diff --git a/src/include/taler_mhd_lib.h b/src/include/taler_mhd_lib.h
index 7f38ffcf5..b0012a645 100644
--- a/src/include/taler_mhd_lib.h
+++ b/src/include/taler_mhd_lib.h
@@ -249,6 +249,17 @@ TALER_MHD_make_json_pack (const char *fmt,
   TALER_MHD_make_json_steal (GNUNET_JSON_PACK (__VA_ARGS__))
 
 
+/**
+ * Pack Taler error code @a ec and associated hint into a
+ * JSON object.
+ *
+ * @param ec error code to pack
+ * @return packer array entries (two!)
+ */
+#define TALER_MHD_PACK_EC(ec) \
+  GNUNET_JSON_pack_uint64 ("code", ec), \
+  GNUNET_JSON_pack_string ("hint", TALER_ErrorCode_get_hint (ec))
+
 /**
  * Create a response indicating an internal error.
  *
diff --git a/src/mhd/mhd_responses.c b/src/mhd/mhd_responses.c
index 2918440a2..a639f4052 100644
--- a/src/mhd/mhd_responses.c
+++ b/src/mhd/mhd_responses.c
@@ -371,8 +371,7 @@ TALER_MHD_make_error (enum TALER_ErrorCode ec,
                       const char *detail)
 {
   return TALER_MHD_MAKE_JSON_PACK (
-    GNUNET_JSON_pack_uint64 ("code", ec),
-    GNUNET_JSON_pack_string ("hint", TALER_ErrorCode_get_hint (ec)),
+    TALER_MHD_PACK_EC (ec),
     GNUNET_JSON_pack_allow_null (
       GNUNET_JSON_pack_string ("detail", detail)));
 }
@@ -387,8 +386,7 @@ TALER_MHD_reply_with_error (struct MHD_Connection *connection,
   return TALER_MHD_REPLY_JSON_PACK (
     connection,
     http_status,
-    GNUNET_JSON_pack_uint64 ("code", ec),
-    GNUNET_JSON_pack_string ("hint", TALER_ErrorCode_get_hint (ec)),
+    TALER_MHD_PACK_EC (ec),
     GNUNET_JSON_pack_allow_null (
       GNUNET_JSON_pack_string ("detail", detail)));
 }