diff --git a/mod/directory.php b/mod/directory.php
deleted file mode 100644
index 256c9bbbd..000000000
--- a/mod/directory.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,230 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-/**
- * @file mod/directory.php
- */
-
-use Friendica\App;
-use Friendica\Content\Nav;
-use Friendica\Content\Pager;
-use Friendica\Content\Widget;
-use Friendica\Core\Config;
-use Friendica\Core\Hook;
-use Friendica\Core\L10n;
-use Friendica\Core\Renderer;
-use Friendica\Database\DBA;
-use Friendica\Model\Contact;
-use Friendica\Model\Profile;
-use Friendica\Util\Proxy as ProxyUtils;
-use Friendica\Util\Strings;
-
-function directory_init(App $a)
-{
-	if (local_user()) {
-		$a->page['aside'] .= Widget::findPeople();
-		$a->page['aside'] .= Widget::follow();
-	} else {
-		unset($_SESSION['theme']);
-		unset($_SESSION['mobile-theme']);
-	}
-}
-
-function directory_post(App $a)
-{
-	if (!empty($_POST['search'])) {
-		$a->data['search'] = $_POST['search'];
-	}
-}
-
-function directory_content(App $a)
-{
-	if ((Config::get('system', 'block_public') && !local_user() && !remote_user())
-		|| (Config::get('system', 'block_local_dir') && !local_user() && !remote_user())
-	) {
-		notice(L10n::t('Public access denied.') . EOL);
-		return;
-	}
-
-	$o = '';
-	$entries = [];
-
-	Nav::setSelected('directory');
-
-	if (!empty($a->data['search'])) {
-		$search = Strings::escapeTags(trim($a->data['search']));
-	} else {
-		$search = (!empty($_GET['search']) ? Strings::escapeTags(trim(rawurldecode($_GET['search']))) : '');
-	}
-
-	$gdirpath = '';
-	$dirurl = Config::get('system', 'directory');
-	if (strlen($dirurl)) {
-		$gdirpath = Profile::zrl($dirurl, true);
-	}
-
-	if ($search) {
-		$search = DBA::escape($search);
-
-		$sql_extra = " AND ((`profile`.`name` LIKE '%$search%') OR
-				(`user`.`nickname` LIKE '%$search%') OR
-				(`profile`.`pdesc` LIKE '%$search%') OR
-				(`profile`.`locality` LIKE '%$search%') OR
-				(`profile`.`region` LIKE '%$search%') OR
-				(`profile`.`country-name` LIKE '%$search%') OR
-				(`profile`.`gender` LIKE '%$search%') OR
-				(`profile`.`marital` LIKE '%$search%') OR
-				(`profile`.`sexual` LIKE '%$search%') OR
-				(`profile`.`about` LIKE '%$search%') OR
-				(`profile`.`romance` LIKE '%$search%') OR
-				(`profile`.`work` LIKE '%$search%') OR
-				(`profile`.`education` LIKE '%$search%') OR
-				(`profile`.`pub_keywords` LIKE '%$search%') OR
-				(`profile`.`prv_keywords` LIKE '%$search%'))";
-	} else {
-		$sql_extra = '';
-	}
-
-	$publish = (Config::get('system', 'publish_all') ? '' : " AND `publish` = 1 " );
-
-
-	$total = 0;
-	$cnt = DBA::fetchFirst("SELECT COUNT(*) AS `total` FROM `profile`
-				LEFT JOIN `user` ON `user`.`uid` = `profile`.`uid`
-				WHERE `is-default` $publish AND NOT `user`.`blocked` AND NOT `user`.`account_removed` $sql_extra");
-	if (DBA::isResult($cnt)) {
-		$total = $cnt['total'];
-	}
-	$pager = new Pager($a->query_string, 60);
-
-	$order = " ORDER BY `name` ASC ";
-
-	$limit = $pager->getStart()."," . $pager->getItemsPerPage();
-
-	$r = DBA::p("SELECT `profile`.*, `profile`.`uid` AS `profile_uid`, `user`.`nickname`, `user`.`timezone` , `user`.`page-flags`,
-			`contact`.`addr`, `contact`.`url` AS `profile_url` FROM `profile`
-			LEFT JOIN `user` ON `user`.`uid` = `profile`.`uid`
-			LEFT JOIN `contact` ON `contact`.`uid` = `user`.`uid`
-			WHERE `is-default` $publish AND NOT `user`.`blocked` AND NOT `user`.`account_removed` AND `contact`.`self`
-			$sql_extra $order LIMIT $limit"
-	);
-	if (DBA::isResult($r)) {
-		if (in_array('small', $a->argv)) {
-			$photo = 'thumb';
-		} else {
-			$photo = 'photo';
-		}
-
-		while ($rr = DBA::fetch($r)) {
-			$entries[] = format_directory_entry($rr, $photo);
-		}
-		DBA::close($r);
-	} else {
-		info(L10n::t("No entries \x28some entries may be hidden\x29.") . EOL);
-	}
-
-	$tpl = Renderer::getMarkupTemplate('directory_header.tpl');
-
-	$o .= Renderer::replaceMacros($tpl, [
-		'$search'    => $search,
-		'$globaldir' => L10n::t('Global Directory'),
-		'$gdirpath'  => $gdirpath,
-		'$desc'      => L10n::t('Find on this site'),
-		'$contacts'  => $entries,
-		'$finding'   => L10n::t('Results for:'),
-		'$findterm'  => (strlen($search) ? $search : ""),
-		'$title'     => L10n::t('Site Directory'),
-		'$search_mod' => 'directory',
-		'$submit'    => L10n::t('Find'),
-		'$paginate'  => $pager->renderFull($total),
-	]);
-
-	return $o;
-}
-
-/**
- * Format contact/profile/user data from the database into an usable
- * array for displaying directory entries.
