diff --git a/setup/so-common-functions b/setup/so-common-functions
deleted file mode 100644
index 8bdf09374..000000000
--- a/setup/so-common-functions
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,52 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-
-source ./so-variables
-source ../salt/common/tools/sbin/so-common
-source ../salt/common/tools/sbin/so-image-common
-
-# Helper functions
-
-filter_unused_nics() {
-
-	if [[ $MNIC ]]; then local grep_string="$MNIC\|bond0"; else local grep_string="bond0"; fi
-
-	# If we call this function and NICs have already been assigned to the bond interface then add them to the grep search string
-	if [[ $BNICS ]]; then
-		grep_string="$grep_string"
-		for BONDNIC in "${BNICS[@]}"; do
-			grep_string="$grep_string\|$BONDNIC"
-		done
-	fi
-
-	# Finally, set filtered_nics to any NICs we aren't using (and ignore interfaces that aren't of use)
-	filtered_nics=$(ip link | awk -F: '$0 !~ "lo|vir|veth|br|docker|wl|^[^0-9]"{print $2}' | grep -vwe "$grep_string"  | sed 's/ //g')
-	readarray -t filtered_nics <<< "$filtered_nics"
-	
-	nic_list=()
-	for nic in "${filtered_nics[@]}"; do
-		case $(cat "/sys/class/net/${nic}/carrier" 2>/dev/null) in
-			1)
-				nic_list+=("$nic" "Link UP " "OFF")
-				;;
-			0)
-				nic_list+=("$nic" "Link DOWN " "OFF")
-				;;
-			*)
-				nic_list+=("$nic" "Link UNKNOWN " "OFF")
-				;;
-		esac
-	done
-
-	export nic_list
-}
-
-calculate_useable_cores() {
-
-	# Calculate reasonable core usage
-	local cores_for_zeek=$(( (num_cpu_cores/2) - 1 ))
-	local lb_procs_round
-	lb_procs_round=$(printf "%.0f\n" $cores_for_zeek)
-
-	if [ "$lb_procs_round" -lt 1 ]; then lb_procs=1; else lb_procs=$lb_procs_round; fi
-    export lb_procs
-}
diff --git a/setup/so-functions b/setup/so-functions
index 66450a6bb..9f90138f3 100755
--- a/setup/so-functions
+++ b/setup/so-functions
@@ -15,13 +15,7 @@
 #    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 #    along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-source ./so-whiptail
-source ./so-variables
-source ./so-common-functions
-
-CONTAINER_REGISTRY=quay.io
-
-SOVERSION=$(cat ../VERSION)
+# README - DO NOT DEFINE GLOBAL VARIABLES IN THIS FILE. Instead use so-variables.
 
 log() {
 	msg=$1
@@ -48,6 +42,51 @@ logCmd() {
 	$cmd >> "$setup_log" 2>&1
 }
 
+filter_unused_nics() {
+
+	if [[ $MNIC ]]; then local grep_string="$MNIC\|bond0"; else local grep_string="bond0"; fi
+
+	# If we call this function and NICs have already been assigned to the bond interface then add them to the grep search string
+	if [[ $BNICS ]]; then
+		grep_string="$grep_string"
+		for BONDNIC in "${BNICS[@]}"; do
+			grep_string="$grep_string\|$BONDNIC"
+		done
+	fi
+
+	# Finally, set filtered_nics to any NICs we aren't using (and ignore interfaces that aren't of use)
+	filtered_nics=$(ip link | awk -F: '$0 !~ "lo|vir|veth|br|docker|wl|^[^0-9]"{print $2}' | grep -vwe "$grep_string"  | sed 's/ //g')
+	readarray -t filtered_nics <<< "$filtered_nics"
+	
+	nic_list=()
+	for nic in "${filtered_nics[@]}"; do
+		case $(cat "/sys/class/net/${nic}/carrier" 2>/dev/null) in
+			1)
+				nic_list+=("$nic" "Link UP " "OFF")
+				;;
+			0)
+				nic_list+=("$nic" "Link DOWN " "OFF")
+				;;
+			*)
+				nic_list+=("$nic" "Link UNKNOWN " "OFF")
+				;;
+		esac
+	done
+
+	export nic_list
+}
+
+calculate_useable_cores() {
+
+	# Calculate reasonable core usage
+	local cores_for_zeek=$(( (num_cpu_cores/2) - 1 ))
+	local lb_procs_round
+	lb_procs_round=$(printf "%.0f\n" $cores_for_zeek)
+
+	if [ "$lb_procs_round" -lt 1 ]; then lb_procs=1; else lb_procs=$lb_procs_round; fi
+    export lb_procs
+}
+
 airgap_rules() {
 	# Copy the rules for suricata if using Airgap
 	mkdir -p /nsm/repo/rules
diff --git a/setup/so-setup b/setup/so-setup
index ccfa87a59..1a821d405 100755
--- a/setup/so-setup
+++ b/setup/so-setup
@@ -24,9 +24,19 @@ fi
 
 cd "$(dirname "$0")" || exit 255
 
+# Source the generic function libraries that are also used by the product after
+# setup. These functions are intended to be reusable outside of the setup process.
+source ../salt/common/tools/sbin/so-common
+source ../salt/common/tools/sbin/so-image-common
+
+# Setup bash functionality is divided into functions and user-facing prompts. 
+# Do not attempt to re-use any of this functionality outside of setup. Instead, 
+# if needed, migrated generic functions into so-common.
 source ./so-functions
-source ./so-common-functions
 source ./so-whiptail
+
+# Finally, source the default variable definitions, which require availability of
+# functions source above.
 source ./so-variables
 
 # Parse command line arguments
diff --git a/setup/so-variables b/setup/so-variables
index 17441dca0..09e0ebc46 100644
--- a/setup/so-variables
+++ b/setup/so-variables
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
+SOVERSION=$(cat ../VERSION)
+
 total_mem=$(grep MemTotal /proc/meminfo | awk '{print $2}' | sed -r 's/.{3}$//')
 export total_mem
 
diff --git a/setup/so-whiptail b/setup/so-whiptail
index 7b105bb8e..791cceb76 100755
--- a/setup/so-whiptail
+++ b/setup/so-whiptail
@@ -15,9 +15,6 @@
 #    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 #    along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-source ./so-variables
-source ./so-common-functions
-
 whiptail_airgap() {
 
 	[ -n "$TESTING" ] && return