diff --git a/degesch.c b/degesch.c
index 8d37622..de40462 100644
--- a/degesch.c
+++ b/degesch.c
@@ -3878,6 +3878,42 @@ handle_command_set_replace (struct app_context *ctx,
 	return false;
 }
 
+static void
+handle_command_set_assign_item (struct app_context *ctx,
+	char *key, struct config_item_ *new_, bool add, bool remove)
+{
+	struct config_item_ *item =
+		config_item_get (ctx->config.root, key, NULL);
+	hard_assert (item);
+
+	struct error *e = NULL;
+	if ((add | remove) && item->type != CONFIG_ITEM_STRING_ARRAY)
+		// FIXME: it can also be null, which makes this message confusing
+		error_set (&e, "not a string array");
+	else if (add)
+		handle_command_set_add (item, new_->value.string.str, &e);
+	else if (remove)
+		handle_command_set_remove (item, new_->value.string.str, &e);
+	else
+		handle_command_set_replace (ctx, item, new_, &e);
+
+	if (e)
+	{
+		buffer_send_error (ctx, ctx->global_buffer,
+			"Failed to set option \"%s\": %s", key, e->message);
+		error_free (e);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		struct str_vector tmp;
+		str_vector_init (&tmp);
+		dump_matching_options (ctx, key, &tmp);
+		buffer_send_status (ctx, ctx->global_buffer,
+			"Option changed: %s", tmp.vector[0]);
+		str_vector_free (&tmp);
+	}
+}
+
 static bool
 handle_command_set_assign
 	(struct app_context *ctx, struct str_vector *all, char *arguments)
@@ -3912,40 +3948,10 @@ handle_command_set_assign
 		config_item_destroy (new_);
 		return true;
 	}
-
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < all->len; i++)
 	{
 		char *key = xstrndup (all->vector[i], strcspn (all->vector[i], " "));
-		struct config_item_ *item =
-			config_item_get (ctx->config.root, key, NULL);
-		hard_assert (item);
-
-		struct error *e = NULL;
-		if ((add | remove) && item->type != CONFIG_ITEM_STRING_ARRAY)
-			// FIXME: it can also be null, which makes this message confusing
-			error_set (&e, "not a string array");
-		else if (add)
-			handle_command_set_add (item, new_->value.string.str, &e);
-		else if (remove)
-			handle_command_set_remove (item, new_->value.string.str, &e);
-		else
-			handle_command_set_replace (ctx, item, new_, &e);
-
-		if (e)
-		{
-			buffer_send_error (ctx, ctx->global_buffer,
-				"Failed to set option \"%s\": %s", key, e->message);
-			error_free (e);
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			struct str_vector tmp;
-			str_vector_init (&tmp);
-			dump_matching_options (ctx, key, &tmp);
-			buffer_send_status (ctx, ctx->global_buffer,
-				"Option changed: %s", tmp.vector[0]);
-			str_vector_free (&tmp);
-		}
+		handle_command_set_assign_item (ctx, key, new_, add, remove);
 		free (key);
 	}
 	config_item_destroy (new_);