diff --git a/src/blockchain_utilities/blockchain_export.cpp b/src/blockchain_utilities/blockchain_export.cpp
index 20eca09f2..11f8f63ca 100644
--- a/src/blockchain_utilities/blockchain_export.cpp
+++ b/src/blockchain_utilities/blockchain_export.cpp
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
   }
 
   mlog_configure(mlog_get_default_log_path("monero-blockchain-export.log"), true);
-  if (!vm["log-level"].defaulted())
+  if (!command_line::is_arg_defaulted(vm, arg_log_level))
     mlog_set_log(command_line::get_arg(vm, arg_log_level).c_str());
   else
     mlog_set_log(std::string(std::to_string(log_level) + ",bcutil:INFO").c_str());
diff --git a/src/blockchain_utilities/blockchain_import.cpp b/src/blockchain_utilities/blockchain_import.cpp
index d6302ea1d..55ef990aa 100644
--- a/src/blockchain_utilities/blockchain_import.cpp
+++ b/src/blockchain_utilities/blockchain_import.cpp
@@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     return 1;
   }
 
-  if (! opt_batch && ! vm["batch-size"].defaulted())
+  if (! opt_batch && !command_line::is_arg_defaulted(vm, arg_batch_size))
   {
     std::cerr << "Error: batch-size set, but batch option not enabled" << ENDL;
     return 1;
@@ -644,7 +644,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     std::cerr << "Error: batch-size must be > 0" << ENDL;
     return 1;
   }
-  if (opt_verify && vm["batch-size"].defaulted())
+  if (opt_verify && command_line::is_arg_defaulted(vm, arg_batch_size))
   {
     // usually want batch size default lower if verify on, so progress can be
     // frequently saved.
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
   db_arg_str = command_line::get_arg(vm, arg_database);
 
   mlog_configure(mlog_get_default_log_path("monero-blockchain-import.log"), true);
-  if (!vm["log-level"].defaulted())
+  if (!command_line::is_arg_defaulted(vm, arg_log_level))
     mlog_set_log(command_line::get_arg(vm, arg_log_level).c_str());
   else
     mlog_set_log(std::string(std::to_string(log_level) + ",bcutil:INFO").c_str());
@@ -735,7 +735,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
   }
   core.get_blockchain_storage().get_db().set_batch_transactions(true);
 
-  if (! vm["pop-blocks"].defaulted())
+  if (!command_line::is_arg_defaulted(vm, arg_pop_blocks))
   {
     num_blocks = command_line::get_arg(vm, arg_pop_blocks);
     MINFO("height: " << core.get_blockchain_storage().get_current_blockchain_height());
@@ -744,7 +744,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     return 0;
   }
 
-  if (! vm["drop-hard-fork"].defaulted())
+  if (!command_line::is_arg_defaulted(vm, arg_drop_hf))
   {
     MINFO("Dropping hard fork tables...");
     core.get_blockchain_storage().get_db().drop_hard_fork_info();
diff --git a/src/common/command_line.h b/src/common/command_line.h
index d4231acd0..04fd70be5 100644
--- a/src/common/command_line.h
+++ b/src/common/command_line.h
@@ -189,6 +189,12 @@ namespace command_line
     return !value.empty();
   }
 
+  template<typename T, bool required>
+  bool is_arg_defaulted(const boost::program_options::variables_map& vm, const arg_descriptor<T, required>& arg)
+  {
+    return vm[arg.name].defaulted();
+  }
+
 
   template<typename T, bool required>
   T get_arg(const boost::program_options::variables_map& vm, const arg_descriptor<T, required>& arg)
diff --git a/src/daemon/main.cpp b/src/daemon/main.cpp
index acc23b9f9..21d20eeaf 100644
--- a/src/daemon/main.cpp
+++ b/src/daemon/main.cpp
@@ -205,13 +205,13 @@ int main(int argc, char const * argv[])
     //     absolute path
     //     relative path: relative to data_dir
     bf::path log_file_path {data_dir / std::string(CRYPTONOTE_NAME ".log")};
-    if (! vm["log-file"].defaulted())
+    if (!command_line::is_arg_defaulted(vm, daemon_args::arg_log_file))
       log_file_path = command_line::get_arg(vm, daemon_args::arg_log_file);
     log_file_path = bf::absolute(log_file_path, relative_path_base);
     mlog_configure(log_file_path.string(), true, command_line::get_arg(vm, daemon_args::arg_max_log_file_size));
 
     // Set log level
-    if (!vm["log-level"].defaulted())
+    if (!command_line::is_arg_defaulted(vm, daemon_args::arg_log_level))
     {
       mlog_set_log(command_line::get_arg(vm, daemon_args::arg_log_level).c_str());
     }
diff --git a/src/wallet/wallet_args.cpp b/src/wallet/wallet_args.cpp
index 22cfcc269..5f2361805 100644
--- a/src/wallet/wallet_args.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/wallet_args.cpp
@@ -154,12 +154,12 @@ namespace wallet_args
       return boost::none;
 
     std::string log_path;
-    if (!vm["log-file"].defaulted())
+    if (!command_line::is_arg_defaulted(vm, arg_log_file))
       log_path = command_line::get_arg(vm, arg_log_file);
     else
       log_path = mlog_get_default_log_path(default_log_name);
     mlog_configure(log_path, log_to_console, command_line::get_arg(vm, arg_max_log_file_size));
-    if (!vm["log-level"].defaulted())
+    if (!command_line::is_arg_defaulted(vm, arg_log_level))
     {
       mlog_set_log(command_line::get_arg(vm, arg_log_level).c_str());
     }
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ namespace wallet_args
 
     tools::scoped_message_writer(epee::console_color_white, true) << "Monero '" << MONERO_RELEASE_NAME << "' (v" << MONERO_VERSION_FULL << ")";
 
-    if (!vm["log-level"].defaulted())
+    if (!command_line::is_arg_defaulted(vm, arg_log_level))
       MINFO("Setting log level = " << command_line::get_arg(vm, arg_log_level));
     else
       MINFO("Setting log levels = " << getenv("MONERO_LOGS"));