diff --git a/ctracer.c b/ctracer.c
index c75f6c7..19bae66 100644
--- a/ctracer.c
+++ b/ctracer.c
@@ -520,8 +520,7 @@ static struct tag *pointer_filter(struct tag *tag, struct cu *cu,
 		struct tag *ctype = cu__type(cu, pos->tag.type);
 
 		tag__assert_search_result(ctype);
-		if (ctype->tag == DW_TAG_pointer_type &&
-		    ctype->type == target_type_id)
+		if (tag__is_pointer(ctype) && ctype->type == target_type_id)
 			return tag;
 	}
 
@@ -712,8 +711,7 @@ static int function__emit_probes(struct function *func, uint32_t function_id,
 		struct tag *type = cu__type(cu, pos->tag.type);
 
 		tag__assert_search_result(type);
-		if (type->tag != DW_TAG_pointer_type ||
-		    type->type != target_type_id)
+		if (!tag__is_pointer(type) || type->type != target_type_id)
 			continue;
 
 		if (member != NULL)
@@ -789,7 +787,7 @@ static int cu_emit_pointer_probes_iterator(struct cu *cu, void *cookie)
 		struct tag *ctype = cu__type(cu, pos_member->tag.type);
 
 		tag__assert_search_result(ctype);
-		if (ctype->tag == DW_TAG_pointer_type && ctype->type == target_type_id)
+		if (tag__is_pointer(ctype) && ctype->type == target_type_id)
 			break;
 	}
 
diff --git a/dwarves.c b/dwarves.c
index 1c2df05..35af996 100644
--- a/dwarves.c
+++ b/dwarves.c
@@ -1121,7 +1121,7 @@ int ftype__has_parm_of_type(const struct ftype *ftype, const type_id_t target,
 	ftype__for_each_parameter(ftype, pos) {
 		struct tag *type = cu__type(cu, pos->tag.type);
 
-		if (type != NULL && type->tag == DW_TAG_pointer_type) {
+		if (type != NULL && tag__is_pointer(type)) {
 			if (type->type == target)
 				return 1;
 		}
diff --git a/dwarves.h b/dwarves.h
index d00e89e..4dabae3 100644
--- a/dwarves.h
+++ b/dwarves.h
@@ -403,6 +403,11 @@ static inline int tag__is_const(const struct tag *tag)
 	return tag->tag == DW_TAG_const_type;
 }
 
+static inline int tag__is_pointer(const struct tag *tag)
+{
+	return tag->tag == DW_TAG_pointer_type;
+}
+
 static inline bool tag__is_variable(const struct tag *tag)
 {
 	return tag->tag == DW_TAG_variable;
diff --git a/dwarves_fprintf.c b/dwarves_fprintf.c
index d2c8e28..e96a5f2 100644
--- a/dwarves_fprintf.c
+++ b/dwarves_fprintf.c
@@ -575,7 +575,7 @@ static size_t type__fprintf(struct tag *type, const struct cu *cu,
 	if (conf->expand_pointers) {
 		int nr_indirections = 0;
 
-		while (type->tag == DW_TAG_pointer_type && type->type != 0) {
+		while (tag__is_pointer(type) && type->type != 0) {
 			struct tag *ttype = cu__type(cu, type->type);
 			if (ttype == NULL)
 				goto out_type_not_found;
@@ -956,7 +956,7 @@ size_t ftype__fprintf_parms(const struct ftype *ftype,
 			stype = sbf;
 			goto print_it;
 		}
-		if (type->tag == DW_TAG_pointer_type) {
+		if (tag__is_pointer(type)) {
 			if (type->type != 0) {
 				int n;
 				struct tag *ptype = cu__type(cu, type->type);
diff --git a/pahole.c b/pahole.c
index c0204b1..63951ed 100644
--- a/pahole.c
+++ b/pahole.c
@@ -625,7 +625,7 @@ static void cu__account_nr_methods(struct cu *cu)
 		list_for_each_entry(pos, &pos_function->proto.parms, tag.node) {
 			struct tag *type = cu__type(cu, pos->tag.type);
 
-			if (type == NULL || type->tag != DW_TAG_pointer_type)
+			if (type == NULL || !tag__is_pointer(type))
 				continue;
 
 			type = cu__type(cu, type->type);
@@ -676,7 +676,7 @@ static void print_structs_with_pointer_to(const struct cu *cu, uint32_t type)
 			struct tag *ctype = cu__type(cu, pos_member->tag.type);
 
 			tag__assert_search_result(ctype);
-			if (ctype->tag != DW_TAG_pointer_type || ctype->type != type)
+			if (!tag__is_pointer(ctype) || ctype->type != type)
 				continue;
 
 			if (!looked) {
diff --git a/pdwtags.c b/pdwtags.c
index 3b8f559..d3c823a 100644
--- a/pdwtags.c
+++ b/pdwtags.c
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ static void emit_tag(struct tag *tag, uint32_t tag_id, struct cu *cu)
 			printf("anonymous base_type\n");
 		else
 			puts(name);
-	} else if (tag->tag == DW_TAG_pointer_type)
+	} else if (tag__is_pointer(tag))
 		printf(" /* pointer to %lld */\n", (unsigned long long)tag->type);
 	else
 		tag__fprintf(tag, cu, &conf, stdout);
diff --git a/pfunct.c b/pfunct.c
index 303fdde..81003e1 100644
--- a/pfunct.c
+++ b/pfunct.c
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ static int function__emit_type_definitions(struct function *func,
 		if (type == NULL)
 			continue;
 
-		if (type->tag == DW_TAG_pointer_type || tag__is_modifier(type)) {
+		if (tag__is_pointer(type) || tag__is_modifier(type)) {
 			type = cu__type(cu, type->type);
 			goto try_again;
 		}