diff --git a/lib/controllers/jobs.js b/lib/controllers/jobs.js
index d7c3da1..6ee5989 100644
--- a/lib/controllers/jobs.js
+++ b/lib/controllers/jobs.js
@@ -21,6 +21,21 @@ function main (app) {
     });
   }
 
+  function alter (action, message, req, res) {
+    app.models.job[action](req.params.id, function (err, job) {
+      if (err) {
+        res.json(422, err);
+      } else {
+        if (job) {
+          res.json(201, job);
+        } else {
+          res.json(404, {message: 'Job not found with id ' + req.params.id + (message || ' and that is available to '+ action)});
+        }
+      }
+    });
+
+  }
+
 
   return {
 
@@ -128,17 +143,7 @@ function main (app) {
     // PUT /jobs/:id/take
     //
     take: function (req,res) {
-      app.models.job.take(req.params.id, function(err, job){
-        if (err) {
-          res.json(422, err);
-        } else {
-          if (job) {
-            res.json(201, job);
-          } else {
-            res.json(404, {message: 'Job not found with id ' + req.params.id + ' and that is available to take'});
-          }
-        }
-      });
+      alter('take', null, req, res);
     },
 
 
@@ -146,17 +151,7 @@ function main (app) {
     // PUT /jobs/:id/release
     //
     release: function (req,res) {
-      app.models.job.release(req.params.id, function(err, job){
-        if (err) {
-          res.json(422, err);
-        } else {
-          if (job) {
-            res.json(201, job);
-          } else {
-            res.json(404, {message: 'Job not found with id ' + req.params.id + ' and that is available to release'});
-          }
-        }
-      });
+      alter('release', null, req, res);
     },
 
 
@@ -168,7 +163,7 @@ function main (app) {
       if (req.body.job && req.body.job.metadata) {
         metadata = req.body.job.metadata;
       }
-      app.models.job.complete(req.params.id, metadata, function(err, job){
+      app.models.job.complete(req.params.id, metadata, function (err, job) {
         if (err) {
           res.json(422, err);
         } else {
@@ -206,17 +201,7 @@ function main (app) {
 
 
     retry: function (req, res) {
-      app.models.job.retry(req.params.id, function (err, job) {
-        if (err) {
-          res.json(422, err);
-        } else {
-          if (job) {
-            res.json(201, job);
-          } else {
-            res.json(404, {message: 'Job not found with id ' + req.params.id + ' and that can be retried'});
-          }
-        }
-      });
+      alter('retry', ' and that can be retried', req, res);
     },