diff --git a/src/core/dbus-execute.c b/src/core/dbus-execute.c
index abe009c395..04735354a3 100644
--- a/src/core/dbus-execute.c
+++ b/src/core/dbus-execute.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 #include "hexdecoct.h"
 #include "io-util.h"
 #include "ioprio.h"
-#include "journal-util.h"
+#include "journal-file.h"
 #include "mountpoint-util.h"
 #include "namespace.h"
 #include "parse-util.h"
diff --git a/src/core/load-fragment.c b/src/core/load-fragment.c
index ffc58dde9c..4964249bf2 100644
--- a/src/core/load-fragment.c
+++ b/src/core/load-fragment.c
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 #include "io-util.h"
 #include "ioprio.h"
 #include "ip-protocol-list.h"
-#include "journal-util.h"
+#include "journal-file.h"
 #include "limits-util.h"
 #include "load-fragment.h"
 #include "log.h"
diff --git a/src/journal/journal-file.c b/src/journal/journal-file.c
index 20c4edb6ca..18dc3072b4 100644
--- a/src/journal/journal-file.c
+++ b/src/journal/journal-file.c
@@ -1521,6 +1521,44 @@ int journal_file_find_data_object(
                         ret, ret_offset);
 }
 
+bool journal_field_valid(const char *p, size_t l, bool allow_protected) {
+        const char *a;
+
+        /* We kinda enforce POSIX syntax recommendations for
+           environment variables here, but make a couple of additional
+           requirements.
+
+           http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/000095399/basedefs/xbd_chap08.html */
+
+        if (l == (size_t) -1)
+                l = strlen(p);
+
+        /* No empty field names */
+        if (l <= 0)
+                return false;
+
+        /* Don't allow names longer than 64 chars */
+        if (l > 64)
+                return false;
+
+        /* Variables starting with an underscore are protected */
+        if (!allow_protected && p[0] == '_')
+                return false;
+
+        /* Don't allow digits as first character */
+        if (p[0] >= '0' && p[0] <= '9')
+                return false;
+
+        /* Only allow A-Z0-9 and '_' */
+        for (a = p; a < p + l; a++)
+                if ((*a < 'A' || *a > 'Z') &&
+                    (*a < '0' || *a > '9') &&
+                    *a != '_')
+                        return false;
+
+        return true;
+}
+
 static int journal_file_append_field(
                 JournalFile *f,
                 const void *field, uint64_t size,
diff --git a/src/journal/journal-file.h b/src/journal/journal-file.h
index 263d032b90..931c874268 100644
--- a/src/journal/journal-file.h
+++ b/src/journal/journal-file.h
@@ -271,3 +271,5 @@ static inline bool JOURNAL_FILE_COMPRESS(JournalFile *f) {
 }
 
 uint64_t journal_file_hash_data(JournalFile *f, const void *data, size_t sz);
+
+bool journal_field_valid(const char *p, size_t l, bool allow_protected);
diff --git a/src/shared/journal-util.c b/src/shared/journal-util.c
index 29659aa6b7..9e1870e176 100644
--- a/src/shared/journal-util.c
+++ b/src/shared/journal-util.c
@@ -137,41 +137,3 @@ int journal_access_check_and_warn(sd_journal *j, bool quiet, bool want_other_use
 
         return r;
 }
-
-bool journal_field_valid(const char *p, size_t l, bool allow_protected) {
-        const char *a;
-
-        /* We kinda enforce POSIX syntax recommendations for
-           environment variables here, but make a couple of additional
-           requirements.
-
-           http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/000095399/basedefs/xbd_chap08.html */
-
-        if (l == (size_t) -1)
-                l = strlen(p);
-
-        /* No empty field names */
-        if (l <= 0)
-                return false;
-
-        /* Don't allow names longer than 64 chars */
-        if (l > 64)
-                return false;
-
-        /* Variables starting with an underscore are protected */
-        if (!allow_protected && p[0] == '_')
-                return false;
-
-        /* Don't allow digits as first character */
-        if (p[0] >= '0' && p[0] <= '9')
-                return false;
-
-        /* Only allow A-Z0-9 and '_' */
-        for (a = p; a < p + l; a++)
-                if ((*a < 'A' || *a > 'Z') &&
-                    (*a < '0' || *a > '9') &&
-                    *a != '_')
-                        return false;
-
-        return true;
-}
diff --git a/src/shared/journal-util.h b/src/shared/journal-util.h
index db7000ffef..86fcba058d 100644
--- a/src/shared/journal-util.h
+++ b/src/shared/journal-util.h
@@ -6,6 +6,5 @@
 
 #include "sd-journal.h"
 
-bool journal_field_valid(const char *p, size_t l, bool allow_protected);
 int journal_access_blocked(sd_journal *j);
 int journal_access_check_and_warn(sd_journal *j, bool quiet, bool want_other_users);
diff --git a/src/systemctl/systemctl-show.c b/src/systemctl/systemctl-show.c
index fabaa545e1..d5efecbe65 100644
--- a/src/systemctl/systemctl-show.c
+++ b/src/systemctl/systemctl-show.c
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 #include "hexdecoct.h"
 #include "hostname-util.h"
 #include "in-addr-util.h"
-#include "journal-util.h"
+#include "journal-file.h"
 #include "list.h"
 #include "locale-util.h"
 #include "memory-util.h"