- * 
- * @param array $arr The directory entry from the database.
- * @param string $photo_size Avatar size (thumb, photo or micro).
- * 
- * @return array
- */
-function format_directory_entry(array $arr, $photo_size = 'photo')
-{
-	$itemurl = (($arr['addr'] != "") ? $arr['addr'] : $arr['profile_url']);
-
-	$profile_link = $arr['profile_url'];
-
-	$pdesc = (($arr['pdesc']) ? $arr['pdesc'] . '<br />' : '');
-
-	$details = '';
-	if (strlen($arr['locality'])) {
-		$details .= $arr['locality'];
-	}
-	if (strlen($arr['region'])) {
-		if (strlen($arr['locality'])) {
-			$details .= ', ';
-		}
-		$details .= $arr['region'];
-	}
-	if (strlen($arr['country-name'])) {
-		if (strlen($details)) {
-			$details .= ', ';
-		}
-		$details .= $arr['country-name'];
-	}
-
-	$profile = $arr;
-
-	if (!empty($profile['address'])
-		|| !empty($profile['locality'])
-		|| !empty($profile['region'])
-		|| !empty($profile['postal-code'])
-		|| !empty($profile['country-name'])
-	) {
-		$location = L10n::t('Location:');
-	} else {
-		$location = '';
-	}
-
-	$gender   = (!empty($profile['gender'])   ? L10n::t('Gender:')   : false);
-	$marital  = (!empty($profile['marital'])  ? L10n::t('Status:')   : false);
-	$homepage = (!empty($profile['homepage']) ? L10n::t('Homepage:') : false);
-	$about    = (!empty($profile['about'])    ? L10n::t('About:')    : false);
-
-	$location_e = $location;
-
-	$photo_menu = [
-		'profile' => [L10n::t("View Profile"), Contact::magicLink($profile_link)]
-	];
-
-	$entry = [
-		'id'           => $arr['id'],
-		'url'          => Contact::magicLInk($profile_link),
-		'itemurl'      => $itemurl,
-		'thumb'        => ProxyUtils::proxifyUrl($arr[$photo_size], false, ProxyUtils::SIZE_THUMB),
-		'img_hover'    => $arr['name'],
-		'name'         => $arr['name'],
-		'details'      => $details,
-		'account_type' => Contact::getAccountType($arr),
-		'profile'      => $profile,
-		'location'     => $location_e,
-		'tags'         => $arr['pub_keywords'],
-		'gender'       => $gender,
-		'pdesc'        => $pdesc,
-		'marital'      => $marital,
-		'homepage'     => $homepage,
-		'about'        => $about,
-		'photo_menu'   => $photo_menu,
-
-	];
-
-	$hook = ['contact' => $arr, 'entry' => $entry];
-
-	Hook::callAll('directory_item', $hook);
-
-	unset($profile);
-	unset($location);
-
-	return $hook['entry'];
-}
diff --git a/src/App/Router.php b/src/App/Router.php
index a3d6af758..f4d5d6dfe 100644
--- a/src/App/Router.php
+++ b/src/App/Router.php
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ class Router
 			$collector->addRoute(['GET'], '/{nickname}/replies',                 Module\Feed::class);
 			$collector->addRoute(['GET'], '/{nickname}/activity',                Module\Feed::class);
 		});
+		$this->routeCollector->addRoute(['GET'],         '/directory',           Module\Directory::class);
 		$this->routeCollector->addRoute(['GET'],         '/feedtest',            Module\Feedtest::class);
 		$this->routeCollector->addRoute(['GET'],         '/filer[/{id:\d+}]',    Module\Filer::class);
 		$this->routeCollector->addRoute(['GET'],         '/followers/{owner}',   Module\Followers::class);
diff --git a/src/Model/Profile.php b/src/Model/Profile.php
index 7028934d1..9d2600b3d 100644
--- a/src/Model/Profile.php
+++ b/src/Model/Profile.php
@@ -1235,4 +1235,75 @@ class Profile
 	{
 		return preg_replace('/[\?&]' . $param . '=(.*?)(&|$)/ism', '$2', $s);
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * search for Profiles
+	 *
+	 * @param int  $start
+	 * @param int  $count
+	 * @param null $search
+	 *
+	 * @return array [ 'total' => 123, 'entries' => [...] ];
+	 *
