diff --git a/litecord/blueprints/checks.py b/litecord/blueprints/checks.py
index 689f86b..3632e16 100644
--- a/litecord/blueprints/checks.py
+++ b/litecord/blueprints/checks.py
@@ -113,6 +113,33 @@ async def channel_check(
         return ctype, owner_id
 
 
+async def _max_role_position(guild_id, member_id) -> Optional[int]:
+    return await app.db.fetchval(
+        """
+        SELECT MAX(role.position)
+        FROM member_roles
+        JOIN roles ON roles.id = member_roles.role_id
+        WHERE member_roles.guild_id = $1 AND
+            member_roles.member_id = $2
+        """,
+        guild_id,
+        member_id,
+    )
+
+
+async def _validate_target_member(guild_id: int, user_id: int, target_member_id: int):
+    # there is no internal function to fetch full role objects
+    # (likely because it would be too expensive to do it here),
+    # so instead do a raw sql query.
+    target_max_position = await _max_role_position(guild_id, target_member_id)
+    user_max_position = await _max_role_position(guild_id, user_id)
+
+    assert target_max_position is not None
+    assert user_max_position is not None
+
+    return user_max_position > target_max_position
+
+
 async def guild_perm_check(
     user_id,
     guild_id,
@@ -131,34 +158,7 @@ async def guild_perm_check(
     # check on the target's max(role.position), if its equal or greater,
     # raise MissingPermissions
     if hasperm and target_member_id:
-
-        # there is no internal function to fetch full role objects
-        # (likely because it would be too expensive to do it here),
-        # so instead do a raw sql query.
-        target_max_position = await app.db.fetchval(
-            """
-            SELECT MAX(role.position)
-            FROM member_roles
-            JOIN roles ON roles.id = member_roles.role_id
-            WHERE member_roles.member_id = $1
-            """,
-            target_member_id,
-        )
-        user_max_position = await app.db.fetchval(
-            """
-            SELECT MAX(role.position)
-            FROM member_roles
-            JOIN roles ON roles.id = member_roles.role_id
-            WHERE member_roles.member_id = $1
-            """,
-            user_id,
-        )
-
-        assert target_max_position is not None
-        assert user_max_position is not None
-
-        if user_max_position <= target_max_position:
-            hasperm = False
+        hasperm = await _validate_target_member(guild_id, user_id, target_member_id)
 
     if not hasperm and raise_err:
         raise MissingPermissions("Missing permissions.")