diff --git a/realm/chess.gno b/realm/chess.gno
index 2c4465e..cf9f61e 100644
--- a/realm/chess.gno
+++ b/realm/chess.gno
@@ -42,9 +42,7 @@ type Game struct {
 
 func (g Game) json() string {
 	s, err := g.MarshalJSON()
-	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
-	}
+	checkErr(err)
 	return string(s)
 }
 
diff --git a/realm/chess_test.gno b/realm/chess_test.gno
index f52e58c..a592143 100644
--- a/realm/chess_test.gno
+++ b/realm/chess_test.gno
@@ -350,9 +350,7 @@ func parseCommandTest(t *testing.T, command string) (funcs []testCommandRunner,
 	lines := strings.Split(command, "\n")
 	atoi := func(s string) int {
 		n, err := strconv.Atoi(s)
-		if err != nil {
-			panic(err)
-		}
+		checkErr(err)
 		return n
 	}
 	// used to detect whether to auto-add a panic checker
diff --git a/realm/discovery.gno b/realm/discovery.gno
index 0ebc019..567a510 100644
--- a/realm/discovery.gno
+++ b/realm/discovery.gno
@@ -81,9 +81,7 @@ func GetPlayer(player string) string {
 		panic("player not found")
 	}
 	b, err := v.(*Player).MarshalJSON()
-	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
-	}
+	checkErr(err)
 	return string(b)
 }
 
@@ -282,9 +280,7 @@ func Leaderboard(category string) string {
 	for idx, entry := range leaderboard[cat] {
 		p, _ := playerStore.Get(entry.addr.String())
 		d, err := p.(Player).MarshalJSON()
-		if err != nil {
-			panic(err)
-		}
+		checkErr(err)
 		buf.Write(d)
 		if idx != len(leaderboard[cat])-1 {
 			buf.WriteByte(',')
@@ -420,9 +416,7 @@ func parseFilters(filters string) (r listGamesFilters) {
 			r.minID = pred
 		case "limit:":
 			n, err := strconv.Atoi(pred)
-			if err != nil {
-				panic(err)
-			}
+			checkErr(err)
 			r.limit = n
 		case "sort:":
 			r.reverse = pred == "desc"