diff --git a/Module.py b/Module.py
index ef98c30..261cfe3 100644
--- a/Module.py
+++ b/Module.py
@@ -134,6 +134,18 @@ class Module(object):
                     self.unregister_handlers()
                     obj(self.config, self.server, self.modlist)
 
+    # Utility method to do the proper type of reply (either to IRC, or as a return
+    # to caller) depending on the target. Pretty simple, and included in the base
+    # class for convenience. It should be the last step for callers:
+    #
+    # return self.reply(connection, replypath, 'hello')
+
+    def reply(self, connection, replypath, replystr):
+        if replypath is None:
+            return replystr
+        else:
+            connection.privmsg(replypath, replystr)
+
     # Upon seeing a line intended for this module, see if there are subcommands
     # that we should do what is basically a text replacement on. The intent is to
     # allow things like the following:
diff --git a/modules/Countdown.py b/modules/Countdown.py
index caba75a..090631e 100644
--- a/modules/Countdown.py
+++ b/modules/Countdown.py
@@ -51,18 +51,12 @@ class Countdown(Module):
 
                 self.config.set('countdown', item, target.astimezone(tzutc()).isoformat())
                 replystr = 'added countdown item ' + whats[2]
-                if replypath is None:
-                    return replystr
-                else:
-                    connection.privmsg(replypath, replystr)
+                return self.reply(connection, replypath, replystr)
             elif whats[1] == 'remove':
                 try:
                     if self.config.remove_option('countdown', whats[2]):
                         replystr = 'removed countdown item ' + whats[2]
-                        if replypath is None:
-                            return replystr
-                        else:
-                            connection.privmsg(replypath, replystr)
+                        return self.reply(connection, replypath, replystr)
                 except NoSectionError: pass
             elif whats[1] == 'list':
                 try:
@@ -70,10 +64,7 @@ class Countdown(Module):
                     cdlist.remove('debug')
                     cdlist.sort()
                     liststr = ', '.join(cdlist)
-                    if replypath is None:
-                        return liststr
-                    else:
-                        connection.privmsg(replypath, liststr)
+                    return self.reply(connection, replypath, liststr)
                 except NoSectionError: pass
             else:
                 try:
@@ -94,10 +85,7 @@ class Countdown(Module):
                     if rdelta.seconds != 0:
                         relstr += str(rdelta.seconds) + ' seconds'
                     #relstr += ' (' + timestr + ')'
-                    if replypath is None:
-                        return relstr
-                    else:
-                        connection.privmsg(replypath, relstr)
+                    return self.reply(connection, replypath, relstr)
                 except NoOptionError: pass
 
 # vi:tabstop=4:expandtab:autoindent
diff --git a/modules/Dice.py b/modules/Dice.py
index 13de5de..a906c4e 100644
--- a/modules/Dice.py
+++ b/modules/Dice.py
@@ -101,10 +101,7 @@ class Dice(Module):
                     if t != times-1:
                         result += ', '
 
-                if replypath is None:
-                    return result
-                else:
-                    connection.privmsg(replypath, result)
+                return self.reply(connection, replypath, result)
 
 # vi:tabstop=4:expandtab:autoindent
 # kate: indent-mode python;indent-width 4;replace-tabs on;
diff --git a/modules/FactFile.py b/modules/FactFile.py
index 9bbcb35..7f1e3a3 100644
--- a/modules/FactFile.py
+++ b/modules/FactFile.py
@@ -51,10 +51,7 @@ class FactFile(Module):
                 to_print = facts[random.randint(1, len(facts))-1]
 
                 # return text
-                if replypath is None:
-                    return to_print.rstrip()
-                else:
-                    connection.privmsg(replypath, to_print.rstrip())
+                return self.reply(connection, replypath, to_print.rstrip())
             else:
                 print('filename in config file for \'' + whats[0] + '\' is wrong')
 
diff --git a/modules/GoogleTranslate.py b/modules/GoogleTranslate.py
index d62686c..d18d424 100644
--- a/modules/GoogleTranslate.py
+++ b/modules/GoogleTranslate.py
@@ -65,10 +65,7 @@ class GoogleTranslate(Module):
             translation = translation.replace('\\u0026gt;', '>')
             translation = translation.replace('\\u0026#39;', '\'')
 
