diff --git a/src/internfile/internfile.cpp b/src/internfile/internfile.cpp
index ba30ca5d..3183fff4 100644
--- a/src/internfile/internfile.cpp
+++ b/src/internfile/internfile.cpp
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ void FileInterner::initcommon(RclConfig *cnf, int flags)
     m_targetMType = cstr_textplain;
 }
 
-// We used a single beagle cache object to access beagle data. We protect it 
+// We use a single beagle cache object to access beagle data. We protect it 
 // against multiple thread access.
 static PTMutexInit o_beagler_mutex;
 
@@ -391,9 +391,7 @@ FileInterner::FileInterner(const Rcl::Doc& idoc, RclConfig *cnf,
     // and use some kind of backstore object factory next time we add a 
     // backend (if ever). 
     string backend;
-    map<string, string>::const_iterator it;
-    if ((it = idoc.meta.find(Rcl::Doc::keybcknd)) != idoc.meta.end())
-        backend = it->second;
+    idoc.getmeta(Rcl::Doc::keybcknd, &backend);
     
     if (backend.empty() || !backend.compare("FS")) {
         // Filesystem document. Intern from file.
@@ -412,16 +410,14 @@ FileInterner::FileInterner(const Rcl::Doc& idoc, RclConfig *cnf,
         }
         init(fn, &st, cnf, flags, &idoc.mimetype);
     } else if (!backend.compare("BGL")) {
-        string data;
-        Rcl::Doc dotdoc;
-        map<string,string>::const_iterator it = 
-            idoc.meta.find(Rcl::Doc::keyudi);
-        if (it == idoc.meta.end() || it->second.empty()) {
+        string udi;
+        if (!idoc.getmeta(Rcl::Doc::keyudi, &udi) || udi.empty()) {
             LOGERR(("FileInterner:: no udi in idoc\n"));
             return;
         }
-        string udi = it->second;
 
+        string data;
+        Rcl::Doc dotdoc;
 	{
 	    PTMutexLocker locker(o_beagler_mutex);
 	    // Retrieve from our webcache (beagle data). The beagler
diff --git a/src/qtgui/preview_w.cpp b/src/qtgui/preview_w.cpp
index d4c09dbe..e3a42725 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/preview_w.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/preview_w.cpp
@@ -504,11 +504,9 @@ void Preview::setCurTabProps(const Rcl::Doc &doc, int docnum)
 {
     LOGDEB1(("PreviewTextEdit::setCurTabProps\n"));
     QString title;
-    map<string,string>::const_iterator meta_it;
-    if ((meta_it = doc.meta.find(Rcl::Doc::keytt)) != doc.meta.end()
-        && !meta_it->second.empty()) {
-	    title = QString::fromUtf8(meta_it->second.c_str(), 
-				      meta_it->second.length());
+    string ctitle;
+    if (doc.getmeta(Rcl::Doc::keytt, &ctitle)) {
+	title = QString::fromUtf8(ctitle.c_str(), ctitle.length());
     } else {
         title = QString::fromLocal8Bit(path_getsimple(doc.url).c_str());
     }
@@ -531,8 +529,8 @@ void Preview::setCurTabProps(const Rcl::Doc &doc, int docnum)
     printableUrl(theconfig->getDefCharset(), doc.url, url);
     string tiptxt = url + string("\n");
     tiptxt += doc.mimetype + " " + string(datebuf) + "\n";
-    if (meta_it != doc.meta.end() && !meta_it->second.empty())
-	tiptxt += meta_it->second + "\n";
+    if (!ctitle.empty())
+	tiptxt += ctitle + "\n";
     pvTab->setTabToolTip(curidx,
 			 QString::fromUtf8(tiptxt.c_str(), tiptxt.length()));
 
@@ -966,9 +964,10 @@ bool Preview::loadDocInCurrentTab(const Rcl::Doc &idoc, int docnum)
 
 
     // Enter document in document history
-    map<string,string>::const_iterator udit = idoc.meta.find(Rcl::Doc::keyudi);
-    if (udit != idoc.meta.end())
-        historyEnterDoc(g_dynconf, udit->second);
+    string udi;
+    if (idoc.getmeta(Rcl::Doc::keyudi, &udi)) {
+        historyEnterDoc(g_dynconf, udi);
+    }
 
     editor->setFocus();
     emit(previewExposed(this, m_searchId, docnum));
diff --git a/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp b/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp
index 78e6e4d6..5bbb7e80 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp
@@ -1213,9 +1213,7 @@ void RclMain::startNativeViewer(Rcl::Doc doc)
 	cmdplusattr = theconfig->getMimeViewerDef("application/x-all", "");
     } else {
         string apptag;
-        map<string,string>::const_iterator it;
-        if ((it = doc.meta.find(Rcl::Doc::keyapptg)) != doc.meta.end())
-            apptag = it->second;
+        doc.getmeta(Rcl::Doc::keyapptg, &apptag);
 	cmdplusattr = theconfig->getMimeViewerDef(doc.mimetype, apptag);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/query/reslistpager.cpp b/src/query/reslistpager.cpp
index 8903e15d..4b8a5aa9 100644
--- a/src/query/reslistpager.cpp
+++ b/src/query/reslistpager.cpp
@@ -206,9 +206,7 @@ void ResListPager::displayDoc(RclConfig *config,
     }
 
     string apptag;
-    map<string,string>::const_iterator it;
-    if ((it = doc.meta.find(Rcl::Doc::keyapptg)) != doc.meta.end())
-	apptag = it->second;
+    doc.getmeta(Rcl::Doc::keyapptg, &apptag);
 
     if (!config->getMimeViewerDef(doc.mimetype, apptag).empty()) {
 	linksbuf << "<a href=\"E" << docnumforlinks << "\">"  
diff --git a/src/rcldb/rcldoc.h b/src/rcldb/rcldoc.h
index c0073525..c86d4d59 100644
--- a/src/rcldb/rcldoc.h
+++ b/src/rcldb/rcldoc.h
@@ -134,6 +134,19 @@ class Doc {
 	xdocid = 0;
     }
 
+    /** Get value for named field. If value pointer is 0, just test existence */
+    bool getmeta(const string& nm, string *value = 0) const
+    {
+	map<string,string>::const_iterator it = meta.find(nm);
+	if (it != meta.end()) {
+	    if (value)
+		*value = it->second;
+	    return true;
+	} else {
+	    return false;
+	}
+    }
+
     void dump(bool dotext=false) const;
 
     // The official names for recoll native fields when used in a text