diff --git a/formspec.lua b/formspec.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1f09f61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/formspec.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+local gui = {};
+
+function gui.bg9(args)
+    return string.format("background9[%f,%f;%f,%f;%s;%s;%s]", args.x, args.y, args.w, args.h, args.skin.texture .. ".png", args.fullsize or false, tostring(args.skin.radius));
+end
+
+function gui.button(args)
+    local data = string.format("button[%f,%f;%f,%f;%s;%s]", args.x, args.y, args.w, args.h, args.id, args.text);
+
+    if args.tooltip then
+        data = data .. gui.tooltip {
+            id = args.id,
+            text = args.tooltip
+        };
+    end
+
+    return data;
+end
+
+function gui.image_button(args)
+    local data = string.format("image_button[%f,%f;%f,%f;%s;%s;%s]", args.x, args.y, args.w, args.h, args.image, args.id, args.text or "");
+
+    if args.tooltip then
+        data = data .. gui.tooltip {
+            id = args.id,
+            text = args.tooltip
+        };
+    end
+
+    return data;
+end
+
+function gui.label(args)
+    return string.format("label[%f,%f;%s]", args.x, args.y, args.text);
+end
+
+function gui.style_internal(selector, properties)
+    local data = "[" .. selector;
+    for name,value in pairs(properties) do
+        data = data .. string.format(";%s=%s", name, tostring(value));
+    end
+    return data .. "]";
+end
+
+function gui.style(args)
+    return "style" .. gui.style_internal(args.selector, args.properties);
+end
+
+function gui.style_type(args)
+    return "style_type" .. gui.style_internal(args.selector, args.properties);
+end
+
+function gui.tooltip(args)
+    return string.format("tooltip[%s;%s]", args.id, args.text);
+end
+
+return gui;
diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index 7a64131..cfa6ba3 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -51,10 +51,11 @@ end
 
 -- Includes
 cartographer.skin = loadfile(modpath .. "/skin_api.lua") ();
+cartographer.gui = loadfile(modpath .. "/formspec.lua") ();
 loadfile(modpath .. "/scanner.lua") (map_data);
 loadfile(modpath .. "/map_api.lua") ();
 loadfile(modpath .. "/items.lua") ();
-loadfile(modpath .. "/marker_formspec.lua") ();
+_cartographer.generate_marker_formspec = loadfile(modpath .. "/marker_formspec.lua") (_cartographer.marker_lookup, cartographer.gui);
 loadfile(modpath .. "/map_formspec.lua") (map_data);
 loadfile(modpath .. "/commands.lua") ();
 loadfile(modpath .. "/table.lua") ();
diff --git a/map_formspec.lua b/map_formspec.lua
index 4da62fe..3175216 100644
--- a/map_formspec.lua
+++ b/map_formspec.lua
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ end
 --
 -- Returns a formspec string, the width of the formspec, and the height of the
 -- formspec
-function cartographer.get_map_formspec_map(map, x, y, height_mode) 
+function cartographer.get_map_formspec_map(map, x, y, height_mode)
     local formspec_width = (map.w + 1) * TILE_OFFSET + 0.01;
     local formspec_height = (map.h + 1) * TILE_OFFSET + 0.01;
     return map_formspec_prefix:format(formspec_width, formspec_height)..generate_map(map.x, map.z, map.w, map.h, x, y, map.detail, map.scale, height_mode,  cartographer.is_filled, cartographer.get_marker, map),
diff --git a/marker_formspec.lua b/marker_formspec.lua
index 557a96f..6886c66 100644
--- a/marker_formspec.lua
+++ b/marker_formspec.lua
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+local marker_lookup, gui = ...;
+
 -- Generates formspec data for the map marker editor
 -- selected_id: The id of the currently selected marker, or nil if no marker is
 --              selected
@@ -7,34 +9,102 @@
 -- button: A button skin table
 --
 -- Returns a formspec string for use in containers
-function _cartographer.generate_marker_formspec(selected_id, detail, page, bg, button)
-    local fs = string.format("background9[0,0;3.25,3.875;%s.png;false;%s]", bg.texture, tostring(bg.radius))
-            .. string.format("style_type[button,image_button;border=false;bgimg=%s.png;bgimg_hovered=%s.png;bgimg_pressed=%s.png;bgimg_middle=%s;textcolor=%s]", button.texture, button.hovered_texture, button.pressed_texture, tostring(button.radius), button.font_color)
-            .. "button[0.125,0.125;1.125,0.5;clear_marker;Erase] tooltip[clear_marker;Remove the selected marker]";
+local function generate_marker_formspec(selected_id, detail, page, bg, button)
+    local formspec = {
+        gui.bg9 {
+            x = 0,
+            y = 0,
+
+            w = 3.25,
+            h = 3.875,
+
+            skin = bg,
+        },
+        gui.style_type {
+            selector = "button,image_button",
+            properties = {
+                border = false,
+                bgimg = button.texture .. ".png",
+                bgimg_hovered = button.hovered_texture .. ".png",
+                bgimg_pressed = button.pressed_texture .. ".png",
+                bgimg_middle = button.radius,
+                textcolor = button.font_color,
+            },
+        },
+        gui.button {
+            x = 0.125,
+            y = 0.125,
+
+            w = 1.125,
+            h = 0.5,
+
+            id = "clear_marker",
+            text = "Erase",
+            tooltip = "Remove the selected marker",
+        },
+
+        gui.label {
+            x = 1.375,
+            y = 3.5,
+
+            text = string.format("%d / %d", page, math.ceil(#marker_lookup / 20)),
+        },
+    };
+
     if selected_id then
-        fs = fs .. string.format("style[marker-%s;bgimg=%s.png;bgimg_hovered=%s.png;bgimg_pressed=%s.png]", selected_id, button.selected_texture, button.selected_texture, button.selected_texture);
+        table.insert(formspec, gui.style {
+            selector = "marker-" .. selected_id,
+            properties = {
+                bgimg = button.selected_texture .. ".png",
+                bgimg_hovered = button.selected_texture .. ".png",
+                bgimg_pressed = button.selected_texture .. ".png",
+            }
+        });
     end
 
