diff --git a/src/pvaproto.h b/src/pvaproto.h
index c509450..a096c80 100644
--- a/src/pvaproto.h
+++ b/src/pvaproto.h
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 
 namespace pvxs {namespace impl {
 
+constexpr bool hostBE{EPICS_BYTE_ORDER==EPICS_ENDIAN_BIG};
+
 //! view of a slice of a buffer.
 //! Don't use directly.  cf. FixedBuf
 struct PVXS_API Buffer {
@@ -194,7 +196,7 @@ inline void to_wire(Buffer& buf, const T& val)
         uint8_t b[sizeof(T)];
     } pun;
     pun.v = val;
-    _to_wire<sizeof(T)>(buf, pun.b, buf.be ^ (EPICS_BYTE_ORDER==EPICS_ENDIAN_BIG));
+    _to_wire<sizeof(T)>(buf, pun.b, buf.be ^ hostBE);
 }
 
 template<typename T, typename std::enable_if<sizeof(T)==1 && std::is_scalar<T>{}, int>::type =0>
@@ -220,7 +222,7 @@ inline void from_wire(Buffer& buf, T& val)
         T v;
         uint8_t b[sizeof(T)];
     } pun;
-    _from_wire<sizeof(T)>(buf, pun.b, buf.be ^ (EPICS_BYTE_ORDER==EPICS_ENDIAN_BIG));
+    _from_wire<sizeof(T)>(buf, pun.b, buf.be ^ hostBE);
     if(buf.good())
         val = pun.v;
 }
diff --git a/src/serverchan.cpp b/src/serverchan.cpp
index 0f72692..9a14380 100644
--- a/src/serverchan.cpp
+++ b/src/serverchan.cpp
@@ -71,8 +71,7 @@ void ServerChannelControl::close()
                 // Send unsolicited Channel Destroy
 
                 auto tx = bufferevent_get_output(conn->bev.get());
-                constexpr bool be = EPICS_BYTE_ORDER==EPICS_ENDIAN_BIG;
-                EvOutBuf R(be, tx);
+                EvOutBuf R(hostBE, tx);
                 to_wire(R, Header{CMD_DESTROY_CHANNEL, pva_flags::Server, 8});
                 to_wire(R, ch->sid);
                 to_wire(R, ch->cid);
@@ -84,7 +83,6 @@ void ServerChannelControl::close()
 
 void ServerConn::handle_SEARCH()
 {
-    const bool be = EPICS_BYTE_ORDER==EPICS_ENDIAN_BIG;
     EvInBuf M(peerBE, segBuf.get(), 16);
 
     uint32_t searchID=0;
@@ -145,7 +143,7 @@ void ServerConn::handle_SEARCH()
     {
         (void)evbuffer_drain(txBody.get(), evbuffer_get_length(txBody.get()));
 
-        EvOutBuf R(be, txBody.get());
+        EvOutBuf R(hostBE, txBody.get());
 
         to_wire(M, searchID);
         to_wire(M, iface->bind_addr);
@@ -161,18 +159,11 @@ void ServerConn::handle_SEARCH()
         }
     }
 
-    auto tx = bufferevent_get_output(bev.get());
-    to_evbuf(tx, Header{CMD_SEARCH_RESPONSE,
-                        pva_flags::Server,
-                        uint32_t(evbuffer_get_length(txBody.get()))},
-             be);
-    auto err = evbuffer_add_buffer(tx, txBody.get());
-    assert(!err);
+    enqueueTxBody(CMD_SEARCH_RESPONSE);
 }
 
 void ServerConn::handle_CREATE_CHANNEL()
 {
-    const bool be = EPICS_BYTE_ORDER==EPICS_ENDIAN_BIG;
     const auto self = shared_from_this();
 
     EvInBuf M(peerBE, segBuf.get(), 16);
@@ -252,7 +243,7 @@ void ServerConn::handle_CREATE_CHANNEL()
         {
             (void)evbuffer_drain(txBody.get(), evbuffer_get_length(txBody.get()));
 
-            EvOutBuf R(be, txBody.get());
+            EvOutBuf R(hostBE, txBody.get());
             to_wire(R, cid);
             to_wire(R, sid);
             to_wire(R, sts);
@@ -264,13 +255,7 @@ void ServerConn::handle_CREATE_CHANNEL()
             }
         }
 
