diff --git a/src/analyzer/protocol/smb/smb1-com-transaction.pac b/src/analyzer/protocol/smb/smb1-com-transaction.pac
index 414066c6ba..0c2f128794 100644
--- a/src/analyzer/protocol/smb/smb1-com-transaction.pac
+++ b/src/analyzer/protocol/smb/smb1-com-transaction.pac
@@ -4,10 +4,29 @@ enum Trans_subcommands {
 	NT_TRANSACT_CREATE2 = 0x0009,
 };
 
+%code{
+	StringVal* SMB_Conn::transaction_data_to_val(SMB1_transaction_data* payload)
+		{
+		switch ( payload->trans_type() ) {
+		case SMB_PIPE:
+			return bytestring_to_val(payload->pipe_data());
+		case SMB_UNKNOWN:
+			return bytestring_to_val(payload->unknown());
+		default:
+			return bytestring_to_val(payload->data());
+		}
+
+		assert(false);
+		return val_mgr->GetEmptyString();
+		}
+%}
+
 refine connection SMB_Conn += {
 
 	%member{
 		map<uint16, bool> is_file_a_pipe;
+
+		static StringVal* transaction_data_to_val(SMB1_transaction_data* payload);
 	%}
 
 	function get_is_file_a_pipe(id: uint16): bool
@@ -37,32 +56,11 @@ refine connection SMB_Conn += {
 		StringVal* parameters = new StringVal(${val.parameters}.length(),
 		                                      (const char*)${val.parameters}.data());
 		StringVal* payload_str = nullptr;
-		SMB1_transaction_data* payload = nullptr;
 
 		if ( ${val.data_count} > 0 )
-			{
-			payload = ${val.data};
-			}
-
-		if ( payload )
-			{
-			switch ( payload->trans_type() ) {
-			case SMB_PIPE:
-				payload_str = new StringVal(${val.data_count}, (const char*)${val.data.pipe_data}.data());
-				break;
-			case SMB_UNKNOWN:
-				payload_str = new StringVal(${val.data_count}, (const char*)${val.data.unknown}.data());
-				break;
-			default:
-				payload_str = new StringVal(${val.data_count}, (const char*)${val.data.data}.data());
-				break;
-			}
-			}
-
-		if ( ! payload_str )
-			{
+			payload_str = transaction_data_to_val(${val.data});
+		else
 			payload_str = val_mgr->GetEmptyString();
-			}
 
 		BifEvent::generate_smb1_transaction_request(bro_analyzer(),
 		                                            bro_analyzer()->Conn(),
@@ -83,32 +81,11 @@ refine connection SMB_Conn += {
 		StringVal* parameters = new StringVal(${val.parameters}.length(),
 		                                      (const char*)${val.parameters}.data());
 		StringVal* payload_str = nullptr;
-		SMB1_transaction_data* payload = nullptr;
 
 		if ( ${val.data_count} > 0 )
-			{
-			payload = ${val.data[0]};
-			}
-
-		if ( payload )
-			{
-			switch ( payload->trans_type() ) {
-			case SMB_PIPE:
-				payload_str = new StringVal(${val.data_count}, (const char*)${val.data[0].pipe_data}.data());
-				break;
-			case SMB_UNKNOWN:
-				payload_str = new StringVal(${val.data_count}, (const char*)${val.data[0].unknown}.data());
-				break;
-			default:
-				payload_str = new StringVal(${val.data_count}, (const char*)${val.data[0].data}.data());
-				break;
-			}
-			}
-
-		if ( ! payload_str )
-			{
+			payload_str = transaction_data_to_val(${val.data[0]});
+		else
 			payload_str = val_mgr->GetEmptyString();
-			}
 
 		BifEvent::generate_smb1_transaction_response(bro_analyzer(),
 		                                             bro_analyzer()->Conn(),