+	 * @throws \Exception
+	 */
+	public static function searchProfiles($start = 0, $count = 100, $search = null)
+	{
+		if ($search) {
+			$search = DBA::escape($search);
+
+			$sql_extra = " AND ((`profile`.`name` LIKE '%$search%') OR
+				(`user`.`nickname` LIKE '%$search%') OR
+				(`profile`.`pdesc` LIKE '%$search%') OR
+				(`profile`.`locality` LIKE '%$search%') OR
+				(`profile`.`region` LIKE '%$search%') OR
+				(`profile`.`country-name` LIKE '%$search%') OR
+				(`profile`.`gender` LIKE '%$search%') OR
+				(`profile`.`marital` LIKE '%$search%') OR
+				(`profile`.`sexual` LIKE '%$search%') OR
+				(`profile`.`about` LIKE '%$search%') OR
+				(`profile`.`romance` LIKE '%$search%') OR
+				(`profile`.`work` LIKE '%$search%') OR
+				(`profile`.`education` LIKE '%$search%') OR
+				(`profile`.`pub_keywords` LIKE '%$search%') OR
+				(`profile`.`prv_keywords` LIKE '%$search%'))";
+		} else {
+			$sql_extra = '';
+		}
+
+		$publish = (Config::get('system', 'publish_all') ? '' : " AND `publish` = 1 ");
+
+		$total = 0;
+		$cnt = DBA::fetchFirst("SELECT COUNT(*) AS `total` 
+				FROM `profile`
+				LEFT JOIN `user` ON `user`.`uid` = `profile`.`uid`
+				WHERE `is-default` $publish AND NOT `user`.`blocked` AND NOT `user`.`account_removed` $sql_extra");
+		if (DBA::isResult($cnt)) {
+			$total = $cnt['total'];
+		}
+
+		$order = " ORDER BY `name` ASC ";
+		$limit = $start . ',' . $count;
+
+		$profiles = DBA::p("SELECT `profile`.*, `profile`.`uid` AS `profile_uid`, `user`.`nickname`, `user`.`timezone` , `user`.`page-flags`,
+			`contact`.`addr`, `contact`.`url` AS `profile_url`
+			FROM `profile`
+			LEFT JOIN `user` ON `user`.`uid` = `profile`.`uid`
+			LEFT JOIN `contact` ON `contact`.`uid` = `user`.`uid`
+			WHERE `is-default` $publish AND NOT `user`.`blocked` AND NOT `user`.`account_removed` AND `contact`.`self`
+			$sql_extra $order LIMIT $limit"
+		);
+
+		if (DBA::isResult($profiles)) {
+			return [
+				'total'   => $total,
+				'entries' => DBA::toArray($profiles),
+			];
+		} else {
+			return [
+				'total'   => $total,
+				'entries' => [],
+			];
+		}
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/Module/Directory.php b/src/Module/Directory.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cdf43b8f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Module/Directory.php
@@ -0,0 +1,188 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Friendica\Module;
+
+use Friendica\BaseModule;
+use Friendica\Content\Nav;
+use Friendica\Content\Pager;
+use Friendica\Content\Widget;
+use Friendica\Core\Hook;
+use Friendica\Core\L10n;
+use Friendica\Core\Renderer;
+use Friendica\Model\Contact;
+use Friendica\Model\Profile;
+use Friendica\Network\HTTPException;
+use Friendica\Util\Proxy as ProxyUtils;
+use Friendica\Util\Strings;
+
+/**
+ * Shows the local directory of this node
+ */
+class Directory extends BaseModule
+{
+	public static function init()
+	{
+		$app = self::getApp();
+
+		if (local_user()) {
+			$app->page['aside'] .= Widget::findPeople();
+			$app->page['aside'] .= Widget::follow();
+		} else {
+			unset($_SESSION['theme']);
+			unset($_SESSION['mobile-theme']);
+		}
+	}
+
+	public static function content()
+	{
+		$app = self::getApp();
+		$config = $app->getConfig();
+
+		if (($config->get('system', 'block_public') && !local_user() && !remote_user()) ||
+			($config->get('system', 'block_local_dir') && !local_user() && !remote_user())) {
+			throw new HTTPException\ForbiddenException(L10n::t('Public access denied.'));
+		}
+
+		$output = '';
+		$entries = [];
+
+		Nav::setSelected('directory');
+
+		$search = (!empty($_REQUEST['search']) ?
