diff --git a/knotserver/xrpc/list_keys.go b/knotserver/xrpc/list_keys.go
--- a/knotserver/xrpc/list_keys.go
+++ b/knotserver/xrpc/list_keys.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package xrpc
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
 	"strconv"
 
@@ -46,13 +45,5 @@ if nextCursor != "" {
 		response.Cursor = &nextCursor
 	}
 
-	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response); err != nil {
-		x.Logger.Error("failed to encode response", "error", err)
-		writeError(w, xrpcerr.NewXrpcError(
-			xrpcerr.WithTag("InternalServerError"),
-			xrpcerr.WithMessage("failed to encode response"),
-		), http.StatusInternalServerError)
-		return
-	}
+	writeJson(w, response)
 }
diff --git a/knotserver/xrpc/owner.go b/knotserver/xrpc/owner.go
--- a/knotserver/xrpc/owner.go
+++ b/knotserver/xrpc/owner.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package xrpc
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
 
 	"tangled.sh/tangled.sh/core/api/tangled"
@@ -19,13 +18,5 @@ response := tangled.Owner_Output{
 		Owner: owner,
 	}
 
-	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response); err != nil {
-		x.Logger.Error("failed to encode response", "error", err)
-		writeError(w, xrpcerr.NewXrpcError(
-			xrpcerr.WithTag("InternalServerError"),
-			xrpcerr.WithMessage("failed to encode response"),
-		), http.StatusInternalServerError)
-		return
-	}
+	writeJson(w, response)
 }
diff --git a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_blob.go b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_blob.go
--- a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_blob.go
+++ b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_blob.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 import (
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"encoding/base64"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -124,15 +123,7 @@ if mimeType != "" {
 		response.MimeType = &mimeType
 	}
 
-	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response); err != nil {
-		x.Logger.Error("failed to encode response", "error", err)
-		writeError(w, xrpcerr.NewXrpcError(
-			xrpcerr.WithTag("InternalServerError"),
-			xrpcerr.WithMessage("failed to encode response"),
-		), http.StatusInternalServerError)
-		return
-	}
+	writeJson(w, response)
 }
 
 // isTextualMimeType returns true if the MIME type represents textual content
diff --git a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_branch.go b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_branch.go
--- a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_branch.go
+++ b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_branch.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package xrpc
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
 	"time"
@@ -82,13 +81,5 @@ Email: commit.Author.Email,
 		When:  commit.Author.When.Format(time.RFC3339),
 	}
 
-	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response); err != nil {
-		x.Logger.Error("failed to encode response", "error", err)
-		writeError(w, xrpcerr.NewXrpcError(
-			xrpcerr.WithTag("InternalServerError"),
-			xrpcerr.WithMessage("failed to encode response"),
-		), http.StatusInternalServerError)
-		return
-	}
+	writeJson(w, response)
 }
diff --git a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_branches.go b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_branches.go
--- a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_branches.go
+++ b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_branches.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package xrpc
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
 	"strconv"
 
@@ -53,14 +52,5 @@ response := types.RepoBranchesResponse{
 		Branches: paginatedBranches,
 	}
 
-	// Write JSON response directly
-	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response); err != nil {
-		x.Logger.Error("failed to encode response", "error", err)
-		writeError(w, xrpcerr.NewXrpcError(
-			xrpcerr.WithTag("InternalServerError"),
-			xrpcerr.WithMessage("failed to encode response"),
-		), http.StatusInternalServerError)
-		return
-	}
+	writeJson(w, response)
 }
diff --git a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_compare.go b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_compare.go
--- a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_compare.go
+++ b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_compare.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package xrpc
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 
@@ -72,20 +71,12 @@ ), http.StatusBadRequest)
 		return
 	}
 
-	resp := types.RepoFormatPatchResponse{
+	response := types.RepoFormatPatchResponse{
 		Rev1:        commit1.Hash.String(),
 		Rev2:        commit2.Hash.String(),
 		FormatPatch: formatPatch,
 		Patch:       rawPatch,
 	}
 
-	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(resp); err != nil {
-		x.Logger.Error("failed to encode response", "error", err)
-		writeError(w, xrpcerr.NewXrpcError(
-			xrpcerr.WithTag("InternalServerError"),
-			xrpcerr.WithMessage("failed to encode response"),
-		), http.StatusInternalServerError)
-		return
-	}
+	writeJson(w, response)
 }
diff --git a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_diff.go b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_diff.go
--- a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_diff.go
+++ b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_diff.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package xrpc
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
 
 	"tangled.sh/tangled.sh/core/knotserver/git"
@@ -33,18 +32,10 @@ writeError(w, xrpcerr.RefNotFoundError, http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 
-	resp := types.RepoCommitResponse{
+	response := types.RepoCommitResponse{
 		Ref:  ref,
 		Diff: diff,
 	}
 