-        auto tx = bufferevent_get_output(bev.get());
-        to_evbuf(tx, Header{CMD_CREATE_CHANNEL,
-                            pva_flags::Server,
-                            uint32_t(evbuffer_get_length(txBody.get()))},
-                 be);
-        auto err = evbuffer_add_buffer(tx, txBody.get());
-        assert(!err);
+        enqueueTxBody(CMD_CREATE_CHANNEL);
     }
 
     if(!M.good()) {
@@ -324,8 +309,7 @@ void ServerConn::handle_DESTROY_CHANNEL()
 
     {
         auto tx = bufferevent_get_output(bev.get());
-        constexpr bool be = EPICS_BYTE_ORDER==EPICS_ENDIAN_BIG;
-        EvOutBuf R(be, tx);
+        EvOutBuf R(hostBE, tx);
         to_wire(R, Header{CMD_DESTROY_CHANNEL, pva_flags::Server, 8});
         to_wire(R, sid);
         to_wire(R, cid);
diff --git a/src/serverconn.cpp b/src/serverconn.cpp
index 8647f0a..3f34bd7 100644
--- a/src/serverconn.cpp
+++ b/src/serverconn.cpp
@@ -53,14 +53,13 @@ ServerConn::ServerConn(ServIface* iface, evutil_socket_t sock, struct sockaddr *
     auto tx = bufferevent_get_output(bev.get());
 
     std::vector<uint8_t> buf(128);
-    const bool be = EPICS_BYTE_ORDER == EPICS_ENDIAN_BIG;
 
     // queue connection validation message
     {
-        uint8_t flags = be ? pva_flags::MSB : 0;
+        uint8_t flags = hostBE ? pva_flags::MSB : 0;
         flags |= pva_flags::Server;
 
-        VectorOutBuf M(be, buf);
+        VectorOutBuf M(hostBE, buf);
         to_wire(M, Header{pva_ctrl_msg::SetEndian, pva_flags::Control|pva_flags::Server, 0});
 
         auto save = M.save();
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@ ServerConn::ServerConn(ServIface* iface, evutil_socket_t sock, struct sockaddr *
         to_wire(M, "ca");
         auto bend = M.save();
 
-        FixedBuf H(be, save, 8);
+        FixedBuf H(hostBE, save, 8);
         to_wire(H, Header{CMD_CONNECTION_VALIDATION, pva_flags::Server, uint32_t(bend-bstart)});
 
         assert(M.good() && H.good());
@@ -100,6 +99,17 @@ const std::shared_ptr<ServerChan>& ServerConn::lookupSID(uint32_t sid)
     return it->second;
 }
 
+void ServerConn::enqueueTxBody(pva_app_msg_t cmd)
+{
+    auto tx = bufferevent_get_output(bev.get());
+    to_evbuf(tx, Header{cmd,
+                        pva_flags::Server,
+                        uint32_t(evbuffer_get_length(txBody.get()))},
+             hostBE);
+    auto err = evbuffer_add_buffer(tx, txBody.get());
+    assert(!err);
+}
+
 void ServerConn::handle_ECHO()
 {
     // Client requests echo as a keep-alive check
@@ -107,8 +117,7 @@ void ServerConn::handle_ECHO()
     auto tx = bufferevent_get_output(bev.get());
     uint32_t len = evbuffer_get_length(segBuf.get());
 
-    const bool be = EPICS_BYTE_ORDER == EPICS_ENDIAN_BIG;
-    to_evbuf(tx, Header{CMD_ECHO, pva_flags::Server, len}, be);
+    to_evbuf(tx, Header{CMD_ECHO, pva_flags::Server, len}, hostBE);
 
     auto err = evbuffer_add_buffer(tx, segBuf.get());
     assert(!err);
@@ -120,21 +129,14 @@ void ServerConn::handle_ECHO()
 static
 void auth_complete(ServerConn *self, const Status& sts)
 {
-    const bool be = EPICS_BYTE_ORDER==EPICS_ENDIAN_BIG;
     (void)evbuffer_drain(self->txBody.get(), evbuffer_get_length(self->txBody.get()));
 
     {
-        EvOutBuf M(be, self->txBody.get());
+        EvOutBuf M(hostBE, self->txBody.get());
         to_wire(M, sts);
     }
 