     local starting_id = ((page - 1) * 20) + 1;
-    for i = starting_id,math.min(#_cartographer.marker_lookup,starting_id + 19),1 do
-        local marker = _cartographer.marker_lookup[i];
-        fs = fs .. string.format("image_button[%f,%f;0.5,0.5;%s.png;marker-%s;] tooltip[marker-%s;%s]",
-                                (i - starting_id) % 5 * 0.625 + 0.125,
-                                math.floor((i - starting_id) / 5) * 0.625 + 0.75,
-                                marker.textures[math.min(detail, #marker.textures)],
-                                marker.id,
-                                marker.id,
-                                marker.name);
+    for i = starting_id,math.min(#marker_lookup,starting_id + 19),1 do
+        local marker = marker_lookup[i];
+        table.insert(formspec, gui.image_button {
+            x = (i - starting_id) % 5 * 0.625 + 0.125,
+            y = math.floor((i - starting_id) / 5) * 0.625 + 0.75,
+
+            w = 0.5,
+            h = 0.5,
+
+            image = marker.textures[math.min(detail, #marker.textures)] .. ".png",
+            id = "marker-" .. marker.id,
+            tooltip = marker.name,
+        });
     end
 
     if page > 1 then
-        fs = fs .. "button[0.125,3.25;0.5,0.5;prev_button;<]";
+        table.insert(formspec, gui.button {
+            x = 0.125,
+            y = 3.25,
+
+            w = 0.5,
+            h = 0.5,
+
+            id = "prev_button",
+            text = "<"
+        });
     end
 
-    if starting_id + 19 < #_cartographer.marker_lookup then
-        fs = fs .. "button[2.625,3.25;0.5,0.5;next_button;>]";
+    if starting_id + 19 < #marker_lookup then
+        table.insert(formspec, gui.button {
+            x = 2.625,
+            y = 3.25,
+
+            w = 0.5,
+            h = 0.5,
+
+            id = "next_button",
+            text = ">"
+        });
     end
 
-    fs = fs .. string.format("label[1.375,3.5;%d / %d]", page, math.ceil(#_cartographer.marker_lookup / 20));
-    return fs;
+    return table.concat(formspec);
 end
+
+return generate_marker_formspec;