diff --git a/include/items.php b/include/items.php
index 56c834e44..6d7391257 100644
--- a/include/items.php
+++ b/include/items.php
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ use Friendica\Util\Temporal;
 
 require_once 'include/bbcode.php';
 require_once 'include/text.php';
-require_once 'include/threads.php';
 require_once 'mod/share.php';
 require_once 'include/enotify.php';
 
diff --git a/include/threads.php b/include/threads.php
deleted file mode 100644
index 61bc5292f..000000000
--- a/include/threads.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,113 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-use Friendica\Database\DBM;
-
-function add_thread($itemid, $onlyshadow = false) {
-	$items = q("SELECT `uid`, `created`, `edited`, `commented`, `received`, `changed`, `wall`, `private`, `pubmail`,
-			`moderated`, `visible`, `spam`, `starred`, `bookmark`, `contact-id`, `gcontact-id`,
-			`deleted`, `origin`, `forum_mode`, `mention`, `network`, `author-id`, `owner-id`
-		FROM `item` WHERE `id` = %d AND (`parent` = %d OR `parent` = 0) LIMIT 1", intval($itemid), intval($itemid));
-
-	if (!$items)
-		return;
-
-	$item = $items[0];
-	$item['iid'] = $itemid;
-
-	if (!$onlyshadow) {
-		$result = dba::insert('thread', $item);
-
-		logger("Add thread for item ".$itemid." - ".print_r($result, true), LOGGER_DEBUG);
-	}
-}
-
-function update_thread_uri($itemuri, $uid) {
-	$messages = q("SELECT `id` FROM `item` WHERE uri ='%s' AND uid=%d", dbesc($itemuri), intval($uid));
-
-	if (DBM::is_result($messages)) {
-		foreach ($messages as $message) {
-			update_thread($message["id"]);
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-function update_thread($itemid, $setmention = false) {
-	$items = q("SELECT `uid`, `guid`, `title`, `body`, `created`, `edited`, `commented`, `received`, `changed`, `wall`, `private`, `pubmail`, `moderated`, `visible`, `spam`, `starred`, `bookmark`, `contact-id`, `gcontact-id`,
-			`deleted`, `origin`, `forum_mode`, `network`, `rendered-html`, `rendered-hash` FROM `item` WHERE `id` = %d AND (`parent` = %d OR `parent` = 0) LIMIT 1", intval($itemid), intval($itemid));
-
-	if (!DBM::is_result($items)) {
-		return;
-	}
-
-	$item = $items[0];
-
-	if ($setmention) {
-		$item["mention"] = 1;
-	}
-
-	$sql = "";
-
-	foreach ($item AS $field => $data)
-		if (!in_array($field, ["guid", "title", "body", "rendered-html", "rendered-hash"])) {
-			if ($sql != "") {
-				$sql .= ", ";
-			}
-
-			$sql .= "`".$field."` = '".dbesc($data)."'";
-		}
-
-	$result = q("UPDATE `thread` SET ".$sql." WHERE `iid` = %d", intval($itemid));
-
-	logger("Update thread for item ".$itemid." - guid ".$item["guid"]." - ".print_r($result, true)." ".print_r($item, true), LOGGER_DEBUG);
-
-	// Updating a shadow item entry
-	$items = q("SELECT `id` FROM `item` WHERE `guid` = '%s' AND `uid` = 0 LIMIT 1", dbesc($item["guid"]));
-
-	if (!DBM::is_result($items)) {
-		return;
-	}
-
-	$result = q("UPDATE `item` SET `title` = '%s', `body` = '%s', `rendered-html` = '%s', `rendered-hash` = '%s' WHERE `id` = %d",
-			dbesc($item["title"]),
-			dbesc($item["body"]),
-			dbesc($item["rendered-html"]),
-			dbesc($item["rendered-hash"]),
-			intval($items[0]["id"])
-		);
-	logger("Updating public shadow for post ".$items[0]["id"]." - guid ".$item["guid"]." Result: ".print_r($result, true), LOGGER_DEBUG);
-}
-
-function delete_thread_uri($itemuri, $uid) {
-	$messages = q("SELECT `id` FROM `item` WHERE uri ='%s' AND uid=%d", dbesc($itemuri), intval($uid));
-
-	if (DBM::is_result($messages)) {
-		foreach ($messages as $message) {
-			delete_thread($message["id"], $itemuri);
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-function delete_thread($itemid, $itemuri = "") {
-	$item = q("SELECT `uid` FROM `thread` WHERE `iid` = %d", intval($itemid));
-
-	if (!DBM::is_result($item)) {
-		logger('No thread found for id '.$itemid, LOGGER_DEBUG);
-		return;
-	}
-
-	// Using dba::delete at this time could delete the associated item entries
-	$result = dba::e("DELETE FROM `thread` WHERE `iid` = ?", $itemid);
-
-	logger("delete_thread: Deleted thread for item ".$itemid." - ".print_r($result, true), LOGGER_DEBUG);
-
-	if ($itemuri != "") {
-		$r = q("SELECT `id` FROM `item` WHERE `uri` = '%s' AND NOT `deleted` AND NOT (`uid` IN (%d, 0))",
-				dbesc($itemuri),
-				intval($item["uid"])
-			);
-		if (!DBM::is_result($r)) {
-			dba::delete('item', ['uri' => $itemuri, 'uid' => 0]);
-			logger("delete_thread: Deleted shadow for item ".$itemuri, LOGGER_DEBUG);
-		}
-	}
-}
diff --git a/mod/item.php b/mod/item.php
index 76f166624..57f83ea5e 100644
--- a/mod/item.php
+++ b/mod/item.php
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ use Friendica\Util\DateTimeFormat;
 use Friendica\Util\Emailer;
 
