diff --git a/server/event.c b/server/event.c
index 971c054b86a..591f1e2df64 100644
--- a/server/event.c
+++ b/server/event.c
@@ -287,16 +287,10 @@ DECL_HANDLER(create_event)
     struct event *event;
     struct unicode_str name;
     struct directory *root = NULL;
-    const struct object_attributes *objattr = get_req_data();
     const struct security_descriptor *sd;
+    const struct object_attributes *objattr = get_req_object_attributes( &sd, &name );
 
-    reply->handle = 0;
-
-    if (!objattr_is_valid( objattr, get_req_data_size() ))
-        return;
-
-    sd = objattr->sd_len ? (const struct security_descriptor *)(objattr + 1) : NULL;
-    objattr_get_name( objattr, &name );
+    if (!objattr) return;
 
     if (objattr->rootdir && !(root = get_directory_obj( current->process, objattr->rootdir, 0 )))
         return;
@@ -378,13 +372,10 @@ DECL_HANDLER(create_keyed_event)
     struct keyed_event *event;
     struct unicode_str name;
     struct directory *root = NULL;
-    const struct object_attributes *objattr = get_req_data();
     const struct security_descriptor *sd;
+    const struct object_attributes *objattr = get_req_object_attributes( &sd, &name );
 
-    if (!objattr_is_valid( objattr, get_req_data_size() )) return;
-
-    sd = objattr->sd_len ? (const struct security_descriptor *)(objattr + 1) : NULL;
-    objattr_get_name( objattr, &name );
+    if (!objattr) return;
 
     if (objattr->rootdir && !(root = get_directory_obj( current->process, objattr->rootdir, 0 ))) return;
 
diff --git a/server/file.c b/server/file.c
index 3cd1675b32e..9fd3a9e957e 100644
--- a/server/file.c
+++ b/server/file.c
@@ -686,17 +686,16 @@ DECL_HANDLER(create_file)
 {
     struct object *file;
     struct fd *root_fd = NULL;
-    const struct object_attributes *objattr = get_req_data();
+    struct unicode_str unicode_name;
     const struct security_descriptor *sd;
+    const struct object_attributes *objattr = get_req_object_attributes( &sd, &unicode_name );
     const char *name;
     data_size_t name_len;
 
-    reply->handle = 0;
+    if (!objattr) return;
 
-    if (!objattr_is_valid( objattr, get_req_data_size() ))
-        return;
     /* name is transferred in the unix codepage outside of the objattr structure */
-    if (objattr->name_len)
+    if (unicode_name.len)
     {
         set_error( STATUS_INVALID_PARAMETER );
         return;
@@ -712,8 +711,6 @@ DECL_HANDLER(create_file)
         if (!root_fd) return;
     }
 
-    sd = objattr->sd_len ? (const struct security_descriptor *)(objattr + 1) : NULL;
-
     name = (const char *)get_req_data() + sizeof(*objattr) + objattr->sd_len;
     name_len = get_req_data_size() - sizeof(*objattr) - objattr->sd_len;
 
diff --git a/server/mapping.c b/server/mapping.c
index f9ca017eb3b..e206dea8eec 100644
--- a/server/mapping.c
+++ b/server/mapping.c
@@ -664,16 +664,10 @@ DECL_HANDLER(create_mapping)
     struct object *obj;
     struct unicode_str name;
     struct directory *root = NULL;
-    const struct object_attributes *objattr = get_req_data();
     const struct security_descriptor *sd;
+    const struct object_attributes *objattr = get_req_object_attributes( &sd, &name );
 
-    reply->handle = 0;
-
-    if (!objattr_is_valid( objattr, get_req_data_size() ))
-        return;
-
-    sd = objattr->sd_len ? (const struct security_descriptor *)(objattr + 1) : NULL;
-    objattr_get_name( objattr, &name );
+    if (!objattr) return;
 
     if (objattr->rootdir && !(root = get_directory_obj( current->process, objattr->rootdir, 0 )))
         return;
diff --git a/server/mutex.c b/server/mutex.c
index 3bee320b10a..98490e00e4b 100644
--- a/server/mutex.c
+++ b/server/mutex.c
@@ -211,16 +211,10 @@ DECL_HANDLER(create_mutex)
     struct mutex *mutex;
     struct unicode_str name;
     struct directory *root = NULL;
-    const struct object_attributes *objattr = get_req_data();
     const struct security_descriptor *sd;
+    const struct object_attributes *objattr = get_req_object_attributes( &sd, &name );
 
