diff --git a/autobahn/asyncio/xbr/__init__.py b/autobahn/asyncio/xbr/__init__.py
index f29831c65..1acff4f13 100644
--- a/autobahn/asyncio/xbr/__init__.py
+++ b/autobahn/asyncio/xbr/__init__.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 
     import uuid
 
-    from autobahn.xbr._util import hl
+    from autobahn.util import hl
     from autobahn.xbr._interfaces import IProvider, ISeller, IConsumer, IBuyer
 
     def run_in_executor(*args, **kwargs):
diff --git a/autobahn/twisted/websocket.py b/autobahn/twisted/websocket.py
index 01c99541e..a9fb4cbe8 100644
--- a/autobahn/twisted/websocket.py
+++ b/autobahn/twisted/websocket.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
     ConnectionLost
 from twisted.internet.defer import Deferred
 
-from autobahn.util import public
+from autobahn.util import public, hltype
 from autobahn.util import _is_tls_error, _maybe_tls_reason
 from autobahn.wamp import websocket
 from autobahn.websocket.types import ConnectionRequest, ConnectionResponse, ConnectionDeny
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@
 from autobahn.websocket import protocol
 from autobahn.websocket.interfaces import IWebSocketClientAgent
 from autobahn.twisted.util import peer2str, transport_channel_id
-from autobahn.xbr._util import hltype
 
 from autobahn.websocket.compress import PerMessageDeflateOffer, \
     PerMessageDeflateOfferAccept, \
diff --git a/autobahn/twisted/xbr/__init__.py b/autobahn/twisted/xbr/__init__.py
index 3233a0452..a84b2f8da 100644
--- a/autobahn/twisted/xbr/__init__.py
+++ b/autobahn/twisted/xbr/__init__.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
 
     import uuid
 
-    from autobahn.xbr._util import hl
+    from autobahn.util import hl
     from autobahn.xbr._interfaces import IProvider, ISeller, IConsumer, IBuyer, IDelegate
     from autobahn.xbr import _seller, _buyer, _blockchain
 
diff --git a/autobahn/util.py b/autobahn/util.py
index 5dc6ccf89..a7e26818e 100644
--- a/autobahn/util.py
+++ b/autobahn/util.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 # THE SOFTWARE.
 #
 ###############################################################################
-
+import inspect
 import os
 import time
 import struct
@@ -68,7 +68,15 @@
            "generate_activation_code",
            "generate_serial_number",
            "generate_user_password",
-           "machine_id")
+           "machine_id",
+           "hl",
+           "hltype",
+           "hlid",
+           "hluserid",
+           "hlval",
+           "hlcontract",
+           "with_0x",
+           "without_0x")
 
 
 def public(obj):
@@ -912,3 +920,65 @@ def machine_id() -> str:
         return plistlib.loads(plist_data)[0]["IOPlatformSerialNumber"]
     else:
         return socket.gethostname()
+
+
+try:
+    import click
+    _HAS_CLICK = True
+except ImportError:
+    _HAS_CLICK = False
+
+
+def hl(text, bold=False, color='yellow'):
+    if not isinstance(text, str):
+        text = '{}'.format(text)
+    if _HAS_CLICK:
+        return click.style(text, fg=color, bold=bold)
+    else:
+        return text
+
+
+def _qn(obj):
+    if inspect.isclass(obj) or inspect.isfunction(obj) or inspect.ismethod(obj):
+        qn = '{}.{}'.format(obj.__module__, obj.__qualname__)
+    else:
+        qn = 'unknown'
+    return qn
+
+
+def hltype(obj):
+    qn = _qn(obj).split('.')
+    text = hl(qn[0], color='yellow', bold=True) + hl('.' + '.'.join(qn[1:]), color='yellow', bold=False)
+    return '<' + text + '>'
+
+
+def hlid(oid):
+    return hl('{}'.format(oid), color='blue', bold=True)
+
+
+def hluserid(oid):
+    if not isinstance(oid, str):
+        oid = '{}'.format(oid)
+    return hl('"{}"'.format(oid), color='yellow', bold=True)
+
+
+def hlval(val, color='green'):
+    return hl('{}'.format(val), color=color, bold=True)
+
+
+def hlcontract(oid):
+    if not isinstance(oid, str):
+        oid = '{}'.format(oid)
+    return hl('<{}>'.format(oid), color='magenta', bold=True)
+
+
+def with_0x(address):
+    if address and not address.startswith('0x'):
+        return '0x{address}'.format(address=address)
+    return address
+
+
+def without_0x(address):
+    if address and address.startswith('0x'):
+        return address[2:]
+    return address
diff --git a/autobahn/websocket/protocol.py b/autobahn/websocket/protocol.py
index 35d848207..fd8237796 100755
--- a/autobahn/websocket/protocol.py
+++ b/autobahn/websocket/protocol.py
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
 from autobahn.websocket.types import ConnectingRequest, ConnectionRequest, ConnectionResponse, ConnectionDeny
 from autobahn.wamp.types import TransportDetails
 
