diff --git a/include/villas/config_helper.h b/include/villas/config_helper.hpp
similarity index 81%
rename from include/villas/config_helper.h
rename to include/villas/config_helper.hpp
index 1706eb8ea..23ae8cb5d 100644
--- a/include/villas/config_helper.h
+++ b/include/villas/config_helper.hpp
@@ -30,28 +30,21 @@
 
 #include <villas/sample.h>
 
-#ifdef __cplusplus
-extern "C" {
-#endif
-
 #ifdef LIBCONFIG_FOUND
-/* Convert a libconfig object to a jansson object */
+/** Convert a libconfig object to a jansson object */
 json_t *config_to_json(config_setting_t *cfg);
 
-/* Convert a jansson object into a libconfig object. */
+/** Convert a jansson object into a libconfig object. */
 int json_to_config(json_t *json, config_setting_t *parent);
 #endif /* LIBCONFIG_FOUND */
 
-/* Create a JSON object from command line parameters. */
-json_t *json_load_cli(int argc, const char *argv[]);
-
 int json_object_extend_str(json_t *orig, const char *str);
 
 void json_object_extend_key_value(json_t *obj, const char *key, const char *value);
 
-/* Merge two JSON objects recursively. */
+void json_object_extend_key_value_token(json_t *obj, const char *key, const char *value);
+
+/** Merge two JSON objects recursively. */
 int json_object_extend(json_t *orig, json_t *merge);
 
-#ifdef __cplusplus
-}
-#endif
+json_t * json_load_cli(int argc, const char *argv[]);
diff --git a/lib/CMakeLists.txt b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
index 2049755a0..3d5278e8e 100644
--- a/lib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ endif()
 
 set(LIB_SRC
     super_node.cpp
+    config_helper.cpp
     memory/heap.c
     memory/hugepage.c
     memory/managed.c
@@ -56,7 +57,6 @@ set(LIB_SRC
     stats.c
     mapping.c
     shmem.c
-    config_helper.c
     signal.c
     pool.c
     queue.c
diff --git a/lib/config_helper.c b/lib/config_helper.cpp
similarity index 94%
rename from lib/config_helper.c
rename to lib/config_helper.cpp
index 6c3b7471a..945c72640 100644
--- a/lib/config_helper.c
+++ b/lib/config_helper.cpp
@@ -20,10 +20,13 @@
  * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  *********************************************************************************/
 
+#include <iostream>
+#include <fstream>
+
 #include <string.h>
 
 #include <villas/node/config.h>
-#include <villas/config_helper.h>
+#include <villas/config_helper.hpp>
 #include <villas/utils.h>
 
 #ifdef LIBCONFIG_FOUND
@@ -168,7 +171,7 @@ int json_to_config(json_t *json, config_setting_t *parent)
 void json_object_extend_key_value_token(json_t *obj, const char *key, const char *value)
 {
 	char *str = strdup(value);
-	char *delim = ",";
+	const char *delim = ",";
 
 	char *lasts;
 	char *token = strtok_r(str, delim, &lasts);
@@ -189,7 +192,7 @@ void json_object_extend_key_value(json_t *obj, const char *key, const char *valu
 	double real;
 	long integer;
 
-	json_t *arr, *new, *existing, *subobj;
+	json_t *arr, *add, *existing, *subobj;
 
 	/* Is the key pointing to an object? */
 	subobj = obj;
@@ -203,10 +206,10 @@ void json_object_extend_key_value(json_t *obj, const char *key, const char *valu
 		if (existing)
 			subobj = existing;
 		else {
-			new = json_object();
-			json_object_set(subobj, key1, new);
+			add = json_object();
+			json_object_set(subobj, key1, add);
 
-			subobj = new;
+			subobj = add;
 		}
 
 		key1 = key2;
@@ -216,35 +219,35 @@ void json_object_extend_key_value(json_t *obj, const char *key, const char *valu
 	/* Try to parse as integer */
 	integer = strtol(value, &end, 0);
 	if (*end == 0) {
-		new = json_integer(integer);
+		add = json_integer(integer);
 		goto success;
 	}
 
