diff --git a/conversation.py b/conversation.py
index 58b79ac94..c42ef2293 100644
--- a/conversation.py
+++ b/conversation.py
@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@ from utils import remove_id_ending
 from utils import text_in_file
 from utils import locate_post
 from utils import load_json
-from utils import dangerous_markup
-from utils import remove_html
+from utils import harmless_markup
 from keys import get_instance_actor_key
 from session import get_json
 
@@ -173,19 +172,8 @@ def download_conversation_posts(session, http_prefix: str, base_dir: str,
         if not post_json['object'].get('published'):
             break
 
-        # remove any dangerous markup
-        for field_name in ('content', 'summary'):
-            if post_json['object'].get(field_name):
-                if dangerous_markup(post_json['object'][field_name], False):
-                    post_json['object'][field_name] = \
-                        remove_html(post_json['object'][field_name])
-            map_name = field_name + 'Map'
-            if post_json['object'].get(map_name):
-                map_dict = post_json['object'][map_name].items()
-                for lang, content in map_dict:
-                    if dangerous_markup(content, False):
-                        content = remove_html(content)
-                        post_json['object'][map_name][lang] = content
+        # render harmless any dangerous markup
+        harmless_markup(post_json)
 
         conversation_view = [post_json] + conversation_view
         if not post_json['object'].get('inReplyTo'):
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index 3b8751a05..7b29e6970 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -4257,3 +4257,22 @@ def unescaped_text(txt: str) -> str:
     for orig, replacement in _get_escaped_chars().items():
         txt = txt.replace(replacement, orig)
     return txt
+
+
+def harmless_markup(post_json_object: {}) -> None:
+    """render harmless any dangerous markup
+    """
+    for field_name in ('content', 'summary'):
+        if post_json_object['object'].get(field_name):
+            if dangerous_markup(post_json_object['object'][field_name],
+                                False):
+                post_json_object['object'][field_name] = \
+                    remove_html(post_json_object['object'][field_name])
+        map_name = field_name + 'Map'
+        if post_json_object['object'].get(map_name):
+            map_dict = post_json_object['object'][map_name].items()
+            for lang, content in map_dict:
+                if dangerous_markup(content, False):
+                    content = remove_html(content)
+                    post_json_object['object'][map_name][lang] = \
+                        content
diff --git a/webapp_search.py b/webapp_search.py
index 35d721e9a..b75cca5ff 100644
--- a/webapp_search.py
+++ b/webapp_search.py
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@ import os
 from shutil import copyfile
 import urllib.parse
 from datetime import datetime
-from utils import dangerous_markup
-from utils import remove_html
+from utils import harmless_markup
 from utils import remove_id_ending
 from utils import has_object_dict
 from utils import acct_handle_dir
@@ -1194,21 +1193,8 @@ def html_hashtag_search_remote(nickname: str, domain: str, port: int,
             print('Hashtag post is not public ' + post_id)
             continue
 
-        # remove any dangerous markup
-        for field_name in ('content', 'summary'):
-            if post_json_object['object'].get(field_name):
-                if dangerous_markup(post_json_object['object'][field_name],
-                                    False):
-                    post_json_object['object'][field_name] = \
-                        remove_html(post_json_object['object'][field_name])
-            map_name = field_name + 'Map'
-            if post_json_object['object'].get(map_name):
-                map_dict = post_json_object['object'][map_name].items()
-                for lang, content in map_dict:
-                    if dangerous_markup(content, False):
-                        content = remove_html(content)
-                        post_json_object['object'][map_name][lang] = \
-                            content
+        # render harmless any dangerous markup
+        harmless_markup(post_json_object)
 
         show_individual_post_icons = False
         allow_deletion = False