-from autobahn.util import Stopwatch, wildcards2patterns, encode_truncate
+from autobahn.util import Stopwatch, wildcards2patterns, encode_truncate, hltype
 from autobahn.util import _LazyHexFormatter
 from autobahn.util import ObservableMixin
 from autobahn.websocket.utf8validator import Utf8Validator
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@
 from autobahn.websocket.util import parse_url
 from autobahn.exception import PayloadExceededError, Disconnected
 from autobahn.util import _maybe_tls_reason
-from autobahn.xbr._util import hltype
 
 import txaio
 import hyperlink
diff --git a/autobahn/xbr/__init__.py b/autobahn/xbr/__init__.py
index b4c33d038..c1fd7b4a1 100644
--- a/autobahn/xbr/__init__.py
+++ b/autobahn/xbr/__init__.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
     from autobahn.xbr._abi import XBR_DEBUG_TOKEN_ADDR, XBR_DEBUG_NETWORK_ADDR, XBR_DEBUG_MARKET_ADDR, XBR_DEBUG_CATALOG_ADDR, XBR_DEBUG_CHANNEL_ADDR  # noqa
     from autobahn.xbr._abi import XBR_DEBUG_TOKEN_ADDR_SRC, XBR_DEBUG_NETWORK_ADDR_SRC, XBR_DEBUG_MARKET_ADDR_SRC, XBR_DEBUG_CATALOG_ADDR_SRC, XBR_DEBUG_CHANNEL_ADDR_SRC  # noqa
     from autobahn.xbr._interfaces import IMarketMaker, IProvider, IConsumer, ISeller, IBuyer, IDelegate  # noqa
-    from autobahn.xbr._util import make_w3, pack_uint256, unpack_uint256, with_0x, without_0x  # noqa
+    from autobahn.xbr._util import make_w3, pack_uint256, unpack_uint256  # noqa
 
     from autobahn.xbr._eip712_member_register import sign_eip712_member_register, recover_eip712_member_register  # noqa
     from autobahn.xbr._eip712_member_login import sign_eip712_member_login, recover_eip712_member_login  # noqa
@@ -324,8 +324,6 @@ def account_from_ethkey(ethkey: bytes) -> eth_account.account.Account:
         'make_w3',
         'pack_uint256',
         'unpack_uint256',
-        'with_0x',
-        'without_0x',
         'generate_seedphrase',
         'check_seedphrase',
         'account_from_seedphrase',
diff --git a/autobahn/xbr/_buyer.py b/autobahn/xbr/_buyer.py
index 2c3078805..952e18deb 100644
--- a/autobahn/xbr/_buyer.py
+++ b/autobahn/xbr/_buyer.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 
 import eth_keys
 
-from ._util import hl, hlval
+from ..util import hl, hlval
 from ._eip712_channel_close import sign_eip712_channel_close, recover_eip712_channel_close
 
 
diff --git a/autobahn/xbr/_cli.py b/autobahn/xbr/_cli.py
index 5d872b25b..23736ddb5 100644
--- a/autobahn/xbr/_cli.py
+++ b/autobahn/xbr/_cli.py
@@ -85,8 +85,7 @@
 from autobahn.xbr import ActorType, ChannelType
 
 from autobahn.xbr._config import load_or_create_profile
-from autobahn.xbr._util import hlval, hlid, hltype
-
+from autobahn.util import hltype, hlid, hlval
 
 _COMMANDS = ['version', 'get-member', 'register-member', 'register-member-verify',
              'get-market', 'create-market', 'create-market-verify',
diff --git a/autobahn/xbr/_gui.py b/autobahn/xbr/_gui.py
index 8e3d9b3fc..d6a4b2dc0 100644
--- a/autobahn/xbr/_gui.py
+++ b/autobahn/xbr/_gui.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
 import click
 from humanize import naturaldelta, naturaltime
 
