diff --git a/lib/core/BpmnImporter.js b/lib/core/BpmnImporter.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1f99312e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/core/BpmnImporter.js
@@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
+'use strict';
+
+var _ = require('lodash');
+
+
+function hasLabel(semantic) {
+  return semantic.$instanceOf('bpmn:Event') ||
+         semantic.$instanceOf('bpmn:Gateway') ||
+         semantic.$instanceOf('bpmn:DataStoreReference') ||
+         semantic.$instanceOf('bpmn:DataObjectReference') ||
+         semantic.$instanceOf('bpmn:SequenceFlow') ||
+         semantic.$instanceOf('bpmn:MessageFlow');
+}
+
+
+function isCollapsed(semantic, di) {
+  return semantic.$instanceOf('bpmn:SubProcess') && di && !di.isExpanded;
+}
+
+function getWaypointsMid(waypoints) {
+
+  var mid = waypoints.length / 2 - 1;
+
+  var first = waypoints[Math.floor(mid)];
+  var second = waypoints[Math.ceil(mid + 0.01)];
+
+  return {
+    x: first.x + (second.x - first.x) / 2,
+    y: first.y + (second.y - first.y) / 2
+  };
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Returns the bounds of an elements label, parsed from the elements DI or
+ * generated from its bounds.
+ */
+function getLabelBounds(di, data) {
+
+  var mid,
+      size;
+
+  var label = di.label;
+  if (label && label.bounds) {
+    var bounds = label.bounds;
+
+    size = {
+      width: Math.max(150, bounds.width),
+      height: bounds.height
+    };
+
+    mid = {
+      x: bounds.x + bounds.width / 2,
+      y: bounds.y
+    };
+  } else {
+
+    if (data.waypoints) {
+      mid = getWaypointsMid(data.waypoints);
+    } else {
+      mid = {
+        x: data.x + data.width / 2,
+        y: data.y + data.height - 5
+      };
+    }
+
+    size = {
+      width: 90,
+      height: 50
+    };
+  }
+
+  return _.extend({
+    x: mid.x - size.width / 2,
+    y: mid.y
+  }, size);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * An importer that adds bpmn elements to the canvas
+ *
+ * @param {EventBus} eventBus
+ * @param {Canvas} canvas
+ */
+function BpmnImporter(eventBus, canvas) {
+
+  this._eventBus = eventBus;
+  this._canvas = canvas;
+}
+
+BpmnImporter.$inject = [ 'eventBus', 'canvas' ];
+
+
+/**
+ * Add bpmn element (semantic, di) to the canvas onto the
+ * specified parent element.
+ */
+BpmnImporter.prototype.add = function(semantic, di, parent) {
+
+  var events = this._eventBus,
+      canvas = this._canvas;
+
+  var shape;
+
+  /**
+   * fire element specific event
+   */
+  function fire(type, shape) {
+    events.fire('bpmn.element.' + type, {
+      semantic: semantic, di: di, diagramElement: shape
+    });
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * add label for the element
+   */
+  function addLabel(semantic, di, data) {
+    if (!hasLabel(semantic)) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    var labelBounds = getLabelBounds(di, data);
+
+    var label = _.extend({
+      id: semantic.id + '_label',
+      attachedId: semantic.id,
+      type: 'label',
+      hidden: data.hidden
+    }, labelBounds);
+
+    canvas.addShape(label);
+
+    // we wire data and label so that
+    // the label of a BPMN element can be quickly accessed via
+    // element.label in various components
+    data.label = label;
+  }
+
+
+  if (di.$type === 'bpmndi:BPMNShape') {
+    var bounds = di.bounds;
+
+    var collapsed = isCollapsed(semantic, di);
+    var hidden = parent && (parent.hidden || parent.collapsed);
+
+    shape = {
+      id: semantic.id, type: semantic.$type,
+      x: bounds.x, y: bounds.y,
+      width: bounds.width, height: bounds.height,
+      collapsed: collapsed,
+      hidden: hidden,
+      parent: parent
+    };
+
+    fire('add', shape);
+    canvas.addShape(shape);
+  } else {
+
+    var waypoints = _.collect(di.waypoint, function(p) {
+      return { x: p.x, y: p.y };
+    });
+
+    shape = { id: semantic.id, type: semantic.$type, waypoints: waypoints };
+
+    fire('add', shape);
+    canvas.addConnection(shape);
+  }
+
+  fire('added', shape);
+
+  // add label if needed
+  addLabel(semantic, di, shape);
+
+  return shape;
+};
+
+
+module.exports = BpmnImporter;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/import/Importer.js b/lib/import/Importer.js
index 2ae2c295..4c7d8437 100644
--- a/lib/import/Importer.js
+++ b/lib/import/Importer.js
@@ -1,164 +1,27 @@
 'use strict';
 
