diff --git a/mage.go b/mage.go
index 135beec..ff8cf4b 100644
--- a/mage.go
+++ b/mage.go
@@ -6,16 +6,12 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
-	"log"
 	"os"
-	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
-	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/jtolds/qod"
 	"github.com/magefile/mage/mg"
-	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
 var wd string
@@ -32,65 +28,6 @@ func init() {
 
 const pkgBase = "git.xeserv.us/xena/route/"
 
-func output(cmd string, args ...string) (string, error) {
-	c := exec.Command(cmd, args...)
-	c.Env = os.Environ()
-	c.Stderr = os.Stderr
-	b, err := c.Output()
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", errors.Wrapf(err, `failed to run %v %q`, cmd, args)
-	}
-	return string(b), nil
-}
-
-func gitTag() (string, error) {
-	s, err := output("git", "describe", "--tags")
-	if err != nil {
-		ee, ok := errors.Cause(err).(*exec.ExitError)
-		if ok && ee.Exited() {
-			// probably no git tag
-			return "dev", nil
-		}
-		return "", err
-	}
-
-	return strings.TrimSuffix(s, "\n"), nil
-}
-
-func shouldWork(ctx context.Context, env []string, dir string, cmdName string, args ...string) {
-	loc, err := exec.LookPath(cmdName)
-	qod.ANE(err)
-
-	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, loc, args...)
-	cmd.Dir = dir
-	cmd.Env = append(env, os.Environ()...)
-
-	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
-	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
-
-	log.Printf("starting process, env: %v, pwd: %s, cmd: %s, args: %v", env, dir, loc, args)
-	err = cmd.Run()
-	qod.ANE(err)
-}
-
-func goBuild(ctx context.Context, env []string, dir string, pkgname string) {
-	shouldWork(ctx, env, dir, "go", "build", "-v", pkgBase+pkgname)
-}
-
-func goInstall(ctx context.Context, env []string, pkgname string) {
-	shouldWork(ctx, nil, wd, "go", "install", pkgBase+pkgname)
-}
-
-func goBuildPlugin(ctx context.Context, dir, pkgname, fname string) {
-	if runtime.GOOS != "linux" {
-		qod.Printlnf("plugins don't work on non-linux machines yet :(")
-		return
-	}
-
-	shouldWork(ctx, nil, dir, "go", "build", "-v", "-buildmode=plugin", "-o="+fname, pkgBase+pkgname)
-	qod.Printlnf("built %s for %s", fname, runtime.GOOS)
-}
-
 func buildBins(goos, goarch string) {
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	defer cancel()
@@ -221,3 +158,15 @@ func Test() {
 
 	shouldWork(ctx, nil, wd, "go", "test", "-v", "./...")
 }
+
+// Tools installs all of the needed tools for the project.
+func Tools(ctx context.Context) {
+	tools := []string{
+		"github.com/golang/dep/cmd/dep",
+		"github.com/golang/protobuf/protoc-gen-go",
+	}
+
+	for _, t := range tools {
+		shouldWork(ctx, nil, wd, "go", "get", "-u", t)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/mage_helpers.go b/mage_helpers.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..33059cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mage_helpers.go
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+// +build mage
+
+package main
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"log"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"runtime"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/jtolds/qod"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+)
+
+func output(cmd string, args ...string) (string, error) {
+	c := exec.Command(cmd, args...)
+	c.Env = os.Environ()
+	c.Stderr = os.Stderr
+	b, err := c.Output()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", errors.Wrapf(err, `failed to run %v %q`, cmd, args)
+	}
+	return string(b), nil
+}
+
+func gitTag() (string, error) {
+	s, err := output("git", "describe", "--tags")
+	if err != nil {
+		ee, ok := errors.Cause(err).(*exec.ExitError)
+		if ok && ee.Exited() {
+			// probably no git tag
+			return "dev", nil
+		}
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	return strings.TrimSuffix(s, "\n"), nil
+}
+
+func shouldWork(ctx context.Context, env []string, dir string, cmdName string, args ...string) {
+	loc, err := exec.LookPath(cmdName)
+	qod.ANE(err)
+
+	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, loc, args...)
+	cmd.Dir = dir
+	cmd.Env = append(env, os.Environ()...)
+
+	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
+	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
+
+	log.Printf("starting process, env: %v, pwd: %s, cmd: %s, args: %v", env, dir, loc, args)
+	err = cmd.Run()
+	qod.ANE(err)
+}
+
+func goBuild(ctx context.Context, env []string, dir string, pkgname string) {
+	shouldWork(ctx, env, dir, "go", "build", "-v", pkgBase+pkgname)
+}
+
+func goInstall(ctx context.Context, env []string, pkgname string) {
+	shouldWork(ctx, nil, wd, "go", "install", pkgBase+pkgname)
+}
+
+func goBuildPlugin(ctx context.Context, dir, pkgname, fname string) {
+	if runtime.GOOS != "linux" {
+		qod.Printlnf("plugins don't work on non-linux machines yet :(")
+		return
+	}
+
+	shouldWork(ctx, nil, dir, "go", "build", "-v", "-buildmode=plugin", "-o="+fname, pkgBase+pkgname)
+	qod.Printlnf("built %s for %s", fname, runtime.GOOS)
+}