-            if replypath is None:
-                return translation
-            else:
-                connection.privmsg(replypath, translation)
+            return self.reply(connection, replypath, translation)
 
 # vi:tabstop=4:expandtab:autoindent
 # kate: indent-mode python;indent-width 4;replace-tabs on;
diff --git a/modules/IrcAdmin.py b/modules/IrcAdmin.py
index 9ccb1a7..6bd8367 100644
--- a/modules/IrcAdmin.py
+++ b/modules/IrcAdmin.py
@@ -80,10 +80,7 @@ class IrcAdmin(Module):
             if irclib.is_channel(channel):
                 connection.join(channel)
                 replystr = 'joined ' + channel
-                if replypath is None:
-                    return replystr
-                else:
-                    connection.privmsg(replypath, replystr)
+                return self.reply(connection, replypath, replystr)
 
     def sub_part_channel(self, connection, event, nick, userhost, replypath, what, admin_unlocked):
         whats = what.split(' ')
@@ -92,10 +89,7 @@ class IrcAdmin(Module):
             if irclib.is_channel(channel):
                 connection.part(channel, ' '.join(whats[2:]))
                 replystr = 'parted ' + channel
-                if replypath is None:
-                    return replystr
-                else:
-                    connection.privmsg(replypath, replystr)
+                return self.reply(connection, replypath, replystr)
 
     def sub_quit_irc(self, connection, event, nick, userhost, replypath, what, admin_unlocked):
         whats = what.split(' ')
@@ -118,10 +112,7 @@ class IrcAdmin(Module):
                         channelset.add(channel)
                         self.config.set('channels', 'autojoin', ','.join(channelset))
                         replystr = 'added ' + channel + ' to autojoin'
-                        if replypath is None:
-                            return replystr
-                        else:
-                            connection.privmsg(replypath, replystr)
+                        return self.reply(connection, replypath, replystr)
                 except NoOptionError: pass
             elif whats[1] == 'remove':
                 try:
@@ -132,10 +123,7 @@ class IrcAdmin(Module):
                         channelset.discard(channel)
                         self.config.set('channels', 'autojoin', ','.join(channelset))
                         replystr = 'removed ' + channel + ' from autojoin'
-                        if replypath is None:
-                            return replystr
-                        else:
-                            connection.privmsg(replypath, replystr)
+                        return self.reply(connection, replypath, replystr)
                 except NoOptionError: pass
 
     def sub_save_config(self, connection, event, nick, userhost, replypath, what, admin_unlocked):
@@ -144,10 +132,7 @@ class IrcAdmin(Module):
             with open('dr.botzo.cfg', 'w') as cfg:
                 self.config.write(cfg)
             replystr = 'saved config file'
-            if replypath is None:
-                return replystr
-            else:
-                connection.privmsg(replypath, replystr)
+            return self.reply(connection, replypath, replystr)
 
     def sub_change_nick(self, connection, event, nick, userhost, replypath, what, admin_unlocked):
         whats = what.split(' ')
@@ -156,10 +141,7 @@ class IrcAdmin(Module):
             connection.nick(newnick)
             self.config.set('IRC', 'nick', newnick)
             replystr = 'changed nickname'
-            if replypath is None:
-                return replystr
-            else:
-                connection.privmsg(replypath, replystr)
+            return self.reply(connection, replypath, replystr)
 
     # Save the config file.
     def save_config(self):
diff --git a/modules/Seen.py b/modules/Seen.py
index bf517d8..599fc99 100644
--- a/modules/Seen.py
+++ b/modules/Seen.py
@@ -88,10 +88,7 @@ class Seen(Module):
                     seendata = self.config.get('seen', query).split('|:|')
                     converted = datetime.strptime(seendata[1], "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S.%f").replace(tzinfo=tzutc())
                     replystr = 'last saw ' + query + ' at ' + converted.astimezone(tzlocal()).strftime("%Y/%m/%d %H:%M:%S %Z") + ' saying \'' + seendata[2] + '\''
-                    if replypath is None:
-                        return replystr
-                    else:
-                        connection.privmsg(replypath, replystr)
+                    return self.reply(connection, replypath, replystr)
                 except NoOptionError: pass
 
 # vi:tabstop=4:expandtab:autoindent