-	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(resp); err != nil {
-		x.Logger.Error("failed to encode response", "error", err)
-		writeError(w, xrpcerr.NewXrpcError(
-			xrpcerr.WithTag("InternalServerError"),
-			xrpcerr.WithMessage("failed to encode response"),
-		), http.StatusInternalServerError)
-		return
-	}
+	writeJson(w, response)
 }
diff --git a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_get_default_branch.go b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_get_default_branch.go
--- a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_get_default_branch.go
+++ b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_get_default_branch.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package xrpc
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
 	"time"
 
@@ -36,13 +35,5 @@ Hash: "",
 		When: time.UnixMicro(0).Format(time.RFC3339),
 	}
 
-	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response); err != nil {
-		x.Logger.Error("failed to encode response", "error", err)
-		writeError(w, xrpcerr.NewXrpcError(
-			xrpcerr.WithTag("InternalServerError"),
-			xrpcerr.WithMessage("failed to encode response"),
-		), http.StatusInternalServerError)
-		return
-	}
+	writeJson(w, response)
 }
diff --git a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_languages.go b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_languages.go
--- a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_languages.go
+++ b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_languages.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package xrpc
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"math"
 	"net/http"
 	"time"
@@ -73,13 +72,5 @@ totalFiles := int64(len(sizes))
 		response.TotalFiles = &totalFiles
 	}
 
-	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response); err != nil {
-		x.Logger.Error("failed to encode response", "error", err)
-		writeError(w, xrpcerr.NewXrpcError(
-			xrpcerr.WithTag("InternalServerError"),
-			xrpcerr.WithMessage("failed to encode response"),
-		), http.StatusInternalServerError)
-		return
-	}
+	writeJson(w, response)
 }
diff --git a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_log.go b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_log.go
--- a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_log.go
+++ b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_log.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package xrpc
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
 	"strconv"
 
@@ -78,14 +77,5 @@ }
 
 	response.Log = true
 
-	// Write JSON response directly
-	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response); err != nil {
-		x.Logger.Error("failed to encode response", "error", err)
-		writeError(w, xrpcerr.NewXrpcError(
-			xrpcerr.WithTag("InternalServerError"),
-			xrpcerr.WithMessage("failed to encode response"),
-		), http.StatusInternalServerError)
-		return
-	}
+	writeJson(w, response)
 }
diff --git a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_tags.go b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_tags.go
--- a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_tags.go
+++ b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_tags.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package xrpc
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
 	"strconv"
 
@@ -83,14 +82,5 @@ response := types.RepoTagsResponse{
 		Tags: paginatedTags,
 	}
 
-	// Write JSON response directly
-	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response); err != nil {
-		x.Logger.Error("failed to encode response", "error", err)
-		writeError(w, xrpcerr.NewXrpcError(
-			xrpcerr.WithTag("InternalServerError"),
-			xrpcerr.WithMessage("failed to encode response"),
-		), http.StatusInternalServerError)
-		return
-	}
+	writeJson(w, response)
 }
diff --git a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_tree.go b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_tree.go
--- a/knotserver/xrpc/repo_tree.go
+++ b/knotserver/xrpc/repo_tree.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package xrpc
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
@@ -86,13 +85,5 @@ Dotdot: dotdotPtr,
 		Files:  treeEntries,
 	}
 
-	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response); err != nil {
-		x.Logger.Error("failed to encode response", "error", err)
-		writeError(w, xrpcerr.NewXrpcError(
-			xrpcerr.WithTag("InternalServerError"),
-			xrpcerr.WithMessage("failed to encode response"),
-		), http.StatusInternalServerError)
-		return
-	}
+	writeJson(w, response)
 }
diff --git a/knotserver/xrpc/version.go b/knotserver/xrpc/version.go
--- a/knotserver/xrpc/version.go
+++ b/knotserver/xrpc/version.go
@@ -1,13 +1,11 @@
 package xrpc
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"runtime/debug"
 
 	"tangled.sh/tangled.sh/core/api/tangled"
-	xrpcerr "tangled.sh/tangled.sh/core/xrpc/errors"
 )
 
 // version is set during build time.
@@ -58,13 +56,5 @@ response := tangled.KnotVersion_Output{
 		Version: version,
 	}
 
-	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response); err != nil {
-		x.Logger.Error("failed to encode response", "error", err)
-		writeError(w, xrpcerr.NewXrpcError(
-			xrpcerr.WithTag("InternalServerError"),
-			xrpcerr.WithMessage("failed to encode response"),
-		), http.StatusInternalServerError)
-		return
-	}
+	writeJson(w, response)
 }
diff --git a/knotserver/xrpc/xrpc.go b/knotserver/xrpc/xrpc.go
--- a/knotserver/xrpc/xrpc.go
+++ b/knotserver/xrpc/xrpc.go
@@ -117,3 +117,11 @@ w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
 	w.WriteHeader(status)
 	json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(e)
 }
+
+func writeJson(w http.ResponseWriter, response any) {
+	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response); err != nil {
+		writeError(w, xrpcerr.GenericError(err), http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return
+	}
+}