diff --git a/apps/openmw/CMakeLists.txt b/apps/openmw/CMakeLists.txt
index 6e177bb0fa..c397097321 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/apps/openmw/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ add_openmw_dir (mwlua
     luabindings localscripts playerscripts objectbindings cellbindings asyncbindings
     camerabindings uibindings inputbindings nearbybindings postprocessingbindings stats debugbindings
     types/types types/door types/actor types/container types/weapon types/npc types/creature types/activator types/book types/lockpick types/probe types/apparatus types/potion types/ingredient types/misc types/repair
+    worker
     )
 
 add_openmw_dir (mwsound
diff --git a/apps/openmw/engine.cpp b/apps/openmw/engine.cpp
index 7a3e10ee53..05eb457301 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/engine.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/engine.cpp
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
 #include "mwgui/windowmanagerimp.hpp"
 
 #include "mwlua/luamanagerimp.hpp"
+#include "mwlua/worker.hpp"
 
 #include "mwscript/interpretercontext.hpp"
 #include "mwscript/scriptmanagerimp.hpp"
@@ -797,98 +798,6 @@ void OMW::Engine::prepareEngine()
     mLuaManager->loadPermanentStorage(mCfgMgr.getUserConfigPath());
 }
 
-class OMW::Engine::LuaWorker
-{
-public:
-    explicit LuaWorker(Engine* engine)
-        : mEngine(engine)
-    {
-        if (Settings::Manager::getInt("lua num threads", "Lua") > 0)
-            mThread = std::thread([this] { threadBody(); });
-    }
-
-    ~LuaWorker()
-    {
-        if (mThread && mThread->joinable())
-        {
-            Log(Debug::Error)
-                << "Unexpected destruction of LuaWorker; likely there is an unhandled exception in the main thread.";
-            join();
-        }
-    }
-
-    void allowUpdate()
-    {
-        if (!mThread)
-            return;
-        {
-            std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lk(mMutex);
-            mUpdateRequest = true;
-        }
-        mCV.notify_one();
-    }
-
-    void finishUpdate()
-    {
-        if (mThread)
-        {
-            std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lk(mMutex);
-            mCV.wait(lk, [&] { return !mUpdateRequest; });
-        }
-        else
-            update();
-    }
-
-    void join()
-    {
-        if (mThread)
-        {
-            {
-                std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lk(mMutex);
-                mJoinRequest = true;
-            }
-            mCV.notify_one();
-            mThread->join();
-        }
-    }
-
-private:
-    void update()
-    {
-        const auto& viewer = mEngine->mViewer;
-        const osg::Timer_t frameStart = viewer->getStartTick();
-        const unsigned int frameNumber = viewer->getFrameStamp()->getFrameNumber();
-        ScopedProfile<UserStatsType::Lua> profile(
-            frameStart, frameNumber, *osg::Timer::instance(), *viewer->getViewerStats());
-
-        mEngine->mLuaManager->update();
-    }
-
-    void threadBody()
-    {
-        while (true)
-        {
-            std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lk(mMutex);
-            mCV.wait(lk, [&] { return mUpdateRequest || mJoinRequest; });
-            if (mJoinRequest)
-                break;
-
-            update();
-
-            mUpdateRequest = false;
-            lk.unlock();
-            mCV.notify_one();
-        }
-    }
-
-    Engine* mEngine;
-    std::mutex mMutex;
-    std::condition_variable mCV;
-    bool mUpdateRequest = false;
-    bool mJoinRequest = false;
-    std::optional<std::thread> mThread;
-};
-
 // Initialise and enter main loop.
 void OMW::Engine::go()
 {
@@ -977,7 +886,7 @@ void OMW::Engine::go()
         mWindowManager->executeInConsole(mStartupScript);
     }
 
-    LuaWorker luaWorker(this); // starts a separate lua thread if "lua num threads" > 0
+    MWLua::Worker luaWorker(*mLuaManager, *mViewer); // starts a separate lua thread if "lua num threads" > 0
 
