diff --git a/selfdrive/debug/run_process_on_route.py b/selfdrive/debug/run_process_on_route.py
index 90db14bc9a..c98763f3c9 100755
--- a/selfdrive/debug/run_process_on_route.py
+++ b/selfdrive/debug/run_process_on_route.py
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@
 import argparse
 
 from openpilot.selfdrive.test.process_replay.process_replay import CONFIGS, replay_process
-from openpilot.tools.lib.helpers import save_log
-from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import LogReader
+from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import LogReader, save_log
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
   parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Run process on route and create new logs",
diff --git a/selfdrive/test/process_replay/model_replay.py b/selfdrive/test/process_replay/model_replay.py
index 0e43cad820..a58a58107e 100755
--- a/selfdrive/test/process_replay/model_replay.py
+++ b/selfdrive/test/process_replay/model_replay.py
@@ -10,8 +10,7 @@ from openpilot.tools.lib.openpilotci import BASE_URL, get_url
 from openpilot.selfdrive.test.process_replay.compare_logs import compare_logs, format_diff
 from openpilot.selfdrive.test.process_replay.process_replay import get_process_config, replay_process
 from openpilot.tools.lib.framereader import FrameReader
-from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import LogReader
-from openpilot.tools.lib.helpers import save_log
+from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import LogReader, save_log
 
 TEST_ROUTE = "2f4452b03ccb98f0|2022-12-03--13-45-30"
 SEGMENT = 6
diff --git a/selfdrive/test/process_replay/regen.py b/selfdrive/test/process_replay/regen.py
index bf7a4bfd97..fe33443b49 100755
--- a/selfdrive/test/process_replay/regen.py
+++ b/selfdrive/test/process_replay/regen.py
@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@ from openpilot.selfdrive.test.process_replay.vision_meta import DRIVER_CAMERA_FR
 from openpilot.selfdrive.test.update_ci_routes import upload_route
 from openpilot.tools.lib.route import Route
 from openpilot.tools.lib.framereader import FrameReader, BaseFrameReader, FrameType
-from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import LogReader, LogIterable
-from openpilot.tools.lib.helpers import save_log
+from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import LogReader, LogIterable, save_log
 
 
 class DummyFrameReader(BaseFrameReader):
diff --git a/selfdrive/test/process_replay/test_processes.py b/selfdrive/test/process_replay/test_processes.py
index 533ab125f9..3bd58dfacb 100755
--- a/selfdrive/test/process_replay/test_processes.py
+++ b/selfdrive/test/process_replay/test_processes.py
@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@ from openpilot.selfdrive.test.process_replay.compare_logs import compare_logs, f
 from openpilot.selfdrive.test.process_replay.process_replay import CONFIGS, PROC_REPLAY_DIR, FAKEDATA, replay_process, \
                                                                    check_openpilot_enabled, check_most_messages_valid
 from openpilot.tools.lib.filereader import FileReader
-from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import LogReader
-from openpilot.tools.lib.helpers import save_log
+from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import LogReader, save_log
 
 source_segments = [
   ("BODY", "937ccb7243511b65|2022-05-24--16-03-09--1"),        # COMMA.COMMA_BODY
diff --git a/tools/lib/helpers.py b/tools/lib/helpers.py
index e9b4b85e70..7c34e17cb1 100644
--- a/tools/lib/helpers.py
+++ b/tools/lib/helpers.py
@@ -1,6 +1,3 @@
-import bz2
-
-
 # regex patterns
 class RE:
   DONGLE_ID = r'(?P<dongle_id>[a-f0-9]{16})'
@@ -18,13 +15,3 @@ class RE:
 
   EXPLORER_FILE = fr'^(?P<segment_name>{SEGMENT_NAME})--(?P<file_name>[a-z]+\.[a-z0-9]+)$'
   OP_SEGMENT_DIR = fr'^(?P<segment_name>{SEGMENT_NAME})$'
-
-
-def save_log(dest, log_msgs, compress=True):
-  dat = b"".join(msg.as_builder().to_bytes() for msg in log_msgs)
-
-  if compress:
-    dat = bz2.compress(dat)
-
-  with open(dest, "wb") as f:
-    f.write(dat)
diff --git a/tools/lib/logreader.py b/tools/lib/logreader.py
index 07a4b2003e..2df1c05256 100755
--- a/tools/lib/logreader.py
+++ b/tools/lib/logreader.py
@@ -27,6 +27,16 @@ LogIterable = Iterable[LogMessage]
 RawLogIterable = Iterable[bytes]
 
 
+def save_log(dest, log_msgs, compress=True):
+  dat = b"".join(msg.as_builder().to_bytes() for msg in log_msgs)
+
+  if compress:
+    dat = bz2.compress(dat)
+
+  with open(dest, "wb") as f:
+    f.write(dat)
+
+
 class _LogFileReader:
   def __init__(self, fn, canonicalize=True, only_union_types=False, sort_by_time=False, dat=None):
     self.data_version = None
diff --git a/tools/plotjuggler/juggle.py b/tools/plotjuggler/juggle.py
index 1d1612a1cd..22854b368d 100755
--- a/tools/plotjuggler/juggle.py
+++ b/tools/plotjuggler/juggle.py
@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@ from functools import partial
 
 from openpilot.common.basedir import BASEDIR
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.fingerprints import MIGRATION
-from openpilot.tools.lib.helpers import save_log
-from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import LogReader, ReadMode
+from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import LogReader, ReadMode, save_log
 
 juggle_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))