diff --git a/fail2ban/client/fail2banregex.py b/fail2ban/client/fail2banregex.py
index 89225ffb..84218149 100644
--- a/fail2ban/client/fail2banregex.py
+++ b/fail2ban/client/fail2banregex.py
@@ -46,12 +46,12 @@ except ImportError:
 	FilterSystemd = None
 
 from ..version import version
-from .jailreader import JailReader
 from .filterreader import FilterReader
 from ..server.filter import Filter, FileContainer
 from ..server.failregex import Regex, RegexException
 
-from ..helpers import str2LogLevel, getVerbosityFormat, FormatterWithTraceBack, getLogger, PREFER_ENC
+from ..helpers import str2LogLevel, getVerbosityFormat, FormatterWithTraceBack, getLogger, \
+  extractOptions, PREFER_ENC
 # Gets the instance of the logger.
 logSys = getLogger("fail2ban")
 
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ class Fail2banRegex(object):
 		fltFile = None
 		fltOpt = {}
 		if regextype == 'fail':
-			fltName, fltOpt = JailReader.extractOptions(value)
+			fltName, fltOpt = extractOptions(value)
 			if fltName is not None:
 				if "." in fltName[~5:]:
 					tryNames = (fltName,)
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ class Fail2banRegex(object):
 				return False
 			output( "Use         systemd journal" )
 			output( "Use         encoding : %s" % self._encoding )
-			backend, beArgs = JailReader.extractOptions(cmd_log)
+			backend, beArgs = extractOptions(cmd_log)
 			flt = FilterSystemd(None, **beArgs)
 			flt.setLogEncoding(self._encoding)
 			myjournal = flt.getJournalReader()
diff --git a/fail2ban/client/jailreader.py b/fail2ban/client/jailreader.py
index ffc28752..382d3bc8 100644
--- a/fail2ban/client/jailreader.py
+++ b/fail2ban/client/jailreader.py
@@ -33,8 +33,7 @@ from .configreader import ConfigReaderUnshared, ConfigReader
 from .filterreader import FilterReader
 from .actionreader import ActionReader
 from ..version import version
-from ..helpers import getLogger
-from ..helpers import splitwords
+from ..helpers import getLogger, extractOptions, splitwords
 
 # Gets the instance of the logger.
 logSys = getLogger(__name__)
@@ -42,15 +41,6 @@ logSys = getLogger(__name__)
 
 class JailReader(ConfigReader):
 	
-	# regex, to extract list of options:
-	optionCRE = re.compile(r"^([^\[]+)(?:\[(.*)\])?\s*$", re.DOTALL)
-	# regex, to iterate over single option in option list, syntax:
-	# `action = act[p1="...", p2='...', p3=...]`, where the p3=... not contains `,` or ']'
-	# since v0.10 separator extended with `]\s*[` for support of multiple option groups, syntax 
-	# `action = act[p1=...][p2=...]`
-	optionExtractRE = re.compile(
-		r'([\w\-_\.]+)=(?:"([^"]*)"|\'([^\']*)\'|([^,\]]*))(?:,|\]\s*\[|$)', re.DOTALL)
-	
 	def __init__(self, name, force_enable=False, **kwargs):
 		ConfigReader.__init__(self, **kwargs)
 		self.__name = name
@@ -134,7 +124,7 @@ class JailReader(ConfigReader):
 			# Read filter
 			flt = self.__opts["filter"]
 			if flt:
-				filterName, filterOpt = JailReader.extractOptions(flt)
+				filterName, filterOpt = extractOptions(flt)
 				if not filterName:
 					raise JailDefError("Invalid filter definition %r" % flt)
 				self.__filter = FilterReader(
@@ -164,7 +154,7 @@ class JailReader(ConfigReader):
 				try:
 					if not act:			  # skip empty actions
 						continue
-					actName, actOpt = JailReader.extractOptions(act)
+					actName, actOpt = extractOptions(act)
 					if not actName:
 						raise JailDefError("Invalid action definition %r" % act)
 					if actName.endswith(".py"):
@@ -268,22 +258,5 @@ class JailReader(ConfigReader):
 		stream.insert(0, ["add", self.__name, backend])
 		return stream
 	
-	@staticmethod
-	def extractOptions(option):
-		match = JailReader.optionCRE.match(option)
-		if not match:
-			# TODO proper error handling
-			return None, None
-		option_name, optstr = match.groups()
-		option_opts = dict()
-		if optstr:
-			for optmatch in JailReader.optionExtractRE.finditer(optstr):
-				opt = optmatch.group(1)
-				value = [
-					val for val in optmatch.group(2,3,4) if val is not None][0]
-				option_opts[opt.strip()] = value.strip()
-		return option_name, option_opts
-
-
 class JailDefError(Exception):
 	pass
diff --git a/fail2ban/helpers.py b/fail2ban/helpers.py
index 5b027b32..378924df 100644
--- a/fail2ban/helpers.py
+++ b/fail2ban/helpers.py
@@ -237,6 +237,34 @@ else:
 			return uni_decode(x, enc, 'replace')
 