-    reply->handle = 0;
-
-    if (!objattr_is_valid( objattr, get_req_data_size() ))
-        return;
-
-    sd = objattr->sd_len ? (const struct security_descriptor *)(objattr + 1) : NULL;
-    objattr_get_name( objattr, &name );
+    if (!objattr) return;
 
     if (objattr->rootdir && !(root = get_directory_obj( current->process, objattr->rootdir, 0 )))
         return;
diff --git a/server/named_pipe.c b/server/named_pipe.c
index b9f0379a1c8..870192d67e9 100644
--- a/server/named_pipe.c
+++ b/server/named_pipe.c
@@ -923,8 +923,10 @@ DECL_HANDLER(create_named_pipe)
     struct pipe_server *server;
     struct unicode_str name;
     struct directory *root = NULL;
-    const struct object_attributes *objattr = get_req_data();
     const struct security_descriptor *sd;
+    const struct object_attributes *objattr = get_req_object_attributes( &sd, &name );
+
+    if (!objattr) return;
 
     if (!req->sharing || (req->sharing & ~(FILE_SHARE_READ | FILE_SHARE_WRITE)) ||
         (!(req->flags & NAMED_PIPE_MESSAGE_STREAM_WRITE) && (req->flags & NAMED_PIPE_MESSAGE_STREAM_READ)))
@@ -933,14 +935,6 @@ DECL_HANDLER(create_named_pipe)
         return;
     }
 
-    reply->handle = 0;
-
-    if (!objattr_is_valid( objattr, get_req_data_size() ))
-        return;
-
-    sd = objattr->sd_len ? (const struct security_descriptor *)(objattr + 1) : NULL;
-    objattr_get_name( objattr, &name );
-
     if (objattr->rootdir && !(root = get_directory_obj( current->process, objattr->rootdir, 0 )))
         return;
 
diff --git a/server/process.c b/server/process.c
index 3ccf8eb0347..ce26947fc20 100644
--- a/server/process.c
+++ b/server/process.c
@@ -1539,13 +1539,10 @@ DECL_HANDLER(create_job)
     struct job *job;
     struct unicode_str name;
     struct directory *root = NULL;
-    const struct object_attributes *objattr = get_req_data();
     const struct security_descriptor *sd;
+    const struct object_attributes *objattr = get_req_object_attributes( &sd, &name );
 
-    if (!objattr_is_valid( objattr, get_req_data_size() )) return;
-
-    sd = objattr->sd_len ? (const struct security_descriptor *)(objattr + 1) : NULL;
-    objattr_get_name( objattr, &name );
+    if (!objattr) return;
 
     if (objattr->rootdir && !(root = get_directory_obj( current->process, objattr->rootdir, 0 ))) return;
 
diff --git a/server/request.c b/server/request.c
index f78026a061d..7b7d8b1b3fc 100644
--- a/server/request.c
+++ b/server/request.c
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@
 
 #include "file.h"
 #include "process.h"
+#include "thread.h"
+#include "security.h"
 #define WANT_REQUEST_HANDLERS
 #include "request.h"
 
@@ -163,6 +165,31 @@ void *set_reply_data_size( data_size_t size )
     return current->reply_data;
 }
 
+/* return object attributes from the current request */
+const struct object_attributes *get_req_object_attributes( const struct security_descriptor **sd,
+                                                           struct unicode_str *name )
+{
+    const struct object_attributes *attr = get_req_data();
+    data_size_t size = get_req_data_size();
+
+    if ((size < sizeof(*attr)) || (size - sizeof(*attr) < attr->sd_len) ||
+        (size - sizeof(*attr) - attr->sd_len < attr->name_len))
+    {
+        set_error( STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION );
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    if (attr->sd_len && !sd_is_valid( (const struct security_descriptor *)(attr + 1), attr->sd_len ))
+    {
+        set_error( STATUS_INVALID_SECURITY_DESCR );
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    *sd = attr->sd_len ? (const struct security_descriptor *)(attr + 1) : NULL;
+    name->len = (attr->name_len / sizeof(WCHAR)) * sizeof(WCHAR);
+    name->str = (const WCHAR *)(attr + 1) + attr->sd_len / sizeof(WCHAR);
+    return attr;
+}
+
 /* write the remaining part of the reply */
 void write_reply( struct thread *thread )
 {
diff --git a/server/request.h b/server/request.h
index 9df89ed65de..b2e57194b3b 100644
--- a/server/request.h
+++ b/server/request.h
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ extern void fatal_error( const char *err, ... );
 