-var _ = require('lodash');
-
-var BpmnTreeWalker = require('./BpmnTreeWalker'),
-    Util = require('../Util');
-
-
-function hasLabel(element) {
-
-  return element.$instanceOf('bpmn:Event') ||
-         element.$instanceOf('bpmn:Gateway') ||
-         element.$instanceOf('bpmn:DataStoreReference') ||
-         element.$instanceOf('bpmn:DataObjectReference') ||
-         element.$instanceOf('bpmn:SequenceFlow') ||
-         element.$instanceOf('bpmn:MessageFlow');
-}
-
-
-function isCollapsed(element, di) {
-  return element.$instanceOf('bpmn:SubProcess') && di && !di.isExpanded;
-}
-
-function getWaypointsMid(waypoints) {
-
-  var mid = waypoints.length / 2 - 1;
-
-  var first = waypoints[Math.floor(mid)];
-  var second = waypoints[Math.ceil(mid + 0.01)];
-
-  return {
-    x: first.x + (second.x - first.x) / 2,
-    y: first.y + (second.y - first.y) / 2
-  };
-}
+var BpmnTreeWalker = require('./BpmnTreeWalker');
 
 
 /**
- * Returns the bounds of an elements label, parsed from the elements DI or
- * generated from its bounds.
+ * Import the definitions into the given diagram, reporting errors and warnings
+ * via the specified callback.
+ *
+ * @param  {Diagram} diagram
+ * @param  {ModdleElement} definitions
+ * @param  {Function} done the callback, invoked with (err, [ warning ]) once the import is done
  */
-function getLabelBounds(di, data) {
-
-  var mid,
-      size;
-
-  var label = di.label;
-  if (label && label.bounds) {
-    var bounds = label.bounds;
-
-    size = {
-      width: Math.max(150, bounds.width),
-      height: bounds.height
-    };
-
-    mid = {
-      x: bounds.x + bounds.width / 2,
-      y: bounds.y
-    };
-  } else {
-
-    if (data.waypoints) {
-      mid = getWaypointsMid(data.waypoints);
-    } else {
-      mid = {
-        x: data.x + data.width / 2,
-        y: data.y + data.height - 5
-      };
-    }
-
-    size = {
-      width: 90,
-      height: 50
-    };
-  }
-
-  return _.extend({
-    x: mid.x - size.width / 2,
-    y: mid.y
-  }, size);
-}
-
-
 function importBpmnDiagram(diagram, definitions, done) {
 
-  var canvas = diagram.get('canvas');
-  var events = diagram.get('eventBus');
-  var commandStack = diagram.get('commandStack');
-
-
-  function addLabel(element, di, data) {
-    if (!hasLabel(element)) {
-      return;
-    }
-
-    var labelBounds = getLabelBounds(di, data);
-
-    var label = _.extend({
-      id: element.id + '_label',
-      attachedId: element.id,
-      type: 'label',
-      hidden: data.hidden
-    }, labelBounds);
-
-    canvas.addShape(label);
-
-    // we wire data and label so that
-    // the label of a BPMN element can be quickly accessed via
-    // element.label in various components
-    data.label = label;
-  }
+  var importer = diagram.get('bpmnImporter'),
+      commandStack = diagram.get('commandStack');
 
   var warnings = [];
 
   var visitor = {
 
     element: function(element, di, parent) {
-
-      var shape;
-
-      function fire(type, shape) {
-        events.fire('bpmn.element.' + type, {
-          semantic: element, di: di, diagramElement: shape
-        });
-      }
-
-      if (di.$type === 'bpmndi:BPMNShape') {
-        var bounds = di.bounds;
-
-        var collapsed = isCollapsed(element, di);
-        var hidden = parent && (parent.hidden || parent.collapsed);
-
-        shape = {
-          id: element.id, type: element.$type,
-          x: bounds.x, y: bounds.y,
-          width: bounds.width, height: bounds.height,
-          collapsed: collapsed,
-          hidden: hidden,
-          parent: parent
-        };
-
-        fire('add', shape);
-        canvas.addShape(shape);
-      } else {
-
-        var waypoints = _.collect(di.waypoint, function(p) {
-          return { x: p.x, y: p.y };
-        });
-
-        shape = { id: element.id, type: element.$type, waypoints: waypoints };
-
-        fire('add', shape);
-        canvas.addConnection(shape);
-      }
-
-      fire('added', shape);
-
-      // add label if needed
-      addLabel(element, di, shape);
-
-      return shape;
+      return importer.add(element, di, parent);
     },
 
     error: function(message, context) {