diff --git a/tests/FuncUtils.py b/tests/FuncUtils.py
index abf40f5..96c4643 100644
--- a/tests/FuncUtils.py
+++ b/tests/FuncUtils.py
@@ -412,10 +412,7 @@
 def get_portstats(self,port_num):
 
 # Return all the port counters in the form a tuple 
-    port_stats_req = ofp.message.port_stats_request()
-    port_stats_req.port_no = port_num  
-    response,pkt = self.controller.transact(port_stats_req)
-    self.assertTrue(response is not None,"No response received for port stats request") 
+    entries = get_port_stats(self, port_num)
     rx_pkts=0
     tx_pkts=0
     rx_byts=0
@@ -431,7 +428,7 @@
     tx_err=0
 
 
-    for obj in response.entries:
+    for obj in entries:
         rx_pkts += obj.rx_packets
         tx_pkts += obj.tx_packets
         rx_byts += obj.rx_bytes
diff --git a/tests/port_stats.py b/tests/port_stats.py
index a61aed8..41bc0cf 100644
--- a/tests/port_stats.py
+++ b/tests/port_stats.py
@@ -60,16 +60,8 @@
                     'Response packet does not match send packet')
 
 def getStats(obj, port):
-    stat_req = ofp.message.port_stats_request()
-    stat_req.port_no = port
-
-    logging.info("Sending stats request")
-    response, pkt = obj.controller.transact(stat_req, timeout=2)
-    obj.assertTrue(response is not None, 
-                    "No response to stats request")
-    obj.assertTrue(len(response.entries) == 1,
-                    "Did not receive port stats reply")
-    for item in response.entries:
+    entries = get_port_stats(obj, port)
+    for item in entries:
         logging.info("Sent " + str(item.tx_packets) + " packets")
         packet_sent = item.tx_packets
         packet_recv = item.rx_packets
@@ -77,17 +69,9 @@
     return packet_sent, packet_recv
 
 def getAllStats(obj):
-    stat_req = ofp.message.port_stats_request()
-    stat_req.port_no = ofp.OFPP_NONE
-
-    logging.info("Sending all port stats request")
-    response, pkt = obj.controller.transact(stat_req, timeout=2)
-    obj.assertTrue(response is not None, 
-                    "No response to stats request")
-    obj.assertTrue(len(response.entries) >= 3,
-                    "Did not receive all port stats reply")
+    entries = get_port_stats(obj, ofp.OFPP_NONE)
     stats = {}
-    for item in response.entries:
+    for item in entries:
         stats[ item.port_no ] = ( item.tx_packets, item.rx_packets )
     return stats