diff --git a/common/utils.go b/common/utils.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a3c372b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/utils.go
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+package common
+
+func OnOff(b bool) string {
+	if b {
+		return "on"
+	}
+	return "off"
+}
diff --git a/proxy/proxy.go b/proxy/proxy.go
index 67f5b87e..de932baa 100644
--- a/proxy/proxy.go
+++ b/proxy/proxy.go
@@ -119,16 +119,8 @@ func (proxy *Proxy) Status() string {
 	default:
 		fmt.Fprintln(&buf, "TLS off")
 	}
-	if proxy.WithDNS {
-		fmt.Fprintln(&buf, "DNS on")
-	} else {
-		fmt.Fprintln(&buf, "DNS off")
-	}
-	if proxy.WithIPAM {
-		fmt.Fprintln(&buf, "IPAM on")
-	} else {
-		fmt.Fprintln(&buf, "IPAM off")
-	}
+	fmt.Fprintln(&buf, "DNS", OnOff(proxy.WithDNS))
+	fmt.Fprintln(&buf, "IPAM", OnOff(proxy.WithIPAM))
 	return buf.String()
 }
 
diff --git a/router/router.go b/router/router.go
index 15699205..afe80ad2 100644
--- a/router/router.go
+++ b/router/router.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"code.google.com/p/gopacket/layers"
+	. "github.com/weaveworks/weave/common"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -112,13 +113,9 @@ func (router *Router) UsingPassword() bool {
 }
 
 func (router *Router) Status() string {
-	encryption := "off"
-	if router.UsingPassword() {
-		encryption = "on"
-	}
 	var buf bytes.Buffer
 	fmt.Fprintln(&buf, "Our name is", router.Ourself)
-	fmt.Fprintln(&buf, "Encryption", encryption)
+	fmt.Fprintln(&buf, "Encryption", OnOff(router.UsingPassword()))
 	fmt.Fprintln(&buf, "Sniffing traffic on", router.Iface)
 	fmt.Fprintf(&buf, "MACs:\n%s", router.Macs)
 	fmt.Fprintf(&buf, "Peers:\n%s", router.Peers)