 
+#
+# Following function used for parse options from parameter (e.g. `name[p1=0, p2="..."][p3='...']`).
+#
+
+# regex, to extract list of options:
+OPTION_CRE = re.compile(r"^([^\[]+)(?:\[(.*)\])?\s*$", re.DOTALL)
+# regex, to iterate over single option in option list, syntax:
+# `action = act[p1="...", p2='...', p3=...]`, where the p3=... not contains `,` or ']'
+# since v0.10 separator extended with `]\s*[` for support of multiple option groups, syntax 
+# `action = act[p1=...][p2=...]`
+OPTION_EXTRACT_CRE = re.compile(
+	r'([\w\-_\.]+)=(?:"([^"]*)"|\'([^\']*)\'|([^,\]]*))(?:,|\]\s*\[|$)', re.DOTALL)
+
+def extractOptions(option):
+	match = OPTION_CRE.match(option)
+	if not match:
+		# TODO proper error handling
+		return None, None
+	option_name, optstr = match.groups()
+	option_opts = dict()
+	if optstr:
+		for optmatch in OPTION_EXTRACT_CRE.finditer(optstr):
+			opt = optmatch.group(1)
+			value = [
+				val for val in optmatch.group(2,3,4) if val is not None][0]
+			option_opts[opt.strip()] = value.strip()
+	return option_name, option_opts
+
 #
 # Following facilities used for safe recursive interpolation of
 # tags (<tag>) in tagged options.
diff --git a/fail2ban/server/jail.py b/fail2ban/server/jail.py
index 39fdd959..eb990c47 100644
--- a/fail2ban/server/jail.py
+++ b/fail2ban/server/jail.py
@@ -27,8 +27,7 @@ import logging
 import Queue
 
 from .actions import Actions
-from ..client.jailreader import JailReader
-from ..helpers import getLogger, MyTime
+from ..helpers import getLogger, extractOptions, MyTime
 
 # Gets the instance of the logger.
 logSys = getLogger(__name__)
@@ -85,7 +84,7 @@ class Jail(object):
 		return "%s(%r)" % (self.__class__.__name__, self.name)
 
 	def _setBackend(self, backend):
-		backend, beArgs = JailReader.extractOptions(backend)
+		backend, beArgs = extractOptions(backend)
 		backend = backend.lower()		# to assure consistent matching
 
 		backends = self._BACKENDS
diff --git a/fail2ban/tests/clientreadertestcase.py b/fail2ban/tests/clientreadertestcase.py
index fdef3735..e8cd2912 100644
--- a/fail2ban/tests/clientreadertestcase.py
+++ b/fail2ban/tests/clientreadertestcase.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import tempfile
 import unittest
 from ..client.configreader import ConfigReader, ConfigReaderUnshared, NoSectionError
 from ..client import configparserinc
-from ..client.jailreader import JailReader
+from ..client.jailreader import JailReader, extractOptions
 from ..client.filterreader import FilterReader
 from ..client.jailsreader import JailsReader
 from ..client.actionreader import ActionReader, CommandAction
@@ -260,25 +260,25 @@ class JailReaderTest(LogCaptureTestCase):
 		# Simple example
 		option = "mail-whois[name=SSH]"
 		expected = ('mail-whois', {'name': 'SSH'})
-		result = JailReader.extractOptions(option)
+		result = extractOptions(option)
 		self.assertEqual(expected, result)
 
-		self.assertEqual(('mail.who_is', {}), JailReader.extractOptions("mail.who_is"))
-		self.assertEqual(('mail.who_is', {'a':'cat', 'b':'dog'}), JailReader.extractOptions("mail.who_is[a=cat,b=dog]"))
-		self.assertEqual(('mail--ho_is', {}), JailReader.extractOptions("mail--ho_is"))
+		self.assertEqual(('mail.who_is', {}), extractOptions("mail.who_is"))
+		self.assertEqual(('mail.who_is', {'a':'cat', 'b':'dog'}), extractOptions("mail.who_is[a=cat,b=dog]"))
+		self.assertEqual(('mail--ho_is', {}), extractOptions("mail--ho_is"))
 
-		self.assertEqual(('mail--ho_is', {}), JailReader.extractOptions("mail--ho_is['s']"))
+		self.assertEqual(('mail--ho_is', {}), extractOptions("mail--ho_is['s']"))
 		#self.printLog()
 		#self.assertLogged("Invalid argument ['s'] in ''s''")
 
