diff --git a/src/cmd/create.go b/src/cmd/create.go
index b4e923651..41560cebe 100644
--- a/src/cmd/create.go
+++ b/src/cmd/create.go
@@ -149,13 +149,8 @@ func create(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 
 	if container != "" {
 		if !utils.IsContainerNameValid(container) {
-			var builder strings.Builder
-			fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "invalid argument for '%s'\n", containerArg)
-			fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Container names must match '%s'\n", utils.ContainerNameRegexp)
-			fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Run '%s --help' for usage.", executableBase)
-
-			errMsg := builder.String()
-			return errors.New(errMsg)
+			err := createErrorInvalidContainer(containerArg)
+			return err
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/cmd/enter.go b/src/cmd/enter.go
index b7b73cb53..45b64f8ed 100644
--- a/src/cmd/enter.go
+++ b/src/cmd/enter.go
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
-	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/containers/toolbox/pkg/utils"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
@@ -103,13 +102,8 @@ func enter(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		defaultContainer = false
 
 		if !utils.IsContainerNameValid(container) {
-			var builder strings.Builder
-			fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "invalid argument for '%s'\n", containerArg)
-			fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Container names must match '%s'\n", utils.ContainerNameRegexp)
-			fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Run '%s --help' for usage.", executableBase)
-
-			errMsg := builder.String()
-			return errors.New(errMsg)
+			err := createErrorInvalidContainer(containerArg)
+			return err
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/cmd/run.go b/src/cmd/run.go
index d65143a6a..91b21c49e 100644
--- a/src/cmd/run.go
+++ b/src/cmd/run.go
@@ -102,13 +102,8 @@ func run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		defaultContainer = false
 
 		if !utils.IsContainerNameValid(runFlags.container) {
-			var builder strings.Builder
-			fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "invalid argument for '--container'\n")
-			fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Container names must match '%s'\n", utils.ContainerNameRegexp)
-			fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Run '%s --help' for usage.", executableBase)
-
-			errMsg := builder.String()
-			return errors.New(errMsg)
+			err := createErrorInvalidContainer("--container")
+			return err
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/cmd/utils.go b/src/cmd/utils.go
index ea332b366..0b4b94994 100644
--- a/src/cmd/utils.go
+++ b/src/cmd/utils.go
@@ -71,6 +71,16 @@ func createErrorContainerNotFound(container string) error {
 	return errors.New(errMsg)
 }
 
+func createErrorInvalidContainer(containerArg string) error {
+	var builder strings.Builder
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "invalid argument for '%s'\n", containerArg)
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Container names must match '%s'\n", utils.ContainerNameRegexp)
+	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "Run '%s --help' for usage.", executableBase)
+
+	errMsg := builder.String()
+	return errors.New(errMsg)
+}
+
 func createErrorInvalidDistro() error {
 	var builder strings.Builder
 	fmt.Fprintf(&builder, "invalid argument for '--distro'\n")