 require_once 'include/enotify.php';
-require_once 'include/threads.php';
 require_once 'include/text.php';
 require_once 'include/items.php';
 
diff --git a/mod/photos.php b/mod/photos.php
index 6742497ac..7260bae9e 100644
--- a/mod/photos.php
+++ b/mod/photos.php
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ require_once 'include/items.php';
 require_once 'include/acl_selectors.php';
 require_once 'include/bbcode.php';
 require_once 'include/security.php';
-require_once 'include/threads.php';
 
 function photos_init(App $a) {
 
@@ -297,7 +296,7 @@ function photos_post(App $a)
 						intval($page_owner_uid)
 					);
 					Term::insertFromTagFieldByItemUri($rr['parent-uri'], $page_owner_uid);
-					delete_thread_uri($rr['parent-uri'], $page_owner_uid);
+					Item::deleteThreadByUri($rr['parent-uri'], $page_owner_uid);
 
 					$drop_id = intval($rr['id']);
 
@@ -371,7 +370,7 @@ function photos_post(App $a)
 					intval($page_owner_uid)
 				);
 				Term::insertFromTagFieldByItemUri($i[0]['uri'], $page_owner_uid);
-				delete_thread_uri($i[0]['uri'], $page_owner_uid);
+				Item::deleteThreadByUri($i[0]['uri'], $page_owner_uid);
 
 				$url = System::baseUrl();
 				$drop_id = intval($i[0]['id']);
@@ -656,7 +655,7 @@ function photos_post(App $a)
 				intval($page_owner_uid)
 			);
 			Term::insertFromTagFieldByItemId($item_id);
-			update_thread($item_id);
+			Item::updateThread($item_id);
 