-		self.assertEqual(('mail', {'a': ','}), JailReader.extractOptions("mail[a=',']"))
+		self.assertEqual(('mail', {'a': ','}), extractOptions("mail[a=',']"))
 
-		#self.assertRaises(ValueError, JailReader.extractOptions ,'mail-how[')
+		#self.assertRaises(ValueError, extractOptions ,'mail-how[')
 
 		# Empty option
 		option = "abc[]"
 		expected = ('abc', {})
-		result = JailReader.extractOptions(option)
+		result = extractOptions(option)
 		self.assertEqual(expected, result)
 
 		# More complex examples
@@ -296,11 +296,11 @@ class JailReaderTest(LogCaptureTestCase):
 			'opt10': "",
 			'opt11': "",
 		})
-		result = JailReader.extractOptions(option)
+		result = extractOptions(option)
 		self.assertEqual(expected, result)
 
 		# And multiple groups (`][` instead of `,`)
-		result = JailReader.extractOptions(option.replace(',', ']['))
+		result = extractOptions(option.replace(',', ']['))
 		expected2 = (expected[0],
 		 dict((k, v.replace(',', '][')) for k, v in expected[1].iteritems())
 		)
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ class FilterReaderTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
 	def testFilterReaderSubstitionKnown(self):
 		output = [['set', 'jailname', 'addfailregex', 'to=test,sweet@example.com,test2,sweet@example.com fromip=<IP>']]
-		filterName, filterOpt = JailReader.extractOptions(
+		filterName, filterOpt = extractOptions(
 			'substition[honeypot="<sweet>,<known/honeypot>", sweet="test,<known/honeypot>,test2"]')
 		filterReader = FilterReader('substition', "jailname", filterOpt,
 		  share_config=TEST_FILES_DIR_SHARE_CFG, basedir=TEST_FILES_DIR)
@@ -650,7 +650,7 @@ class JailsReaderTest(LogCaptureTestCase):
 				if jail == 'INCLUDES':
 					continue
 				filterName = jails.get(jail, 'filter')
-				filterName, filterOpt = JailReader.extractOptions(filterName)
+				filterName, filterOpt = extractOptions(filterName)
 				allFilters.add(filterName)
 				self.assertTrue(len(filterName))
 				# moreover we must have a file for it
@@ -669,7 +669,7 @@ class JailsReaderTest(LogCaptureTestCase):
 				# somewhat duplicating here what is done in JailsReader if
 				# the jail is enabled
 				for act in actions.split('\n'):
-					actName, actOpt = JailReader.extractOptions(act)
+					actName, actOpt = extractOptions(act)
 					self.assertTrue(len(actName))
 					self.assertTrue(isinstance(actOpt, dict))
 					if actName == 'iptables-multiport':
@@ -696,7 +696,7 @@ class JailsReaderTest(LogCaptureTestCase):
 					if not (a.endswith('common.conf') or a.endswith('-aggressive.conf')))
 			# get filters of all jails (filter names without options inside filter[...])
 			filters_jail = set(
-				JailReader.extractOptions(jail.options['filter'])[0] for jail in jails.jails
+				extractOptions(jail.options['filter'])[0] for jail in jails.jails
 			)
 			self.maxDiff = None
 			self.assertTrue(filters.issubset(filters_jail),
diff --git a/fail2ban/tests/servertestcase.py b/fail2ban/tests/servertestcase.py
index 2c293740..2d034806 100644
--- a/fail2ban/tests/servertestcase.py
+++ b/fail2ban/tests/servertestcase.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ from ..server.ticket import BanTicket
 from ..server.utils import Utils
 from .dummyjail import DummyJail
 from .utils import LogCaptureTestCase
-from ..helpers import getLogger, PREFER_ENC
+from ..helpers import getLogger, extractOptions, PREFER_ENC
 from .. import version
 
 try:
@@ -1034,7 +1034,7 @@ class LoggingTests(LogCaptureTestCase):
 					os.remove(f)
 
 
-from clientreadertestcase import ActionReader, JailReader, JailsReader, CONFIG_DIR, STOCK
+from clientreadertestcase import ActionReader, JailsReader, CONFIG_DIR, STOCK
 
 class ServerConfigReaderTests(LogCaptureTestCase):
 
@@ -1145,7 +1145,7 @@ class ServerConfigReaderTests(LogCaptureTestCase):
 
 		def getDefaultJailStream(self, jail, act):
 			act = act.replace('%(__name__)s', jail)
-			actName, actOpt = JailReader.extractOptions(act)
+			actName, actOpt = extractOptions(act)
 			stream = [
 				['add', jail, 'polling'],
 				# ['set', jail, 'addfailregex', 'DUMMY-REGEX <HOST>'],