diff --git a/src/h5core/h5_mpi.c b/src/h5core/h5_mpi.c
index 9ff6bce..d1d5dcc 100644
--- a/src/h5core/h5_mpi.c
+++ b/src/h5core/h5_mpi.c
@@ -2,13 +2,18 @@
 #include "h5_core_private.h"
 
 #ifdef PARALLEL_IO
+
+const char* ERR_GATHER = "Cannot gather data.";
+const char* ERR_COMM_SIZE = "Cannot get number of processes in my group.";
+const char* ERR_COMM_RANK = "Cannot get rank of the calling process.";
+
 h5_err_t
 h5priv_mpi_allgather (
-	h5_file_t * const f,
-	void * sendbuf,
+	h5_file_t* const f,
+	void* sendbuf,
 	const int sendcount,
 	const MPI_Datatype sendtype,
-	void * recvbuf,
+	void* recvbuf,
 	const int recvcount,
 	const MPI_Datatype recvtype,
 	const MPI_Comm comm
@@ -20,45 +25,34 @@ h5priv_mpi_allgather (
 		recvbuf,
 		recvcount,
 		recvtype,
-		comm );
-	if ( err != MPI_SUCCESS )
-		return h5_error (
-			f,
-			H5_ERR_MPI,
-			"Cannot gather data." );
+		comm);
+	if (err != MPI_SUCCESS)
+		return h5_error (f, H5_ERR_MPI, ERR_GATHER);
 	return H5_SUCCESS;
 }
 
 h5_err_t
 h5priv_mpi_comm_size (
-	h5_file_t * const f,
+	h5_file_t* const f,
 	MPI_Comm comm,
-	int *size
+	int* size
 	) {
-	int err = MPI_Comm_size ( comm, size );
-	if ( err != MPI_SUCCESS )
-		h5_error (
-			f,
-			H5_ERR_MPI,
-			"Cannot get number of processes in my group." );
-
+	int err = MPI_Comm_size (comm, size);
+	if (err != MPI_SUCCESS)
+		return h5_error (f, H5_ERR_MPI, ERR_COMM_SIZE);
 	return H5_SUCCESS;
 }
 
 
 h5_err_t
 h5priv_mpi_comm_rank (
-	h5_file_t * const f,
+	h5_file_t* const f,
 	MPI_Comm comm,
-	int *rank
+	int* rank
 	) {
-	int err = MPI_Comm_rank ( comm, rank );
-	if ( err != MPI_SUCCESS )
-		h5_error (
-			f,
-			H5_ERR_MPI,
-			"Cannot get rank of the calling process in my group." );
-
+	int err = MPI_Comm_rank (comm, rank);
+	if (err != MPI_SUCCESS)
+		return h5_error (f, H5_ERR_MPI, ERR_COMM_RANK);
 	return H5_SUCCESS;
 }
 #endif