 			$best = 0;
 			foreach ($p as $scales) {
@@ -1432,7 +1431,7 @@ function photos_content(App $a)
 					intval($link_item['parent']),
 					intval(local_user())
 				);
-				update_thread($link_item['parent']);
+				Item::updateThread($link_item['parent']);
 			}
 
 			if ($link_item['coord']) {
diff --git a/mod/starred.php b/mod/starred.php
index 5cd9c0fe1..5338b6c1d 100644
--- a/mod/starred.php
+++ b/mod/starred.php
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 <?php
-
+/**
+ * @file mod/starred.php
+ */
 use Friendica\App;
 use Friendica\Core\System;
 use Friendica\Database\DBM;
+use Friendica\Model\Item;
 
 function starred_init(App $a) {
-
-	require_once("include/threads.php");
-
 	$starred = 0;
 
 	if (! local_user()) {
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ function starred_init(App $a) {
 		intval($message_id)
 	);
 
-	update_thread($message_id);
+	Item::updateThread($message_id);
 
 	// See if we've been passed a return path to redirect to
 	$return_path = ((x($_REQUEST,'return')) ? $_REQUEST['return'] : '');
diff --git a/mod/videos.php b/mod/videos.php
index 7db81f6d2..26a4e4cce 100644
--- a/mod/videos.php
+++ b/mod/videos.php
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ use Friendica\Core\Worker;
 use Friendica\Database\DBM;
 use Friendica\Model\Contact;
 use Friendica\Model\Group;
+use Friendica\Model\Item;
 use Friendica\Model\Profile;
 use Friendica\Model\Term;
 use Friendica\Protocol\DFRN;
@@ -177,7 +178,7 @@ function videos_post(App $a) {
 					intval(local_user())
 				);
 				Term::insertFromTagFieldByItemUri($i[0]['uri'], local_user());
-				delete_thread_uri($i[0]['uri'], local_user());
+				Item::deleteThreadByUri($i[0]['uri'], local_user());
 
 				$url = System::baseUrl();
 				$drop_id = intval($i[0]['id']);
diff --git a/src/Model/Item.php b/src/Model/Item.php
index e7db218ed..b0bf3fedf 100644
--- a/src/Model/Item.php
+++ b/src/Model/Item.php
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ use dba;
 use Text_LanguageDetect;
 
 require_once 'boot.php';
-require_once 'include/threads.php';
 require_once 'include/items.php';
 require_once 'include/text.php';
 
@@ -71,7 +70,7 @@ class Item extends BaseObject
 
 			Term::insertFromTagFieldByItemId($item['id']);
 			Term::insertFromFileFieldByItemId($item['id']);
-			update_thread($item['id']);
+			self::updateThread($item['id']);
 
 			Worker::add(PRIORITY_HIGH, "Notifier", 'edit_post', $item['id']);
 		}
@@ -153,7 +152,7 @@ class Item extends BaseObject
 
 		Term::insertFromTagFieldByItemId($item['id']);
 		Term::insertFromFileFieldByItemId($item['id']);
-		delete_thread($item['id'], $item['parent-uri']);
+		self::deleteThread($item['id'], $item['parent-uri']);
 
 		// If it's the parent of a comment thread, kill all the kids
 		if ($item['id'] == $item['parent']) {
@@ -779,9 +778,9 @@ class Item extends BaseObject
 		}
 
 		if ($arr['parent-uri'] === $arr['uri']) {
-			add_thread($current_post);
+			self::addThread($current_post);
 		} else {
-			update_thread($parent_id);
+			self::updateThread($parent_id);
 		}
 
 		dba::commit();
@@ -1289,7 +1288,7 @@ class Item extends BaseObject
 			dbesc($u[0]['deny_gid']),
 			intval($item_id)
 		);
-		update_thread($item_id);
+		self::updateThread($item_id);
 
 		Worker::add(['priority' => PRIORITY_HIGH, 'dont_fork' => true], 'Notifier', 'tgroup', $item_id);
 
