diff --git a/actions.c b/actions.c
index 107b298..6f93eb0 100644
--- a/actions.c
+++ b/actions.c
@@ -406,8 +406,7 @@ static phase_codes_t vcarry(verb_t verb, obj_t obj) {
 		game.objects[BIRD].prop = BIRD_CAGED;
 	}
 	if ((obj == BIRD || obj == CAGE) &&
-	    (game.objects[BIRD].prop == BIRD_CAGED ||
-	     PROP_STASHIFY(game.objects[BIRD].prop) == BIRD_CAGED)) {
+	    OBJECT_STATE_EQUALS(BIRD, BIRD_CAGED)) {
 		/* expression maps BIRD to CAGE and CAGE to BIRD */
 		carry(BIRD + CAGE - obj, game.loc);
 	}
diff --git a/advent.h b/advent.h
index d1504f0..6686dfc 100644
--- a/advent.h
+++ b/advent.h
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@
 #define OBJECT_SET_FOUND(obj) (game.objects[obj].prop = STATE_FOUND)
 #define OBJECT_SET_NOT_FOUND(obj) (game.objects[obj].prop = STATE_NOTFOUND)
 #define OBJECT_IS_NOTFOUND2(g, o) (g.objects[o].prop == STATE_NOTFOUND)
+#define OBJECT_STATE_EQUALS(obj, pval) ((game.objects[obj].prop == pval) || (game.objects[obj].prop == PROP_STASHIFY(pval))) 
 #else
 /* (ESR) Only the boldest of adventurers will explore here.  This
  * alternate set of definitions for the macros above was an attempt to