diff --git a/luametalatex-basecallbacks.lua b/luametalatex-basecallbacks.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..58ed8c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/luametalatex-basecallbacks.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+-- Two callbacks are defined in other files: pre_dump in lateinit and find_fmt_file in init
+
+local read_tfm = font.read_tfm
+local font_define = font.define
+local callback_register = callback.register
+
+if status.ini_version then
+  callback_register('define_font', function(name, size)
+    local f = read_tfm(name, size)
+    if not f then return end
+    local id = font_define(f)
+    lua.prepared_code[#lua.prepared_code+1] = string.format("assert(%i == font.define(font.read_tfm(%q, %i)))", id, name, size)
+    return id
+  end)
+else
+  callback_register('define_font', function(name, size)
+    local f = read_tfm(name, size)
+    if not f then
+      tex.error(string.format("Font %q not found", name), "The requested font could't be loaded.\n\z
+        Are you sure that you passed the right name and\n\z
+        that the font is actually installed?")
+      return 0
+    end
+    return font.define(f)
+  end)
+end
+callback_register('find_log_file', function(name) return name end)
+do
+  local function normal_find_data_file(name)
+    return kpse.find_file(name, 'tex', true)
+  end
+  if status.ini_version then
+    function unhook_expl()
+      callback_register('find_data_file', normal_find_data_file)
+    end
+    callback_register('find_data_file', function(name)
+      if name == 'ltexpl.ltx' then
+        name = 'luametalatex-ltexpl-hook'
+      end
+      return normal_find_data_file(name)
+    end)
+  else
+    callback_register('find_data_file', normal_find_data_file)
+  end
+end
+-- callback_register('read_data_file', function(name) error[[TODO]]return kpse.find_file(name, 'tex', true) end)
+callback_register('open_data_file', function(name)
+  local f = io.open(name, 'r')
+  return setmetatable({
+    reader = function()
+      local line = f:read()
+      return line
+    end,
+    close = function()error[[1]] return f:close() end,
+  }, {
+    __gc = function()f:close()end,
+  })
+end)
+callback_register('handle_error_hook', function()
+  repeat
+    texio.write_nl'? '
+    local line = io.read()
+    if not line then
+      tex.fatalerror'End of line encountered on terminal'
+    end
+    if line == "" then return 3 end
+    local first = line:sub(1,1):upper()
+    if first == 'H' then
+      texio.write(tex.gethelptext() or "Sorry, I don't know how to help in this situation.\n\z
+        Maybe you should try asking a human?")
+    elseif first == 'I' then
+      line = line:sub(2)
+      tex.runtoks(function()
+        tex.sprint(token.scan_token(), line)
+      end)
+      return 3
+    elseif first == 'Q' then texio.write'OK, entering \\batchmode...\n' return 0
+    elseif first == 'R' then texio.write'OK, entering \\nonstopmode...\n' return 1
+    elseif first == 'S' then texio.write'OK, entering \\scrollmode...\n' return 2
+    elseif first == 'X' then return -1
+    else
+      texio.write'Type <return> to proceed, S to scroll future error messages,\
+\z      R to run without stopping, Q to run quietly,\
+\z      I to insert something,\
+\z      H for help, X to quit.'
+    end
+  until false
+  return 3
+end)