 	/* Try to parse as floating point */
 	real = strtod(value, &end);
 	if (*end == 0) {
-		new = json_real(real);
+		add = json_real(real);
 		goto success;
 	}
 
 	/* Try to parse special types */
 	if (!strcmp(value, "true")) {
-		new = json_true();
+		add = json_true();
 		goto success;
 	}
 
 	if (!strcmp(value, "false")) {
-		new = json_false();
+		add = json_false();
 		goto success;
 	}
 
 	if (!strcmp(value, "null")) {
-		new = json_null();
+		add = json_null();
 		goto success;
 	}
 
 	/* Fallback to string */
-	new = json_string(value);
+	add = json_string(value);
 
 success:
 	/* Does the key already exist?
@@ -259,10 +262,10 @@ success:
 			json_array_append(arr, existing);
 		}
 
-		json_array_append(arr, new);
+		json_array_append(arr, add);
 	}
 	else
-		json_object_set(subobj, key1, new);
+		json_object_set(subobj, key1, add);
 }
 
 json_t * json_load_cli(int argc, const char *argv[])
diff --git a/lib/super_node.cpp b/lib/super_node.cpp
index dc2aa3aee..ebdac6b70 100644
--- a/lib/super_node.cpp
+++ b/lib/super_node.cpp
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 #include <villas/advio.h>
 #include <villas/plugin.h>
 #include <villas/memory.h>
-#include <villas/config_helper.h>
+#include <villas/config_helper.hpp>
 #include <villas/log.hpp>
 #include <villas/exceptions.hpp>
 #include <villas/kernel/rt.hpp>
diff --git a/src/villas-hook.cpp b/src/villas-hook.cpp
index d8dbc0312..034cf4122 100644
--- a/src/villas-hook.cpp
+++ b/src/villas-hook.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 #include <villas/exceptions.hpp>
 #include <villas/copyright.hpp>
 #include <villas/plugin.h>
-#include <villas/config_helper.h>
+#include <villas/config_helper.hpp>
 #include <villas/kernel/rt.hpp>
 #include <villas/node/config.h>
 
diff --git a/src/villas-pipe.cpp b/src/villas-pipe.cpp
index 7413ed245..3d9d53e3d 100644
--- a/src/villas-pipe.cpp
+++ b/src/villas-pipe.cpp
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 #include <atomic>
 
 #include <villas/node/config.h>
-#include <villas/config_helper.h>
+#include <villas/config_helper.hpp>
 #include <villas/super_node.hpp>
 #include <villas/copyright.hpp>
 #include <villas/utils.hpp>
diff --git a/tests/unit/config_json.cpp b/tests/unit/config_json.cpp
index 5dd1c1e63..7e9150343 100644
--- a/tests/unit/config_json.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/config_json.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 #include <libconfig.h>
 
 #include <villas/utils.h>
-#include <villas/config_helper.h>
+#include <villas/config_helper.hpp>
 
 const char *cfg_example = "test : \n"
 			  "{\n"
diff --git a/tests/unit/json.cpp b/tests/unit/json.cpp
index 4fcf6e21d..052aca395 100644
--- a/tests/unit/json.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/json.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 #include <criterion/parameterized.h>
 
 #include <villas/utils.h>
-#include <villas/config_helper.h>
+#include <villas/config_helper.hpp>
 
 using str = std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, criterion::allocator<char>>;
 
diff --git a/tools/conf2json.cpp b/tools/conf2json.cpp
index 3a6fb4077..548bc32c8 100644
--- a/tools/conf2json.cpp
+++ b/tools/conf2json.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 #include <libconfig.h>
 
 #include <villas/config.h>
-#include <villas/config_helper.h>
+#include <villas/config_helper.hpp>
 #include <villas/utils.hpp>
 #include <villas/copyright.hpp>