diff --git a/apicast/src/executor.lua b/apicast/src/executor.lua
index 9ee3de840..300ca6ad9 100644
--- a/apicast/src/executor.lua
+++ b/apicast/src/executor.lua
@@ -1,18 +1,23 @@
-local setmetatable = setmetatable
+local resty_env = require('resty.env')
+
+if resty_env.get('APICAST_MODULE') then
+  return require('module')
+end
 
 local policy_chain = require('policy_chain')
+local policy = require('policy')
 local linked_list = require('linked_list')
 
+local setmetatable = setmetatable
+
 local _M = { }
 
 local mt = { __index = _M }
 
 -- forward all policy methods to the policy chain
-for i=1, #(policy_chain.PHASES) do
-    local phase_name = policy_chain.PHASES[i]
-
-    _M[phase_name] = function(self, ...)
-        return self.policy_chain[phase_name](self.policy_chain, self:context(phase_name), ...)
+for _,phase in policy:phases() do
+    _M[phase] = function(self, ...)
+        return self.policy_chain[phase](self.policy_chain, self:context(phase), ...)
     end
 end
 
diff --git a/apicast/src/policy.lua b/apicast/src/policy.lua
index 15c7fa122..663f2dc43 100644
--- a/apicast/src/policy.lua
+++ b/apicast/src/policy.lua
@@ -1,8 +1,14 @@
-local _M = {}
+local _M = {
+    PHASES = {
+        'init', 'init_worker',
+        'rewrite', 'access', 'balancer',
+        'header_filter', 'body_filter',
+        'post_action',  'log'
+    }
+}
 
 local setmetatable = setmetatable
 local ipairs = ipairs
-local policy_chain = require('policy_chain')
 
 local noop = function() end
 
@@ -22,15 +28,15 @@ function _M.new(name, version)
         return setmetatable({}, mt)
     end
 
-    for _, phase in _M.phases() do
+    for _, phase in _M:phases() do
         policy[phase] = noop
     end
 
     return policy
 end
 
-function _M.phases()
-    return ipairs(policy_chain.PHASES)
+function _M:phases()
+    return ipairs(self.PHASES)
 end
 
 return _M
diff --git a/apicast/src/policy/local_chain.lua b/apicast/src/policy/local_chain.lua
index cafa4aa6b..62ba651f3 100644
--- a/apicast/src/policy/local_chain.lua
+++ b/apicast/src/policy/local_chain.lua
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ local function build_chain(context)
 end
 
 -- forward all policy methods to the policy chain
-for _, phase in policy.phases() do
+for _, phase in policy:phases() do
   _M[phase] = function(_, context, ...)
     local policy_chain = find_policy_chain(context)
 
diff --git a/apicast/src/policy_chain.lua b/apicast/src/policy_chain.lua
index e90a9a54e..4df203447 100644
--- a/apicast/src/policy_chain.lua
+++ b/apicast/src/policy_chain.lua
@@ -1,9 +1,3 @@
-local resty_env = require('resty.env')
-
-if resty_env.get('APICAST_MODULE') then
-    return require('module')
-end
-
 local setmetatable = setmetatable
 local insert = table.insert
 local error = error
@@ -13,14 +7,10 @@ local require = require
 local noop = function() end
 
 local linked_list = require('linked_list')
+local policy = require('policy')
 
 local _M = {
-    PHASES = {
-        'init', 'init_worker',
-        'rewrite', 'access', 'balancer',
-        'header_filter', 'body_filter',
-        'post_action',  'log'
-    }
+
 }
 
 local mt = {
@@ -92,10 +82,8 @@ local function call_chain(phase_name)
     end
 end
 
-for i=1, #(_M.PHASES) do
-    local phase_name = _M.PHASES[i]
-
-    _M[phase_name] = call_chain(phase_name)
+for _,phase in policy:phases() do
+    _M[phase] = call_chain(phase)
 end
 
 return _M.build()