diff --git a/src/aarecommon/config/util.py b/src/aarecommon/config/util.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8bd4b36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/aarecommon/config/util.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import os
+from contextlib import contextmanager, redirect_stderr, redirect_stdout
+
+
+@contextmanager
+def suppress_output():
+    """Suppress both stdout and stderr by redirecting them to os.devnull."""
+    # Note that this shouldn't catch logs as well: https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/123481
+    # it is intended for suppressing print output from macros called by the DAQ server
+    with open(os.devnull, "w") as fnull:
+        with redirect_stdout(fnull), redirect_stderr(fnull):
+            yield