@@ -1872,4 +1871,119 @@ EOT;
 
 		return true;
 	}
+
+	private static function addThread($itemid, $onlyshadow = false)
+	{
+		$items = q("SELECT `uid`, `created`, `edited`, `commented`, `received`, `changed`, `wall`, `private`, `pubmail`,
+				`moderated`, `visible`, `spam`, `starred`, `bookmark`, `contact-id`, `gcontact-id`,
+				`deleted`, `origin`, `forum_mode`, `mention`, `network`, `author-id`, `owner-id`
+			FROM `item` WHERE `id` = %d AND (`parent` = %d OR `parent` = 0) LIMIT 1", intval($itemid), intval($itemid));
+	
+		if (!$items) {
+			return;
+		}
+	
+		$item = $items[0];
+		$item['iid'] = $itemid;
+	
+		if (!$onlyshadow) {
+			$result = dba::insert('thread', $item);
+	
+			logger("Add thread for item ".$itemid." - ".print_r($result, true), LOGGER_DEBUG);
+		}
+	}
+
+	public static function updateThreadByUri($itemuri, $uid)
+	{
+		$messages = dba::select('item', ['id'], ['uri' => $itemuri, 'uid' => $uid]);
+	
+		if (DBM::is_result($messages)) {
+			foreach ($messages as $message) {
+				self::updateThread($message["id"]);
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	public static function updateThread($itemid, $setmention = false)
+	{
+		$items = q("SELECT `uid`, `guid`, `title`, `body`, `created`, `edited`, `commented`, `received`, `changed`, `wall`, `private`, `pubmail`, `moderated`, `visible`, `spam`, `starred`, `bookmark`, `contact-id`, `gcontact-id`,
+				`deleted`, `origin`, `forum_mode`, `network`, `rendered-html`, `rendered-hash` FROM `item` WHERE `id` = %d AND (`parent` = %d OR `parent` = 0) LIMIT 1", intval($itemid), intval($itemid));
+	
+		if (!DBM::is_result($items)) {
+			return;
+		}
+	
+		$item = $items[0];
+	
+		if ($setmention) {
+			$item["mention"] = 1;
+		}
+	
+		$sql = "";
+	
+		foreach ($item as $field => $data)
+			if (!in_array($field, ["guid", "title", "body", "rendered-html", "rendered-hash"])) {
+				if ($sql != "") {
+					$sql .= ", ";
+				}
+	
+				$sql .= "`".$field."` = '".dbesc($data)."'";
+			}
+	
+		$result = q("UPDATE `thread` SET ".$sql." WHERE `iid` = %d", intval($itemid));
+	
+		logger("Update thread for item ".$itemid." - guid ".$item["guid"]." - ".print_r($result, true)." ".print_r($item, true), LOGGER_DEBUG);
+	
+		// Updating a shadow item entry
+		$items = dba::selectFirst('item', ['id'], ['guid' => $item['guid'], 'uid' => 0]);
+	
+		if (!DBM::is_result($items)) {
+			return;
+		}
+	
+		$result = dba::update(
+			'item',
+			['title' => $item['title'], 'body' => $item['body'], 'rendered-html' => $item['rendered-html'], 'rendered-hash' => $item['rendered-hash']],
+			['id' => $items['id']]
+		);
+
+		logger("Updating public shadow for post ".$items["id"]." - guid ".$item["guid"]." Result: ".print_r($result, true), LOGGER_DEBUG);
+	}
+	
+	public static function deleteThreadByUri($itemuri, $uid)
+	{
+		$messages = dba::select('item', ['id'], ['uri' => $itemuri, 'uid' => $uid]);
+	
+		if (DBM::is_result($messages)) {
+			foreach ($messages as $message) {
+				self::deleteThread($message["id"], $itemuri);
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	
+	public static function deleteThread($itemid, $itemuri = "")
+	{
+		$item = dba::select('thread', ['uid'], ['iid' => $itemid]);
+	
+		if (!DBM::is_result($item)) {
+			logger('No thread found for id '.$itemid, LOGGER_DEBUG);
+			return;
+		}
+	
+		// Using dba::delete at this time could delete the associated item entries
+		$result = dba::e("DELETE FROM `thread` WHERE `iid` = ?", $itemid);
+	
+		logger("deleteThread: Deleted thread for item ".$itemid." - ".print_r($result, true), LOGGER_DEBUG);
+	
+		if ($itemuri != "") {
+			$r = q("SELECT `id` FROM `item` WHERE `uri` = '%s' AND NOT `deleted` AND NOT (`uid` IN (%d, 0))",
+					dbesc($itemuri),
+					intval($item["uid"])
+				);
+			if (!DBM::is_result($r)) {
+				dba::delete('item', ['uri' => $itemuri, 'uid' => 0]);
+				logger("deleteThread: Deleted shadow for item ".$itemuri, LOGGER_DEBUG);
+			}
+		}
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/Protocol/DFRN.php b/src/Protocol/DFRN.php
index a9c5f04d3..2b3b9b0dc 100644
--- a/src/Protocol/DFRN.php
+++ b/src/Protocol/DFRN.php
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ use HTMLPurifier_Config;
 require_once 'boot.php';
 require_once 'include/dba.php';
 require_once "include/enotify.php";
-require_once "include/threads.php";
 require_once "include/items.php";
 require_once "include/event.php";
 require_once "include/text.php";
@@ -2092,7 +2091,7 @@ class DFRN
 			dba::update('item', $fields, $condition);
 
