
+        }
 
-	$this->user = $this->getTargetUser($this->arg('id'));
+        $this->user = $this->getTargetUser($this->arg('id'));
 
-	if (empty($this->user)) {
+        if (empty($this->user)) {
             $this->clientError(_('No such user!'), 404, $this->arg('format'));
             return;
         }
 
-	$this->notices = $this->getNotices();
+        $this->notices = $this->getNotices();
 
         return true;
     }
 
     function handle($args) {
-	parent::handle($args);
-	$this->showTimeline();
+        parent::handle($args);
+        $this->showTimeline();
     }
 
     function showTimeline()
@@ -89,82 +89,60 @@ class ApifriendstimelineAction extends TwitterapiAction
         $taguribase = common_config('integration', 'taguri');
         $id         = "tag:$taguribase:FriendsTimeline:" . $user->id;
         $link       = common_local_url('all',
-				       array('nickname' => $user->nickname));
+                                       array('nickname' => $user->nickname));
         $subtitle   = sprintf(_('Updates from %1$s and friends on %2$s!'),
-			      $user->nickname, $sitename);
+                              $user->nickname, $sitename);
 
         switch($this->arg('format')) {
-	 case 'xml':
-            $this->show_xml_timeline($this->notices);
-            break;
-	 case 'rss':
-            $this->show_rss_timeline($this->notices, $title, $link, $subtitle);
-            break;
-	 case 'atom':
+            case 'xml':
+                $this->show_xml_timeline($this->notices);
+                break;
+            case 'rss':
+                $this->show_rss_timeline($this->notices, $title, $link, $subtitle);
+                break;
+            case 'atom':
 
-            $target_id = $this->arg('id');
+                $target_id = $this->arg('id');
 
-            if (isset($target_id)) {
-                $selfuri = common_root_url() .
-		  'api/statuses/friends_timeline/' .
-		  $target_id . '.atom';
-            } else {
-                $selfuri = common_root_url() .
-		  'api/statuses/friends_timeline.atom';
-            }
-            $this->show_atom_timeline($this->notices, $title, $id, $link,
-				      $subtitle, null, $selfuri);
-            break;
-	 case 'json':
-            $this->show_json_timeline($this->notices);
-            break;
-	 default:
-            $this->clientError(_('API method not found!'), $code = 404);
-	    break;
+                if (isset($target_id)) {
+                    $selfuri = common_root_url() .
+                        'api/statuses/friends_timeline/' .
+                        $target_id . '.atom';
+                } else {
+                    $selfuri = common_root_url() .
+                        'api/statuses/friends_timeline.atom';
+                }
+                $this->show_atom_timeline($this->notices, $title, $id, $link,
+                                          $subtitle, null, $selfuri);
+                break;
+            case 'json':
+                $this->show_json_timeline($this->notices);
+                break;
+            default:
+                $this->clientError(_('API method not found!'), $code = 404);
+                break;
         }
     }
 
     function getNotices()
     {
-	$notices = array();
+        $notices = array();
 
         if (!empty($this->auth_user) && $this->auth_user->id == $this->user->id) {
             $notice = $this->user->noticeInbox(($this->page-1) * $this->count,
-					       $this->count, $this->since_id,
-					       $this->max_id, $this->since);
+                                               $this->count, $this->since_id,
+                                               $this->max_id, $this->since);
         } else {
             $notice = $this->user->noticesWithFriends(($this->page-1) * $this->count,
-						      $this->count, $this->since_id,
-						      $this->max_id, $this->since);
+                                                      $this->count, $this->since_id,
+                                                      $this->max_id, $this->since);
         }
 
-	while ($notice->fetch()) {
+        while ($notice->fetch()) {
             $notices[] = clone($notice);
         }
 