-from autobahn.util import parse_activation_code
+from autobahn.util import parse_activation_code, hltype, hlid, hlval
 from autobahn.wamp.serializer import CBORSerializer
 from autobahn.twisted.util import sleep
 from autobahn.twisted.wamp import ApplicationRunner
@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@
 from autobahn.xbr import account_from_seedphrase, generate_seedphrase, account_from_ethkey
 from autobahn.xbr._cli import Client
 from autobahn.xbr._config import UserConfig, Profile
-from autobahn.xbr._util import hlval, hlid, hltype
 
 LOGO_RESOURCE = pkg_resources.resource_filename('autobahn', 'asset/xbr_gray.svg')
 print(LOGO_RESOURCE, os.path.isfile(LOGO_RESOURCE))
diff --git a/autobahn/xbr/_seller.py b/autobahn/xbr/_seller.py
index bd53a6618..fe1f3bbaf 100644
--- a/autobahn/xbr/_seller.py
+++ b/autobahn/xbr/_seller.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 import nacl.public
 import txaio
 
-from ._util import hl, hlval
+from ..util import hl, hlval
 from ._eip712_channel_close import sign_eip712_channel_close, recover_eip712_channel_close
 
 
diff --git a/autobahn/xbr/_util.py b/autobahn/xbr/_util.py
index 3273385c6..c51a72022 100644
--- a/autobahn/xbr/_util.py
+++ b/autobahn/xbr/_util.py
@@ -24,9 +24,6 @@
 #
 ###############################################################################
 
-import inspect
-
-import click
 import web3
 
 
@@ -108,55 +105,3 @@ def pack_uint256(value):
         return b'\x00' * (32 - len(data)) + data
     else:
         return b'\x00' * 32
-
-
-def hl(text, bold=False, color='yellow'):
-    if not isinstance(text, str):
-        text = '{}'.format(text)
-    return click.style(text, fg=color, bold=bold)
-
-
-def _qn(obj):
-    if inspect.isclass(obj) or inspect.isfunction(obj) or inspect.ismethod(obj):
-        qn = '{}.{}'.format(obj.__module__, obj.__qualname__)
-    else:
-        qn = 'unknown'
-    return qn
-
-
-def hltype(obj):
-    qn = _qn(obj).split('.')
-    text = hl(qn[0], color='yellow', bold=True) + hl('.' + '.'.join(qn[1:]), color='yellow', bold=False)
-    return '<' + text + '>'
-
-
-def hlid(oid):
-    return hl('{}'.format(oid), color='blue', bold=True)
-
-
-def hluserid(oid):
-    if not isinstance(oid, str):
-        oid = '{}'.format(oid)
-    return hl('"{}"'.format(oid), color='yellow', bold=True)
-
-
-def hlval(val, color='green'):
-    return hl('{}'.format(val), color=color, bold=True)
-
-
-def hlcontract(oid):
-    if not isinstance(oid, str):
-        oid = '{}'.format(oid)
-    return hl('<{}>'.format(oid), color='magenta', bold=True)
-
-
-def with_0x(address):
-    if address and not address.startswith('0x'):
-        return '0x{address}'.format(address=address)
-    return address
-
-
-def without_0x(address):
-    if address and address.startswith('0x'):
-        return address[2:]
-    return address
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 5bf4c4120..085c4d2c9 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -116,6 +116,9 @@
     # XBR contracts and ABI file bundle
     'xbr>=21.2.1',              # Apache 2.0
 
+    # CLI handling and color terminal output
+    'click>=8.1.2',             # BSD license
+
     # the following is needed for XBR basics and XBR IDL code generation
     'cbor2>=5.2.0',             # MIT license
     'zlmdb>=21.2.1',            # MIT license
@@ -235,7 +238,7 @@ def run_tests(self):
 
 setup(
     name='autobahn',
-    version=__version__,
+    version=__version__,  # noqa
     description='WebSocket client & server library, WAMP real-time framework',
     long_description=docstr,
     license='MIT License',
@@ -253,7 +256,7 @@ def run_tests(self):
     ],
     extras_require={
         'all': extras_require_all,
-        'asyncio': [], # backwards compatibility
+        'asyncio': [],  # backwards compatibility
         'twisted': extras_require_twisted,
         'accelerate': extras_require_accelerate,
         'compress': extras_require_compress,