diff --git a/weave b/weave
index a4994867..8a1bbcf0 100755
--- a/weave
+++ b/weave
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ with_container_netns () {
     return $STATUS
 }
 
-launch() {
+connect_container_to_bridge() {
     if ! ip link add name $LOCAL_IFNAME mtu $MTU type veth peer name $GUEST_IFNAME mtu $MTU ; then
         return 1
     fi
@@ -188,7 +188,12 @@ launch() {
 
     ip link set $LOCAL_IFNAME master $BRIDGE &&
     ip link set $LOCAL_IFNAME up &&
-    ip netns exec $NETNS ip link set $GUEST_IFNAME name $CONTAINER_IFNAME &&
+    ip netns exec $NETNS ip link set $GUEST_IFNAME name $CONTAINER_IFNAME
+    }
+
+
+launch() {
+    connect_container_to_bridge &&
     ip netns exec $NETNS ip link set $CONTAINER_IFNAME up &&
     check_command_and_run ethtool ip netns exec $NETNS ethtool -K eth0 tx off >/dev/null
 }
@@ -209,20 +214,7 @@ attach() {
         return 0
     fi
 
-    if ! ip link add name $LOCAL_IFNAME mtu $MTU type veth peer name $GUEST_IFNAME mtu $MTU ; then
-        return 1
-    fi
-
-    if ! ip link set $GUEST_IFNAME netns $NETNS ; then
-        # failed before we assigned the veth to the container's
-        # namespace - delete it
-        ip link del $LOCAL_IFNAME type veth || true
-        return 1
-    fi
-
-    if ! ip link set $LOCAL_IFNAME master $BRIDGE ||
-        ! ip link set $LOCAL_IFNAME up ||
-        ! ip netns exec $NETNS ip link set $GUEST_IFNAME name $CONTAINER_IFNAME ||
+    if ! connect_container_to_bridge ||
         ! ip netns exec $NETNS ip addr add $1 dev $CONTAINER_IFNAME ||
         ! ip netns exec $NETNS ip link set $CONTAINER_IFNAME up ||
         ! check_command_and_run ethtool ip netns exec $NETNS ethtool -K $CONTAINER_IFNAME tx off >/dev/null ; then