 extern const char *get_config_dir(void);
 extern void *set_reply_data_size( data_size_t size );
+extern const struct object_attributes *get_req_object_attributes( const struct security_descriptor **sd,
+                                                                  struct unicode_str *name );
 extern int receive_fd( struct process *process );
 extern int send_client_fd( struct process *process, int fd, obj_handle_t handle );
 extern void read_request( struct thread *thread );
diff --git a/server/security.h b/server/security.h
index 855f2e77efb..925a85b90a6 100644
--- a/server/security.h
+++ b/server/security.h
@@ -139,13 +139,4 @@ static inline const SID *sd_get_group( const struct security_descriptor *sd )
         return NULL;
 }
 
-/* determines whether an object_attributes struct is valid in a buffer
- * and calls set_error appropriately */
-extern int objattr_is_valid( const struct object_attributes *objattr, data_size_t size );
-static inline void objattr_get_name( const struct object_attributes *objattr, struct unicode_str *name )
-{
-    name->len = ((objattr->name_len) / sizeof(WCHAR)) * sizeof(WCHAR);
-    name->str = (const WCHAR *)objattr + (sizeof(*objattr) + objattr->sd_len) / sizeof(WCHAR);
-}
-
 #endif  /* __WINE_SERVER_SECURITY_H */
diff --git a/server/semaphore.c b/server/semaphore.c
index a0bf478d9f4..a9786b13609 100644
--- a/server/semaphore.c
+++ b/server/semaphore.c
@@ -179,16 +179,10 @@ DECL_HANDLER(create_semaphore)
     struct semaphore *sem;
     struct unicode_str name;
     struct directory *root = NULL;
-    const struct object_attributes *objattr = get_req_data();
     const struct security_descriptor *sd;
+    const struct object_attributes *objattr = get_req_object_attributes( &sd, &name );
 
-    reply->handle = 0;
-
-    if (!objattr_is_valid( objattr, get_req_data_size() ))
-        return;
-
-    sd = objattr->sd_len ? (const struct security_descriptor *)(objattr + 1) : NULL;
-    objattr_get_name( objattr, &name );
+    if (!objattr) return;
 
     if (objattr->rootdir && !(root = get_directory_obj( current->process, objattr->rootdir, 0 )))
         return;
diff --git a/server/token.c b/server/token.c
index 6c2871f1161..da1f2557588 100644
--- a/server/token.c
+++ b/server/token.c
@@ -334,30 +334,6 @@ int sd_is_valid( const struct security_descriptor *sd, data_size_t size )
     return TRUE;
 }
 
-/* determines whether an object_attributes struct is valid in a buffer
- * and calls set_error appropriately */
-int objattr_is_valid( const struct object_attributes *objattr, data_size_t size )
-{
-    if ((size < sizeof(*objattr)) || (size - sizeof(*objattr) < objattr->sd_len) ||
-        (size - sizeof(*objattr) - objattr->sd_len < objattr->name_len))
-    {
-        set_error( STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION );
-        return FALSE;
-    }
-
-    if (objattr->sd_len)
-    {
-        const struct security_descriptor *sd = (const struct security_descriptor *)(objattr + 1);
-        if (!sd_is_valid( sd, objattr->sd_len ))
-        {
-            set_error( STATUS_INVALID_SECURITY_DESCR );
-            return FALSE;
-        }
-    }
-
-    return TRUE;
-}
-
 /* maps from generic rights to specific rights as given by a mapping */
 static inline void map_generic_mask(unsigned int *mask, const GENERIC_MAPPING *mapping)
 {