diff --git a/wp-includes/js/wp-backbone.js b/wp-includes/js/wp-backbone.js
index 4e16956455..9e0041d4d0 100644
--- a/wp-includes/js/wp-backbone.js
+++ b/wp-includes/js/wp-backbone.js
@@ -1,31 +1,6 @@
 window.wp = window.wp || {};
 
 (function ($) {
-	/**
-	 * wp.template( id )
-	 *
-	 * Fetches a template by id.
-	 *
-	 * @param  {string} id   A string that corresponds to a DOM element with an id prefixed with "tmpl-".
-	 *                       For example, "attachment" maps to "tmpl-attachment".
-	 * @return {function}    A function that lazily-compiles the template requested.
-	 */
-	wp.template = _.memoize(function ( id ) {
-		var compiled,
-			options = {
-				evaluate:    /<#([\s\S]+?)#>/g,
-				interpolate: /\{\{\{([\s\S]+?)\}\}\}/g,
-				escape:      /\{\{([^\}]+?)\}\}(?!\})/g,
-				variable:    'data'
-			};
-
-		return function ( data ) {
-			compiled = compiled || _.template( $( '#tmpl-' + id ).html(), null, options );
-			return compiled( data );
-		};
-	});
-
-
 	// Create the WordPress Backbone namespace.
 	wp.Backbone = {};
 
diff --git a/wp-includes/js/wp-util.js b/wp-includes/js/wp-util.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9177e54ace
--- /dev/null
+++ b/wp-includes/js/wp-util.js
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+window.wp = window.wp || {};
+
+(function ($) {
+	/**
+	 * wp.template( id )
+	 *
+	 * Fetches a template by id.
+	 *
+	 * @param  {string} id   A string that corresponds to a DOM element with an id prefixed with "tmpl-".
+	 *                       For example, "attachment" maps to "tmpl-attachment".
+	 * @return {function}    A function that lazily-compiles the template requested.
+	 */
+	wp.template = _.memoize(function ( id ) {
+		var compiled,
+			options = {
+				evaluate:    /<#([\s\S]+?)#>/g,
+				interpolate: /\{\{\{([\s\S]+?)\}\}\}/g,
+				escape:      /\{\{([^\}]+?)\}\}(?!\})/g,
+				variable:    'data'
+			};
+
+		return function ( data ) {
+			compiled = compiled || _.template( $( '#tmpl-' + id ).html(), null, options );
+			return compiled( data );
+		};
+	});
+}(jQuery));
diff --git a/wp-includes/script-loader.php b/wp-includes/script-loader.php
index 9c1a59ab8f..1ecb16df33 100644
--- a/wp-includes/script-loader.php
+++ b/wp-includes/script-loader.php
@@ -273,7 +273,9 @@ function wp_default_scripts( &$scripts ) {
 
 	$scripts->add( 'underscore', '/wp-includes/js/underscore.min.js', array(), '1.4.4', 1 );
 	$scripts->add( 'backbone', '/wp-includes/js/backbone.min.js', array('underscore','jquery'), '1.0.0', 1 );
-	$scripts->add( 'wp-backbone', "/wp-includes/js/wp-backbone$suffix.js", array('backbone'), false, 1 );
+
+	$scripts->add( 'wp-util', "/wp-includes/js/wp-util$suffix.js", array('underscore', 'jquery'), false, 1 );
+	$scripts->add( 'wp-backbone', "/wp-includes/js/wp-backbone$suffix.js", array('backbone', 'wp-util'), false, 1 );
 
 	$scripts->add( 'revisions', "/wp-admin/js/revisions$suffix.js", array( 'wp-backbone', 'jquery-ui-slider', 'jquery-ui-tooltip' ), false, 1 );