diff --git a/collects/meta/web/html/xml.rkt b/collects/meta/web/html/xml.rkt
index 721a4e22cc..09c92e0ca6 100644
--- a/collects/meta/web/html/xml.rkt
+++ b/collects/meta/web/html/xml.rkt
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 ;; XML-like objects and functions, with rendering
 
-(require scribble/text)
+(require scribble/text racket/port)
 
 ;; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ;; Represent attribute names as `foo:' symbols.  They are made self-quoting in
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@
 (define (output-xml content [p (current-output-port)])
   (output (disable-prefix (with-writer (xml-writer) content)) p))
 
+(provide xml->string)
+(define (xml->string content)
+  (with-output-to-string (lambda () (output-xml content))))
+
 ;; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ;; Structs for xml data: elements, literals, entities
 
diff --git a/collects/meta/web/stubs/blog.rkt b/collects/meta/web/stubs/blog.rkt
index ad2ff083b0..bf1bfbacef 100644
--- a/collects/meta/web/stubs/blog.rkt
+++ b/collects/meta/web/stubs/blog.rkt
@@ -26,13 +26,14 @@
     @navbar-style
   })
 
-(define (xml->string content)
-  (regexp-replace* #rx" "
-                   (with-output-to-string (lambda () (output-xml content)))
-                   "\\ "))
+(define (get-resource-text . args)
+  (let ([str (xml->string (apply www:the-resources args))])
+    ;; due to some obscure xml issue the `nbsp' entity is not recognized
+    ;; in blogger pages
+    (regexp-replace* #rx" " str "\\ ")))
 
-(define (racket-navbar)  (xml->string (www:the-resources 'navbar #f)))
-(define (racket-favicon) (xml->string (www:the-resources 'favicon-headers)))
+(define (racket-navbar)  (get-resource-text 'navbar #f))
+(define (racket-favicon) (get-resource-text 'favicon-headers))
 
 (provide blog)
 (define blog
diff --git a/collects/meta/web/stubs/dirlist.rkt b/collects/meta/web/stubs/dirlist.rkt
index 14aa11f2bb..6486e8ac1d 100644
--- a/collects/meta/web/stubs/dirlist.rkt
+++ b/collects/meta/web/stubs/dirlist.rkt
@@ -6,12 +6,6 @@
 
 (define-context "stubs/dirlist" #:resources dnld:the-resources)
 
-(require racket/port)
-(define (xml->string content)
-  (regexp-replace* #rx" "
-                   (with-output-to-string (lambda () (output-xml content)))
-                   "\\ "))
-
 (define header+footer
   (delay (regexp-split #rx"{{{BODY}}}"
                        (xml->string @page[#:id 'browse-downloads