diff --git a/src/mu-cmd-index.c b/src/mu-cmd-index.c
index dfd05b71..1d11c798 100644
--- a/src/mu-cmd-index.c
+++ b/src/mu-cmd-index.c
@@ -336,28 +336,46 @@ handle_index_error_and_free (GError *err)
 	return code;
 }
 
+static MuIndex*
+init_mu_index (MuConfig *opts, MuExitCode *code)
+{
+	MuIndex *midx;
+	GError *err;
+	
+	if (!check_index_or_cleanup_params (opts) ||
+	    !database_version_check_and_update(opts)) {
+		*code = MU_EXITCODE_ERROR;
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	
+	err = NULL;
+	midx = mu_index_new (mu_runtime_xapian_dir(),
+			     mu_runtime_contacts_cache_file(),
+			     &err);
+	if (!midx) {
+		*code = handle_index_error_and_free (err);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	
+	mu_index_set_max_msg_size (midx, opts->max_msg_size); 
+	mu_index_set_xbatch_size (midx, opts->xbatchsize);
+	
+	return midx;
+}
+
 
 static MuExitCode
 cmd_index_or_cleanup (MuConfig *opts)
 {
-	gboolean rv;
 	MuIndex *midx;
 	MuIndexStats stats;
-	gboolean show_progress;
-	GError *err;
-	
-	if (!check_index_or_cleanup_params (opts) ||
-	    !database_version_check_and_update(opts))
-		return MU_EXITCODE_ERROR;		
-	
-	err = NULL;
-	if (!(midx = mu_index_new (mu_runtime_xapian_dir(),
-				   mu_runtime_contacts_cache_file(),
-				   &err)))
-		return handle_index_error_and_free (err);
-	
-	mu_index_set_max_msg_size (midx, opts->max_msg_size); 
-	mu_index_set_xbatch_size (midx, opts->xbatchsize);
+	gboolean rv, show_progress;
+	MuExitCode code;
+
+	/* create, and do error handling if needed */
+	midx = init_mu_index (opts, &code);
+	if (!midx)
+		return code;
 	
 	/* we determine the maildir path only here, as it may depend on
          * mu_index_last_used_maildir
diff --git a/src/mu-store.cc b/src/mu-store.cc
index 58be103e..4fc485fa 100644
--- a/src/mu-store.cc
+++ b/src/mu-store.cc
@@ -449,26 +449,40 @@ add_terms_values (MuMsgFieldId mfid, MsgDoc* msgdoc)
 }
 
 
+static const std::string*
+xapian_pfx (MuMsgContact *contact)
+{
+	static const std::string to_pfx
+		(1, mu_msg_field_xapian_prefix(MU_MSG_FIELD_ID_TO));
+	static const std::string from_pfx
+		(1, mu_msg_field_xapian_prefix(MU_MSG_FIELD_ID_FROM));
+	static const std::string cc_pfx
+		(1, mu_msg_field_xapian_prefix(MU_MSG_FIELD_ID_CC));
+	
+	/* use ptr to string to prevent copy... */
+	switch (contact->type) {
+	case MU_MSG_CONTACT_TYPE_TO:
+		return &to_pfx; 
+	case MU_MSG_CONTACT_TYPE_FROM:
+		return &from_pfx;
+	case MU_MSG_CONTACT_TYPE_CC:
+		return &cc_pfx;
+	default: /* dont;t support other type (e.g, bcc) */
+		return 0; 
+	}
+}
+
+
+
 static void
 each_contact_info (MuMsgContact *contact, MsgDoc *msgdoc)
 {
-	const std::string *pfxp;
-	static const std::string to_pfx (1,
-		mu_msg_field_xapian_prefix(MU_MSG_FIELD_ID_TO));
-	static const std::string from_pfx (1,
-		mu_msg_field_xapian_prefix(MU_MSG_FIELD_ID_FROM));
-	static const std::string cc_pfx (1,
-		mu_msg_field_xapian_prefix(MU_MSG_FIELD_ID_CC));
 
-	/* use ptr to string to prevent copy... */
-	switch (contact->type) {
-	case MU_MSG_CONTACT_TYPE_TO:   pfxp  = &to_pfx; break;
-	case MU_MSG_CONTACT_TYPE_FROM: pfxp  = &from_pfx; break;
-	case MU_MSG_CONTACT_TYPE_CC:   pfxp  = &cc_pfx; break;
-	default: return; /* other types (like bcc) are ignored */
-	}
+	const std::string *pfxp (xapian_pfx(contact));
+	if (!pfxp)
+		return; /* unsupported contact type */
 	
-	if (contact->name && strlen(contact->name) > 0) {
+	if (contact->name && contact->name[0] != '\0') {
 		Xapian::TermGenerator termgen;
 		termgen.set_document (*msgdoc->_doc);
 		char *norm = mu_str_normalize (contact->name, TRUE);