diff --git a/evennia/contrib/rpg/rpsystem/rpsystem.py b/evennia/contrib/rpg/rpsystem/rpsystem.py
index 89e284dcb9..f4db843ec0 100644
--- a/evennia/contrib/rpg/rpsystem/rpsystem.py
+++ b/evennia/contrib/rpg/rpsystem/rpsystem.py
@@ -235,6 +235,26 @@ class RecogError(Exception):
 class LanguageError(Exception):
     pass
 
+def _get_case_ref(string):
+    """
+    Helper function which parses capitalization and
+    returns the appropriate case-ref character for emotes.
+    """
+    # default to retaining the original case
+    case = "~"
+    # internal flags for the case used for the original /query
+    # - t for titled input (like /Name)
+    # - ^ for all upercase input (like /NAME)
+    # - v for lower-case input (like /name)
+    # - ~ for mixed case input (like /nAmE)
+    if string.istitle():
+        case = "t"
+    elif string.isupper():
+        case = "^"
+    elif string.islower():
+        case = "v"
+
+    return case
 
 # emoting mechanisms
 def parse_language(speaker, emote):
@@ -368,22 +388,7 @@ def parse_sdescs_and_recogs(sender, candidates, string, search_mode=False, case_
     # first, find and replace any self-refs
     for self_match in list(_RE_SELF_REF.finditer(string)):
         matched = self_match.group()
-        case = "~"  # retain original case of sdesc
-        if case_sensitive:
-            # case sensitive mode
-            # internal flags for the case used for the original /query
-            # - t for titled input (like /Name)
-            # - ^ for all upercase input (like /NAME)
-            # - v for lower-case input (like /name)
-            # - ~ for mixed case input (like /nAmE)
-            matchtext = matched.lstrip(_PREFIX)
-            if matchtext.istitle():
-                case = "t"
-            elif matchtext.isupper():
-                case = "^"
-            elif matchtext.islower():
-                case = "v"
-
+        case = _get_case_ref(matched.lstrip(_PREFIX)) if case_sensitive else "~"
         key = f"#{sender.id}{case}"
         # replaced with ref
         string = string.replace(matched,f"{{{key}}}")
@@ -481,24 +486,9 @@ def parse_sdescs_and_recogs(sender, candidates, string, search_mode=False, case_
             errors.append(_EMOTE_NOMATCH_ERROR.format(ref=marker_match.group()))
         elif nmatches == 1:
             # a unique match - parse into intermediary representation
-            case = "~"  # retain original case of sdesc
-            if case_sensitive:
-                # case sensitive mode
-                # internal flags for the case used for the original /query
-                # - t for titled input (like /Name)
-                # - ^ for all upercase input (like /NAME)
-                # - v for lower-case input (like /name)
-                # - ~ for mixed case input (like /nAmE)
-                matchtext = marker_match.group().lstrip(_PREFIX)
-                if matchtext.istitle():
-                    case = "t"
-                elif matchtext.isupper():
-                    case = "^"
-                elif matchtext.islower():
-                    case = "v"
-
-            key = f"#{obj.id}{case}"
+            case = _get_case_ref(marker_match.group()) if case_sensitive else "~"
             # recombine emote with matched text replaced by ref
+            key = f"#{obj.id}{case}"
             string = f"{head}{{{key}}}{tail}"
             mapping[key] = obj