-	return $notices;
-    }
-
-    function requiresAuth()
-    {
-	// If the site is "private", all API methods except statusnet/config
-        // need authentication
-
-        if (common_config('site', 'private')) {
-	    return true;
-        }
-
-	// bare auth: only needs auth if without an argument or query param specifying user id
-
-	$id           = $this->arg('id');
-	$user_id      = $this->arg('user_id');
-	$screen_name  = $this->arg('screen_name');
-
-	if (empty($id) && empty($user_id) && empty($screen_name)) {
-	    return true;
-	}
-
-	return false;
+        return $notices;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/lib/apiauth.php b/lib/apiauth.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..501d3de10e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/apiauth.php
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * StatusNet, the distributed open-source microblogging tool
+ *
+ * Base class for API actions that require authentication
+ *
+ * PHP version 5
+ *
+ * LICENCE: This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ * @category  API
+ * @package   StatusNet
+ * @author    Zach Copley <zach@status.net>
+ * @copyright 2009 StatusNet, Inc.
+ * @license   http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/agpl-3.0.html GNU Affero General Public License version 3.0
+ * @link      http://status.net/
+ */
+
+if (!defined('STATUSNET')) {
+    exit(1);
+}
+
+require_once INSTALLDIR.'/lib/twitterapi.php';
+
+class ApiAuthAction extends TwitterapiAction
+{
+    /**
+     * Does this API resource require authentication?
+     *
+     * @return boolean true
+     */
+
+    function requiresAuth()
+    {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    function checkBasicAuthUser()
+    {
+        $this->basicAuthProcessHeader();
+
+        if (!isset($this->auth_user)) {
+            header('WWW-Authenticate: Basic realm="StatusNet API"');
+
+            // show error if the user clicks 'cancel'
+
+            $this->showBasicAuthError();
+            return false;
+
+        } else {
+            $nickname = $this->auth_user;
+            $password = $this->auth_pw;
+            $this->auth_user = common_check_user($nickname, $password);
+
+            if (empty($this->auth_user)) {
+
+                // basic authentication failed
+
+                list($proxy, $ip) = common_client_ip();
+                common_log(LOG_WARNING,
+                    "Failed API auth attempt, nickname = $nickname, proxy = $proxy, ip = $ip.");
+                $this->showBasicAuthError();
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    function basicAuthProcessHeader()
+    {
+        if (isset($_SERVER['AUTHORIZATION']) || isset($_SERVER['HTTP_AUTHORIZATION'])) {
+            $authorization_header = isset($_SERVER['HTTP_AUTHORIZATION'])? $_SERVER['HTTP_AUTHORIZATION'] : $_SERVER['AUTHORIZATION'];
+        }
+
+        if (isset($_SERVER['PHP_AUTH_USER'])) {
+            $this->auth_user = $_SERVER['PHP_AUTH_USER'];
+            $this->auth_pw = $_SERVER['PHP_AUTH_PW'];
+        } elseif (isset($authorization_header) && strstr(substr($authorization_header, 0, 5), 'Basic')) {
+            // decode the HTTP_AUTHORIZATION header on php-cgi server self
+            // on fcgid server the header name is AUTHORIZATION
+
+            $auth_hash = base64_decode(substr($authorization_header, 6));
+            list($this->auth_user, $this->auth_pw) = explode(':', $auth_hash);
+
+            // set all to null on a empty basic auth request
+            if ($this->auth_user == "") {
+                $this->auth_user = null;
+                $this->auth_pw = null;
+            }
+        } else {
+            $this->auth_user = null;
+            $this->auth_pw = null;
+        }
+    }
+
+    function showBasicAuthError()
+    {
+        header('HTTP/1.1 401 Unauthorized');
+        $msg = 'Could not authenticate you.';
+
+        if ($this->arg('format') == 'xml') {
+            header('Content-Type: application/xml; charset=utf-8');
+            $this->startXML();
+            $this->elementStart('hash');
+            $this->element('error', null, $msg);
+            $this->element('request', null, $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']);
+            $this->elementEnd('hash');
+            $this->endXML();
+        } elseif ($this->arg('format') == 'json') {
+            header('Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8');
+            $error_array = array('error' => $msg, 'request' => $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']);
+            print(json_encode($error_array));
+        } else {
+            header('Content-type: text/plain');
+            print "$msg\n";
+        }
+    }
+
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/apibareauth.php b/lib/apibareauth.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8921cddca0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/apibareauth.php
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * StatusNet, the distributed open-source microblogging tool
+ *
+ * Base class for API actions that require "bare auth". Bare auth means
+ * authentication is required only if the action is called without an argument
+ * or query param specifying user id.
+ *
+ * PHP version 5
+ *
+ * LICENCE: This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ * @category  API
+ * @package   StatusNet
+ * @author    Zach Copley <zach@status.net>
+ * @copyright 2009 StatusNet, Inc.
+ * @license   http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/agpl-3.0.html GNU Affero General Public License version 3.0
+ * @link      http://status.net/
+ */
+
+if (!defined('STATUSNET')) {
+    exit(1);
+}
+
+require_once INSTALLDIR.'/lib/apiauth.php';
+
+class ApiBareAuthAction extends ApiAuthAction
+{
+    /**
+     * Does this API resource require authentication?
+     *
+     * @return boolean true or false
+     */
+
+    function requiresAuth()
+    {
+        // If the site is "private", all API methods except statusnet/config
+        // need authentication
+
+        if (common_config('site', 'private')) {
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        // check whether a user has been specified somehow
+
+        $id           = $this->arg('id');
+        $user_id      = $this->arg('user_id');
+        $screen_name  = $this->arg('screen_name');
+
+        if (empty($id) && empty($user_id) && empty($screen_name)) {
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        return false;
+    }
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/router.php b/lib/router.php
index 0e5fe3a54f..370fbe62b5 100644
--- a/lib/router.php
+++ b/lib/router.php
@@ -263,11 +263,11 @@ class Router
         // statuses API
 
