diff --git a/src/redis.h b/src/redis.h
index 2344c9eb..3115689f 100644
--- a/src/redis.h
+++ b/src/redis.h
@@ -1240,6 +1240,7 @@ void zzlNext(unsigned char *zl, unsigned char **eptr, unsigned char **sptr);
 void zzlPrev(unsigned char *zl, unsigned char **eptr, unsigned char **sptr);
 unsigned int zsetLength(robj *zobj);
 void zsetConvert(robj *zobj, int encoding);
+int zsetScore(robj *zobj, robj *member, double *score);
 unsigned long zslGetRank(zskiplist *zsl, double score, robj *o);
 
 /* Core functions */
diff --git a/src/t_zset.c b/src/t_zset.c
index b900a9cc..93808a87 100644
--- a/src/t_zset.c
+++ b/src/t_zset.c
@@ -1166,6 +1166,26 @@ void zsetConvert(robj *zobj, int encoding) {
     }
 }
 
+/* Return (by reference) the score of the specified member of the sorted set
+ * storing it into *score. If the element does not exist REDIS_ERR is returned
+ * otherwise REDIS_OK is returned and *score is correctly populated.
+ * If 'zobj' or 'member' is NULL, REDIS_ERR is returned. */
+int zsetScore(robj *zobj, robj *member, double *score) {
+    if (!zobj || !member) return REDIS_ERR;
+
+    if (zobj->encoding == REDIS_ENCODING_ZIPLIST) {
+        if (zzlFind(zobj->ptr, member, score) == NULL) return REDIS_ERR;
+    } else if (zobj->encoding == REDIS_ENCODING_SKIPLIST) {
+        zset *zs = zobj->ptr;
+        dictEntry *de = dictFind(zs->dict, member);
+        if (de == NULL) return REDIS_ERR;
+        *score = *(double*)dictGetVal(de);
+    } else {
+        redisPanic("Unknown sorted set encoding");
+    }
+    return REDIS_OK;
+}
+
 /*-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  * Sorted set commands
  *----------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
@@ -2815,25 +2835,10 @@ void zscoreCommand(redisClient *c) {
     if ((zobj = lookupKeyReadOrReply(c,key,shared.nullbulk)) == NULL ||
         checkType(c,zobj,REDIS_ZSET)) return;
 
-    if (zobj->encoding == REDIS_ENCODING_ZIPLIST) {
-        if (zzlFind(zobj->ptr,c->argv[2],&score) != NULL)
-            addReplyDouble(c,score);
-        else
-            addReply(c,shared.nullbulk);
-    } else if (zobj->encoding == REDIS_ENCODING_SKIPLIST) {
-        zset *zs = zobj->ptr;
-        dictEntry *de;
-
-        c->argv[2] = tryObjectEncoding(c->argv[2]);
-        de = dictFind(zs->dict,c->argv[2]);
-        if (de != NULL) {
-            score = *(double*)dictGetVal(de);
-            addReplyDouble(c,score);
-        } else {
-            addReply(c,shared.nullbulk);
-        }
+    if (zsetScore(zobj,c->argv[2],&score) == REDIS_ERR) {
+        addReply(c,shared.nullbulk);
     } else {
-        redisPanic("Unknown sorted set encoding");
+        addReplyDouble(c,score);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/zset.c b/src/zset.c
index 1f69d3f0..7a80d3a4 100644
--- a/src/zset.c
+++ b/src/zset.c
@@ -12,30 +12,6 @@ int zslValueLteMax(double value, zrangespec *spec);
  * Direct Redis DB Interaction
  * ==================================================================== */
 
-/* zset access is mostly a copy/paste from zscoreCommand() */
-int zsetScore(robj *zobj, robj *member, double *score) {
-    if (!zobj || !member)
-        return 0;
-
-    if (zobj->encoding == REDIS_ENCODING_ZIPLIST) {
-        if (zzlFind(zobj->ptr, member, score) == NULL)
-            return 0;
-    } else if (zobj->encoding == REDIS_ENCODING_SKIPLIST) {
-        zset *zs = zobj->ptr;
-        dictEntry *de;
-
-        member = tryObjectEncoding(member);
-        de = dictFind(zs->dict, member);
-        if (de != NULL) {
-            *score = *(double *)dictGetVal(de);
-        } else
-            return 0;
-    } else {
-        return 0;
-    }
-    return 1;
-}
-
 /* Largely extracted from genericZrangebyscoreCommand() in t_zset.c */
 /* The zrangebyscoreCommand expects to only operate on a live redisClient,
  * but we need results returned to us, not sent over an async socket. */
diff --git a/src/zset.h b/src/zset.h
index 5e02bf23..a861811e 100644
--- a/src/zset.h
+++ b/src/zset.h
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ struct zipresult {
 };
 
 /* Redis DB Access */
-int zsetScore(robj *zobj, robj *member, double *score);
 list *geozrangebyscore(robj *zobj, double min, double max, int limit);
 
 /* New list operation: append one list to another */