diff --git a/minix/tests/common.c b/minix/tests/common.c
index 986858f22..8da406896 100644
--- a/minix/tests/common.c
+++ b/minix/tests/common.c
@@ -183,3 +183,23 @@ void getmem(uint32_t *total, uint32_t *free, uint32_t *cached)
         fclose(f);
 }
 
+static int get_setting(const char *name, int def)
+{
+	const char *value;
+
+	value = getenv(name);
+	if (!value || !*value) return def;
+	if (strcmp(value, "yes") == 0) return 1;
+	if (strcmp(value, "no") == 0) return 0;
+
+	fprintf(stderr, "warning: invalid $%s value: %s\n", name, value);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int get_setting_use_network(void)
+{
+	/* set $USENETWORK to "yes" or "no" to indicate whether
+	 * an internet connection is to be expected; defaults to "no"
+	 */
+	return get_setting("USENETWORK", 0);
+}
diff --git a/minix/tests/common.h b/minix/tests/common.h
index 1290883d2..f4593d0bb 100644
--- a/minix/tests/common.h
+++ b/minix/tests/common.h
@@ -23,5 +23,6 @@ void rm_rf_dir(int test_nr);
 void rm_rf_ppdir(int test_nr);
 void start(int test_nr);
 void getmem(uint32_t *total, uint32_t *free, uint32_t *cached);
+int get_setting_use_network(void);
 
 extern int common_test_nr, errct, subtest;
diff --git a/minix/tests/test48.c b/minix/tests/test48.c
index 697bd9459..73294c33b 100644
--- a/minix/tests/test48.c
+++ b/minix/tests/test48.c
@@ -575,29 +575,13 @@ static void test_getnameinfo_all(void)
 	}
 }
 
-static int can_use_network(void)
-{
-	const char *usenet;
-
-	/* set $USENETWORK to "yes" or "no" to indicate whether
-	 * an internet connection is to be expected; defaults to "no"
-	 */
-	usenet = getenv("USENETWORK");
-	if (!usenet || !*usenet) return 0; /* default: disable network */
-	if (strcmp(usenet, "yes") == 0) return 1; /* network enabled */
-	if (strcmp(usenet, "no") == 0) return 0; /* network disabled */
-
-	fprintf(stderr, "warning: invalid $USENETWORK value: %s\n", usenet);
-	return 0;
-}
-
 int main(void)
 {
 	int use_network;
 
 	start(48);
 
-	use_network = can_use_network();
+	use_network = get_setting_use_network();
 	test_getaddrinfo_all(use_network);
 	test_getnameinfo_all();