diff --git a/commons/ihe/hl7v2/src/main/java/org/openehealth/ipf/commons/ihe/hl7v2/Hl7v2TransactionConfiguration.java b/commons/ihe/hl7v2/src/main/java/org/openehealth/ipf/commons/ihe/hl7v2/Hl7v2TransactionConfiguration.java
index 4c07498bfe..44d2c44b25 100644
--- a/commons/ihe/hl7v2/src/main/java/org/openehealth/ipf/commons/ihe/hl7v2/Hl7v2TransactionConfiguration.java
+++ b/commons/ihe/hl7v2/src/main/java/org/openehealth/ipf/commons/ihe/hl7v2/Hl7v2TransactionConfiguration.java
@@ -219,11 +219,13 @@ private static Map<String, Definition> createDefinitionsMap(
      * Returns <code>true</code> when request messages of the given type are auditable.
      */
     public boolean isAuditable(String messageType) {
-        Definition definition = definitions.get(true).get(messageType);
-        if (definition == null) {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unknown message type " + messageType);
+        try {
+            Definition definition = getDefinitionForMessageType(messageType, true);
+            return definition.auditable;
+        } catch (Hl7v2AcceptanceException e) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException(e);
         }
-        return definition.auditable;
+
     }
 
 
@@ -236,11 +238,12 @@ public boolean isAuditable(String messageType) {
      * structure -- segments DSC, QAK.
      */
     public boolean isContinuable(String messageType) {
-        Definition definition = definitions.get(true).get(messageType);
-        if (definition == null) {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unknown message type " + messageType);
+        try {
+            Definition definition = getDefinitionForMessageType(messageType, true);
+            return definition.responseContinuable;
+        } catch (Hl7v2AcceptanceException e) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException(e);
         }
-        return definition.responseContinuable;
     }
 
 
@@ -339,15 +342,7 @@ public void checkMessageAcceptance(
     {
         checkMessageVersion(version);
 
-        Definition definition = definitions.get(isRequest).get(messageType);
-
-        if (definition == null) {
-            definition = definitions.get(isRequest).get("*");
-            if (definition == null) {
-                throw new Hl7v2AcceptanceException("Invalid message type " + messageType + ", must be one of " +
-                        join(definitions.get(isRequest).keySet()), ErrorCode.UNSUPPORTED_MESSAGE_TYPE);
-            }
-        }
+        Definition definition = getDefinitionForMessageType(messageType, isRequest);
 
         if (! definition.isAllowedTriggerEvent(triggerEvent)) {
             throw new Hl7v2AcceptanceException("Invalid trigger event " + triggerEvent + ", must be one of " +
@@ -383,6 +378,18 @@ public void checkMessageAcceptance(
         }
     }
 
+    private Definition getDefinitionForMessageType(String messageType, boolean isRequest) throws Hl7v2AcceptanceException {
+        Definition definition = definitions.get(isRequest).get(messageType);
+        if (definition == null) {
+            definition = definitions.get(isRequest).get("*");
+            if (definition == null) {
+                throw new Hl7v2AcceptanceException("Invalid message type " + messageType + ", must be one of " +
+                        join(definitions.get(isRequest).keySet()), ErrorCode.UNSUPPORTED_MESSAGE_TYPE);
+            }
+        }
+        return definition;
+    }
+
     private void checkMessageVersion(String version) throws Hl7v2AcceptanceException {
         Version messageVersion = Version.versionOf(version);
         if (! ArrayUtils.contains(hl7Versions, messageVersion)) {