 			Term::insertFromTagFieldByItemUri($item["uri"], $importer["importer_uid"]);
-			update_thread_uri($item["uri"], $importer["importer_uid"]);
+			Item::updateThreadByUri($item["uri"], $importer["importer_uid"]);
 
 			$changed = true;
 
@@ -2841,7 +2840,7 @@ class DFRN
 				);
 				Term::insertFromTagFieldByItemUri($uri, $importer["uid"]);
 				Term::insertFromFileFieldByItemUri($uri, $importer["uid"]);
-				update_thread_uri($uri, $importer["uid"]);
+				Item::updateThreadByUri($uri, $importer["uid"]);
 			} else {
 				$r = q(
 					"UPDATE `item` SET `deleted` = 1, `edited` = '%s', `changed` = '%s',
@@ -2854,7 +2853,7 @@ class DFRN
 				);
 				Term::insertFromTagFieldByItemUri($uri, $importer["uid"]);
 				Term::insertFromFileFieldByItemUri($uri, $importer["uid"]);
-				update_thread_uri($uri, $importer["importer_uid"]);
+				Item::updateThreadByUri($uri, $importer["importer_uid"]);
 
 				// if this is a relayed delete, propagate it to other recipients
 
diff --git a/src/Protocol/Diaspora.php b/src/Protocol/Diaspora.php
index bd66f487a..2b5905c95 100644
--- a/src/Protocol/Diaspora.php
+++ b/src/Protocol/Diaspora.php
@@ -2857,7 +2857,7 @@ class Diaspora
 
 			// Delete the thread - if it is a starting post and not a comment
 			if ($target_type != 'Comment') {
-				delete_thread($item["id"], $item["parent-uri"]);
+				Item::deleteThread($item["id"], $item["parent-uri"]);
 			}
 
 			logger("Deleted target ".$target_guid." (".$item["id"].") from user ".$item["uid"]." parent: ".$item["parent"], LOGGER_DEBUG);
diff --git a/src/Protocol/OStatus.php b/src/Protocol/OStatus.php
index e4894cf54..8688b5a7f 100644
--- a/src/Protocol/OStatus.php
+++ b/src/Protocol/OStatus.php
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ use DOMDocument;
 use DOMXPath;
 
 require_once 'include/dba.php';
-require_once 'include/threads.php';
 require_once 'include/html2bbcode.php';
 require_once 'include/bbcode.php';
 require_once 'include/items.php';
@@ -562,7 +561,7 @@ class OStatus
 			['id' => $deleted["id"]]
 		);
 
-		delete_thread($deleted["id"], $deleted["parent-uri"]);
+		Item::deleteThread($deleted["id"], $deleted["parent-uri"]);
 
 		logger('Deleted item with uri '.$item['uri'].' for user '.$item['uid']);
 	}