diff --git a/src/server/internalServer.cpp b/src/server/internalServer.cpp
index 0290d79a7..1ed43db94 100644
--- a/src/server/internalServer.cpp
+++ b/src/server/internalServer.cpp
@@ -95,18 +95,6 @@ inline std::string normalizeRootUrl(std::string rootUrl)
   return rootUrl.empty() ? rootUrl : "/" + rootUrl;
 }
 
-// Returns the value of env var `name` if found, otherwise returns defaultVal
-unsigned int getCacheLength(const char* name, unsigned int defaultVal) {
-  try {
-    const char* envString = std::getenv(name);
-    if (envString == nullptr) {
-      throw std::runtime_error("Environment variable not set");
-    }
-    return extractFromString<unsigned int>(envString);
-  } catch (...) {}
-
-  return defaultVal;
-}
 } // unnamed namespace
 
 SearchInfo::SearchInfo(const std::string& pattern)
@@ -194,9 +182,9 @@ InternalServer::InternalServer(Library* library,
   mp_daemon(nullptr),
   mp_library(library),
   mp_nameMapper(nameMapper ? nameMapper : &defaultNameMapper),
-  searcherCache(getCacheLength("SEARCHER_CACHE_SIZE", std::max((unsigned int) (mp_library->getBookCount(true, true)*0.1), 1U))),
-  searchCache(getCacheLength("SEARCH_CACHE_SIZE", DEFAULT_CACHE_SIZE)),
-  suggestionSearcherCache(getCacheLength("SUGGESTION_SEARCHER_CACHE_SIZE", std::max((unsigned int) (mp_library->getBookCount(true, true)*0.1), 1U)))
+  searcherCache(getEnvVar<int>("SEARCHER_CACHE_SIZE", std::max((unsigned int) (mp_library->getBookCount(true, true)*0.1), 1U))),
+  searchCache(getEnvVar<int>("SEARCH_CACHE_SIZE", DEFAULT_CACHE_SIZE)),
+  suggestionSearcherCache(getEnvVar<int>("SUGGESTION_SEARCHER_CACHE_SIZE", std::max((unsigned int) (mp_library->getBookCount(true, true)*0.1), 1U)))
 {}
 
 bool InternalServer::start() {
diff --git a/src/tools/otherTools.h b/src/tools/otherTools.h
index b1297798e..c0920d7bf 100644
--- a/src/tools/otherTools.h
+++ b/src/tools/otherTools.h
@@ -23,9 +23,12 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 #include <map>
+#include <cstdlib>
 #include <zim/zim.h>
 #include <mustache.hpp>
 
+#include "stringTools.h"
+
 namespace pugi {
   class xml_node;
 }
@@ -53,6 +56,20 @@ namespace kiwix
   kainjow::mustache::data onlyAsNonEmptyMustacheValue(const std::string& s);
 
   std::string render_template(const std::string& template_str, kainjow::mustache::data data);
+
+  template<typename T>
+  T getEnvVar(const char* name, const T& defaultValue)
+  {
+    try {
+      const char* envString = std::getenv(name);
+      if (envString == nullptr) {
+        throw std::runtime_error("Environment variable not set");
+      }
+      return extractFromString<T>(envString);
+    } catch (...) {}
+
+    return defaultValue;
+  }
 }
 
 #endif