diff --git a/include/plasp/sas/Variable.h b/include/plasp/sas/Variable.h
index 09049ce..18ccd15 100644
--- a/include/plasp/sas/Variable.h
+++ b/include/plasp/sas/Variable.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef __SAS__VARIABLE_H
 #define __SAS__VARIABLE_H
 
+#include <iosfwd>
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
@@ -19,6 +20,8 @@ namespace sas
 
 struct Variable
 {
+	static Variable fromSAS(std::istream &istream);
+
 	using Values = std::vector<Value>;
 
 	std::string name;
diff --git a/src/plasp/sas/Description.cpp b/src/plasp/sas/Description.cpp
index a825126..a15b9c3 100644
--- a/src/plasp/sas/Description.cpp
+++ b/src/plasp/sas/Description.cpp
@@ -304,44 +304,7 @@ void Description::parseVariablesSection(std::istream &istream)
 	m_variables.resize(numberOfVariables);
 
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < numberOfVariables; i++)
-	{
-		auto &variable = m_variables[i];
-
-		utils::parseExpected<std::string>(istream, "begin_variable");
-
-		variable.name = utils::parse<std::string>(istream);
-		variable.axiomLayer = utils::parse<int>(istream);
-
-		const auto numberOfValues = utils::parse<size_t>(istream);
-		variable.values.resize(numberOfValues);
-
-		try
-		{
-			for (size_t j = 0; j < numberOfValues; j++)
-			{
-				auto &value = variable.values[j];
-
-				const auto sasSign = utils::parse<std::string>(istream);
-
-				if (sasSign == "Atom")
-					value.sign = Value::Sign::Positive;
-				else if (sasSign == "NegatedAtom")
-					value.sign = Value::Sign::Negative;
-				else
-					throw utils::ParserException("Invalid value sign \"" + sasSign + "\"");
-
-				istream.ignore(1);
-
-				std::getline(istream, value.name);
-			}
-		}
-		catch (const std::exception &e)
-		{
-			throw utils::ParserException("Could not parse variable " + variable.name + " (" + e.what() + ")");
-		}
-
-		utils::parseExpected<std::string>(istream, "end_variable");
-	}
+		m_variables[i] = Variable::fromSAS(istream);
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/src/plasp/sas/Variable.cpp b/src/plasp/sas/Variable.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..97a95f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plasp/sas/Variable.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+#include <plasp/sas/Variable.h>
+
+#include <iostream>
+
+#include <plasp/utils/Parsing.h>
+
+namespace plasp
+{
+namespace sas
+{
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//
+// Variable
+//
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+Variable Variable::fromSAS(std::istream &istream)
+{
+	Variable variable;
+
+	utils::parseExpected<std::string>(istream, "begin_variable");
+
+	variable.name = utils::parse<std::string>(istream);
+	variable.axiomLayer = utils::parse<int>(istream);
+
+	const auto numberOfValues = utils::parse<size_t>(istream);
+	variable.values.resize(numberOfValues);
+
+	try
+	{
+		for (size_t j = 0; j < numberOfValues; j++)
+		{
+			auto &value = variable.values[j];
+
+			const auto sasSign = utils::parse<std::string>(istream);
+
+			if (sasSign == "Atom")
+				value.sign = Value::Sign::Positive;
+			else if (sasSign == "NegatedAtom")
+				value.sign = Value::Sign::Negative;
+			else
+				throw utils::ParserException("Invalid value sign \"" + sasSign + "\"");
+
+			istream.ignore(1);
+
+			std::getline(istream, value.name);
+		}
+	}
+	catch (const std::exception &e)
+	{
+		throw utils::ParserException("Could not parse variable " + variable.name + " (" + e.what() + ")");
+	}
+
+	utils::parseExpected<std::string>(istream, "end_variable");
+
+	return variable;
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+}
+}