-    auto tx = bufferevent_get_output(self->bev.get());
-    to_evbuf(tx, Header{CMD_CONNECTION_VALIDATED,
-                        pva_flags::Server,
-                        uint32_t(evbuffer_get_length(self->txBody.get()))},
-             be);
-    auto err = evbuffer_add_buffer(tx, self->txBody.get());
-    assert(!err);
+    self->enqueueTxBody(CMD_CONNECTION_VALIDATED);
 
     log_printf(connsetup, PLVL_DEBUG, "%s Auth complete with %d\n", self->peerName.c_str(), sts.code);
 }
diff --git a/src/serverconn.h b/src/serverconn.h
index 6965338..ad459fb 100644
--- a/src/serverconn.h
+++ b/src/serverconn.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ struct ServerConn;
 struct ServerChan;
 struct ServerChan;
 
+// base for tracking in-progress operations.  cf. ServerConn::opByIOID and ServerChan::opByIOID
 struct ServerOp
 {
     const std::weak_ptr<ServerChan> chan;
@@ -109,6 +110,8 @@ struct ServerConn : public std::enable_shared_from_this<ServerConn>
 
     const std::shared_ptr<ServerChan>& lookupSID(uint32_t sid);
 
+    void enqueueTxBody(pva_app_msg_t cmd);
+
 private:
 #define CASE(Op) void handle_##Op();
     CASE(ECHO);
diff --git a/src/serverget.cpp b/src/serverget.cpp
index 05271ae..c654d4d 100644
--- a/src/serverget.cpp
+++ b/src/serverget.cpp
@@ -82,8 +82,6 @@ struct ServerGetControl : public server::Get
             if(!conn || !conn->bev)
                 return;
 
-            const bool be = EPICS_BYTE_ORDER==EPICS_ENDIAN_BIG;
-
             Status sts{};
             uint8_t cmd = oper->state==ServerOp::Creating ? 0x08 : oper->lastRequest ? 0x50 : 0x40;
 
@@ -123,7 +121,7 @@ struct ServerGetControl : public server::Get
             {
                 (void)evbuffer_drain(conn->txBody.get(), evbuffer_get_length(conn->txBody.get()));
 
-                EvOutBuf R(be, conn->txBody.get());
+                EvOutBuf R(hostBE, conn->txBody.get());
                 to_wire(R, uint32_t(oper->ioid));
                 to_wire(R, cmd);
                 to_wire(R, sts);
@@ -141,13 +139,7 @@ struct ServerGetControl : public server::Get
                 }
             }
 
-            auto tx = bufferevent_get_output(conn->bev.get());
-            to_evbuf(tx, Header{CMD_GET,
-                                pva_flags::Server,
-                                uint32_t(evbuffer_get_length(conn->txBody.get()))},
-                     be);
-            auto err = evbuffer_add_buffer(tx, conn->txBody.get());
-            assert(!err);
+            conn->enqueueTxBody(CMD_GET);
 
             if(oper->state == ServerOp::Dead) {
                 conn->opByIOID.erase(oper->ioid);
diff --git a/src/serverintrospect.cpp b/src/serverintrospect.cpp
index e514c06..14ef199 100644
--- a/src/serverintrospect.cpp
+++ b/src/serverintrospect.cpp
@@ -68,24 +68,17 @@ struct ServerIntrospectControl : public server::Introspect
             if(!conn || !conn->bev)
                 return;
 
-            const bool be = EPICS_BYTE_ORDER==EPICS_ENDIAN_BIG;
             {
                 (void)evbuffer_drain(conn->txBody.get(), evbuffer_get_length(conn->txBody.get()));
 
-                EvOutBuf R(be, conn->txBody.get());
+                EvOutBuf R(hostBE, conn->txBody.get());
                 to_wire(R, uint32_t(oper->ioid));
                 to_wire(R, sts);
                 if(type)
                     to_wire(R, type);
             }
 
-            auto tx = bufferevent_get_output(conn->bev.get());
-            to_evbuf(tx, Header{CMD_GET_FIELD,
-                                pva_flags::Server,
-                                uint32_t(evbuffer_get_length(conn->txBody.get()))},
-                     be);
-            auto err = evbuffer_add_buffer(tx, conn->txBody.get());
-            assert(!err);
+            conn->enqueueTxBody(CMD_GET_FIELD);
 
             oper->state = ServerOp::Dead;
             conn->opByIOID.erase(oper->ioid);