diff --git a/lib/LDV/LDAP.pm b/lib/LDV/LDAP.pm
index 643649d..5a5dbbf 100644
--- a/lib/LDV/LDAP.pm
+++ b/lib/LDV/LDAP.pm
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ sub _escape {
   return $str;
 }
 
+sub _uid_to_dn {
+  my ($self, $uid) = @_;
+  return sprintf "uid=%s,%s", $uid, $self->{userbase};
+}
+
 sub _filter_username {
   my ($self, $uid) = @_;
   return bless({and =>
@@ -55,7 +60,7 @@ sub create {
   return "User already exists"
     if ($data);
 
-  my $dn = sprintf "uid=%s,%s", $uid, $self->{userbase};
+  my $dn = $self->_uid_to_dn($uid);
   my $result = $conn->add($dn, attr => [
     objectClass  => ['inetOrgPerson'],
     uid => $uid,
@@ -71,7 +76,7 @@ sub delete {
   my ($self, $uid) = @_;
   my $conn   = $self->_connect();
   $uid = $self->_escape($uid);
-  my $dn = sprintf "uid=%s,%s", $uid, $self->{userbase};
+  my $dn = $self->_uid_to_dn($uid);
   my $result = $conn->delete($dn);
   $conn->unbind;
   return $result->error if ($result->code);
@@ -110,7 +115,7 @@ sub update {
   return "No such user"
     unless ($data);
 
-  my $dn = sprintf "uid=%s,%s", $uid, $self->{userbase};
+  my $dn = $self->_uid_to_dn($uid);
   my %allowed = map { $_ => 1 } @{$self->{defattrs}};
   my @chg = ();
   while (my ($key, $value) =  each(%$attrs)) {