diff --git a/degesch.c b/degesch.c
index fe9469b..c48d43a 100644
--- a/degesch.c
+++ b/degesch.c
@@ -2670,6 +2670,15 @@ irc_make_user (struct server *s, char *nickname)
 	return user;
 }
 
+struct user *
+irc_get_or_make_user (struct server *s, const char *nickname)
+{
+	struct user *user = str_map_find (&s->irc_users, nickname);
+	if (user)
+		return user_ref (user);
+	return irc_make_user (s, xstrdup (nickname));
+}
+
 static struct buffer *
 irc_get_or_make_user_buffer (struct server *s, const char *nickname)
 {
@@ -2677,11 +2686,7 @@ irc_get_or_make_user_buffer (struct server *s, const char *nickname)
 	if (buffer)
 		return buffer;
 
-	struct user *user = str_map_find (&s->irc_users, nickname);
-	if (!user)
-		user = irc_make_user (s, xstrdup (nickname));
-	else
-		user = user_ref (user);
+	struct user *user = irc_get_or_make_user (s, nickname);
 
 	// Open a new buffer for the user
 	buffer = buffer_new ();