diff --git a/generate_layout.rb b/generate_layout.rb
index dd8cc62..4efb48a 100755
--- a/generate_layout.rb
+++ b/generate_layout.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,19 @@
 # Copyright muflax <mail@muflax.com>, 2015
 # License: GNU GPLv3 (or later) <http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html>
 
-# require "muflax"
+# avoid having to require muflax
+class Object
+ def blank?
+   respond_to?(:empty?) ? !!empty? : !self
+ end
+end
+
+class String
+  BLANK_RE = /\A[[:space:]]*\z/
+  def blank?
+    BLANK_RE === self
+  end
+end
 
 LayoutDir 	= "src/keyboard"
 LayoutFile	= "#{LayoutDir}/layout.c"