+			Strings::escapeTags(trim(rawurldecode($_REQUEST['search']))) :
+			'');
+
+		$gDirPath = '';
+		$dirURL = $config->get('system', 'directory');
+		if (strlen($dirURL)) {
+			$gDirPath = Profile::zrl($dirURL, true);
+		}
+
+		$pager = new Pager($app->query_string, 60);
+
+		$profiles = Profile::searchProfiles($pager->getStart(), $pager->getItemsPerPage(), $search);
+
+		if ($profiles['total'] === 0) {
+			info(L10n::t('No entries (some entries may be hidden).') . EOL);
+		} else {
+			if (in_array('small', $app->argv)) {
+				$photo = 'thumb';
+			} else {
+				$photo = 'photo';
+			}
+
+			foreach ($profiles['entries'] as $entry) {
+				$entries[] = self::formatEntry($entry, $photo);
+			}
+		}
+
+		$tpl = Renderer::getMarkupTemplate('directory_header.tpl');
+
+		$output .= Renderer::replaceMacros($tpl, [
+			'$search'     => $search,
+			'$globaldir'  => L10n::t('Global Directory'),
+			'$gDirPath'   => $gDirPath,
+			'$desc'       => L10n::t('Find on this site'),
+			'$contacts'   => $profiles['entries'],
+			'$finding'    => L10n::t('Results for:'),
+			'$findterm'   => (strlen($search) ? $search : ""),
+			'$title'      => L10n::t('Site Directory'),
+			'$search_mod' => 'directory',
+			'$submit'     => L10n::t('Find'),
+			'$paginate'   => $pager->renderFull($profiles['total']),
+		]);
+
+		return $output;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Format contact/profile/user data from the database into an usable
+	 * array for displaying directory entries.
+	 *
+	 * @param array  $contact    The directory entry from the database.
+	 * @param string $photo_size Avatar size (thumb, photo or micro).
+	 *
+	 * @return array
+	 *
+	 * @throws \Exception
+	 */
+	public static function formatEntry(array $contact, $photo_size = 'photo')
+	{
+		$itemurl = (($contact['addr'] != "") ? $contact['addr'] : $contact['profile_url']);
+
+		$profile_link = $contact['profile_url'];
+
+		$pdesc = (($contact['pdesc']) ? $contact['pdesc'] . '<br />' : '');
+
+		$details = '';
+		if (strlen($contact['locality'])) {
+			$details .= $contact['locality'];
+		}
+		if (strlen($contact['region'])) {
+			if (strlen($contact['locality'])) {
+				$details .= ', ';
+			}
+			$details .= $contact['region'];
+		}
+		if (strlen($contact['country-name'])) {
+			if (strlen($details)) {
+				$details .= ', ';
+			}
+			$details .= $contact['country-name'];
+		}
+
+		$profile = $contact;
+
+		if (!empty($profile['address'])
+			|| !empty($profile['locality'])
+			|| !empty($profile['region'])
+			|| !empty($profile['postal-code'])
+			|| !empty($profile['country-name'])
+		) {
+			$location = L10n::t('Location:');
+		} else {
+			$location = '';
+		}
+
+		$gender =   (!empty($profile['gender'])   ? L10n::t('Gender:')   : false);
+		$marital =  (!empty($profile['marital'])  ? L10n::t('Status:')   : false);
+		$homepage = (!empty($profile['homepage']) ? L10n::t('Homepage:') : false);
+		$about =    (!empty($profile['about'])    ? L10n::t('About:')    : false);
+
+		$location_e = $location;
+
+		$photo_menu = [
+			'profile' => [L10n::t("View Profile"), Contact::magicLink($profile_link)]
+		];
+
+		$entry = [
+			'id'           => $contact['id'],
+			'url'          => Contact::magicLInk($profile_link),
+			'itemurl'      => $itemurl,
+			'thumb'        => ProxyUtils::proxifyUrl($contact[$photo_size], false, ProxyUtils::SIZE_THUMB),
+			'img_hover'    => $contact['name'],
+			'name'         => $contact['name'],
+			'details'      => $details,
+			'account_type' => Contact::getAccountType($contact),
+			'profile'      => $profile,
+			'location'     => $location_e,
+			'tags'         => $contact['pub_keywords'],
+			'gender'       => $gender,
+			'pdesc'        => $pdesc,
+			'marital'      => $marital,
+			'homepage'     => $homepage,
+			'about'        => $about,
+			'photo_menu'   => $photo_menu,
+
+		];
+
+		$hook = ['contact' => $contact, 'entry' => $entry];
+
+		Hook::callAll('directory_item', $hook);
+
+		unset($profile);
+		unset($location);
+
+		return $hook['entry'];
+	}
+}