     // Start the main rendering loop
     double simulationTime = 0.0;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/engine.hpp b/apps/openmw/engine.hpp
index cdc54c7018..61d28402c2 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/engine.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/engine.hpp
@@ -262,7 +262,6 @@ namespace OMW
 
     private:
         Files::ConfigurationManager& mCfgMgr;
-        class LuaWorker;
         int mGlMaxTextureImageUnits;
     };
 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwlua/worker.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwlua/worker.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0dbe78ad4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwlua/worker.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+#include "worker.hpp"
+
+#include "luamanagerimp.hpp"
+
+#include <apps/openmw/profile.hpp>
+
+#include <components/settings/settings.hpp>
+
+#include <osgViewer/Viewer>
+
+namespace MWLua
+{
+    Worker::Worker(LuaManager& manager, osgViewer::Viewer& viewer)
+        : mManager(manager)
+        , mViewer(viewer)
+    {
+        if (Settings::Manager::getInt("lua num threads", "Lua") > 0)
+            mThread = std::thread([this] { run(); });
+    }
+
+    Worker::~Worker()
+    {
+        if (mThread && mThread->joinable())
+        {
+            Log(Debug::Error)
+                << "Unexpected destruction of LuaWorker; likely there is an unhandled exception in the main thread.";
+            join();
+        }
+    }
+
+    void Worker::allowUpdate()
+    {
+        if (!mThread)
+            return;
+        {
+            std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lk(mMutex);
+            mUpdateRequest = true;
+        }
+        mCV.notify_one();
+    }
+
+    void Worker::finishUpdate()
+    {
+        if (mThread)
+        {
+            std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lk(mMutex);
+            mCV.wait(lk, [&] { return !mUpdateRequest; });
+        }
+        else
+            update();
+    }
+
+    void Worker::join()
+    {
+        if (mThread)
+        {
+            {
+                std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lk(mMutex);
+                mJoinRequest = true;
+            }
+            mCV.notify_one();
+            mThread->join();
+        }
+    }
+
+    void Worker::update()
+    {
+        const osg::Timer_t frameStart = mViewer.getStartTick();
+        const unsigned int frameNumber = mViewer.getFrameStamp()->getFrameNumber();
+        OMW::ScopedProfile<OMW::UserStatsType::Lua> profile(
+            frameStart, frameNumber, *osg::Timer::instance(), *mViewer.getViewerStats());
+
+        mManager.update();
+    }
+
+    void Worker::run() noexcept
+    {
+        while (true)
+        {
+            std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lk(mMutex);
+            mCV.wait(lk, [&] { return mUpdateRequest || mJoinRequest; });
+            if (mJoinRequest)
+                break;
+
+            update();
+
+            mUpdateRequest = false;
+            lk.unlock();
+            mCV.notify_one();
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwlua/worker.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwlua/worker.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fed625e1f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwlua/worker.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+#ifndef OPENMW_MWLUA_WORKER_H
+#define OPENMW_MWLUA_WORKER_H
+
+#include <condition_variable>
+#include <mutex>
+#include <optional>
+#include <thread>
+
+namespace osgViewer
+{
+    class Viewer;
+}
+
+namespace MWLua
+{
+    class LuaManager;
+
+    class Worker
+    {
+    public:
+        explicit Worker(LuaManager& manager, osgViewer::Viewer& viewer);
+
+        ~Worker();
+
+        void allowUpdate();
+
+        void finishUpdate();
+
+        void join();
+
+    private:
+        void update();
+
+        void run() noexcept;
+
+        LuaManager& mManager;
+        osgViewer::Viewer& mViewer;
+        std::mutex mMutex;
+        std::condition_variable mCV;
+        bool mUpdateRequest = false;
+        bool mJoinRequest = false;
+        std::optional<std::thread> mThread;
+    };
+}
+
+#endif // OPENMW_MWLUA_LUAWORKER_H