         $m->connect('api/statuses/friends_timeline.:format',
-                    array('action' => 'apifriendstimeline',
+                    array('action' => 'ApiFriendsTimeline',
                           'format' => '(xml|json|rss|atom)'));
 
         $m->connect('api/statuses/friends_timeline/:id.:format',
-                    array('action' => 'apifriendstimeline',
+                    array('action' => 'ApiFriendsTimeline',
                           'id' => '[a-zA-Z0-9]+',
                           'format' => '(xml|json|rss|atom)'));
 
diff --git a/lib/twitterapi.php b/lib/twitterapi.php
index 959b0981a5..5cf6666688 100644
--- a/lib/twitterapi.php
+++ b/lib/twitterapi.php
@@ -1205,85 +1205,4 @@ class TwitterapiAction extends Action
         }
     }
 
-    function checkBasicAuthUser()
-    {
-        $this->basicAuthProcessHeader();
-
-        if (!isset($this->auth_user)) {
-            header('WWW-Authenticate: Basic realm="StatusNet API"');
-
-            // show error if the user clicks 'cancel'
-
-            $this->showBasicAuthError();
-            return false;
-
-        } else {
-            $nickname = $this->auth_user;
-            $password = $this->auth_pw;
-            $this->auth_user = common_check_user($nickname, $password);
-
-            if (empty($this->auth_user)) {
-
-                // basic authentication failed
-
-                list($proxy, $ip) = common_client_ip();
-                common_log(LOG_WARNING,
-                    "Failed API auth attempt, nickname = $nickname, proxy = $proxy, ip = $ip.");
-                $this->showBasicAuthError();
-                return false;
-            }
-        }
-        return true;
-    }
-
-    function basicAuthProcessHeader()
-    {
-        if (isset($_SERVER['AUTHORIZATION']) || isset($_SERVER['HTTP_AUTHORIZATION'])) {
-            $authorization_header = isset($_SERVER['HTTP_AUTHORIZATION'])? $_SERVER['HTTP_AUTHORIZATION'] : $_SERVER['AUTHORIZATION'];
-        }
-
-        if (isset($_SERVER['PHP_AUTH_USER'])) {
-            $this->auth_user = $_SERVER['PHP_AUTH_USER'];
-            $this->auth_pw = $_SERVER['PHP_AUTH_PW'];
-        } elseif (isset($authorization_header) && strstr(substr($authorization_header, 0, 5), 'Basic')) {
-            // decode the HTTP_AUTHORIZATION header on php-cgi server self
-            // on fcgid server the header name is AUTHORIZATION
-
-            $auth_hash = base64_decode(substr($authorization_header, 6));
-            list($this->auth_user, $this->auth_pw) = explode(':', $auth_hash);
-
-            // set all to null on a empty basic auth request
-            if ($this->auth_user == "") {
-                $this->auth_user = null;
-                $this->auth_pw = null;
-            }
-        } else {
-            $this->auth_user = null;
-            $this->auth_pw = null;
-        }
-    }
-
-    function showBasicAuthError()
-    {
-        header('HTTP/1.1 401 Unauthorized');
-        $msg = 'Could not authenticate you.';
-
-        if ($this->arg('format') == 'xml') {
-            header('Content-Type: application/xml; charset=utf-8');
-            $this->startXML();
-            $this->elementStart('hash');
-            $this->element('error', null, $msg);
-            $this->element('request', null, $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']);
-            $this->elementEnd('hash');
-            $this->endXML();
-        } elseif ($this->arg('format') == 'json') {
-            header('Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8');
-            $error_array = array('error' => $msg, 'request' => $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']);
-            print(json_encode($error_array));
-        } else {
-            header('Content-type: text/plain');
-            print "$msg\n";
-        }
-    }
-
 }