@@ -591,11 +591,11 @@
       (set! *didsomething* #t)
       (pop-directory)))
 
 (if (args:get-arg "-show-cmdinfo")
     (if (getenv "MT_CMDINFO")
-	(let ((data (read (open-input-string (z3:decode-buffer (base64:base64-decode (getenv "MT_CMDINFO")))))))
+	(let ((data (common:read-encoded-string (getenv "MT_CMDINFO"))))
 	  (if (equal? (args:get-arg "-dumpmode") "json")
 	      (json-write data)
 	      (pp data))
 	  (set! *didsomething* #t))
 	(debug:print-info 0 "environment variable MT_CMDINFO is not set")))
@@ -859,11 +859,11 @@
 ;; Get test paths matching target, runname, and testpatt
 (if (or (args:get-arg "-test-files")(args:get-arg "-test-paths"))
     ;; if we are in a test use the MT_CMDINFO data
     (if (getenv "MT_CMDINFO")
 	(let* ((startingdir (current-directory))
-	       (cmdinfo   (read (open-input-string (z3:decode-buffer (base64:base64-decode (getenv "MT_CMDINFO"))))))
+	       (cmdinfo   (commond:read-encoded-string (getenv "MT_CMDINFO")))
 	       (testpath  (assoc/default 'testpath  cmdinfo))
 	       (test-name (assoc/default 'test-name cmdinfo))
 	       (runscript (assoc/default 'runscript cmdinfo))
 	       (db-host   (assoc/default 'db-host   cmdinfo))
 	       (run-id    (assoc/default 'run-id    cmdinfo))
@@ -906,11 +906,11 @@
 ;; Archive tests matching target, runname, and testpatt
 (if (args:get-arg "-archive")
     ;; if we are in a test use the MT_CMDINFO data
     (if (getenv "MT_CMDINFO")
 	(let* ((startingdir (current-directory))
-	       (cmdinfo   (read (open-input-string (z3:decode-buffer (base64:base64-decode (getenv "MT_CMDINFO"))))))
+	       (cmdinfo   (common:read-encoded-string (getenv "MT_CMDINFO")))
 	       (testpath  (assoc/default 'testpath  cmdinfo))
 	       (test-name (assoc/default 'test-name cmdinfo))
 	       (runscript (assoc/default 'runscript cmdinfo))
 	       (db-host   (assoc/default 'db-host   cmdinfo))
 	       (run-id    (assoc/default 'run-id    cmdinfo))
@@ -984,11 +984,11 @@
 (define (megatest:step step state status logfile msg)
   (if (not (getenv "MT_CMDINFO"))
       (begin
 	(debug:print 0 "ERROR: MT_CMDINFO env var not set, -step must be called *inside* a megatest invoked environment!")
 	(exit 5))
-      (let* ((cmdinfo   (read (open-input-string (z3:decode-buffer (base64:base64-decode (getenv "MT_CMDINFO"))))))
+      (let* ((cmdinfo   (common:read-encoded-string (getenv "MT_CMDINFO")))
 	     (testpath  (assoc/default 'testpath  cmdinfo))
 	     (test-name (assoc/default 'test-name cmdinfo))
 	     (runscript (assoc/default 'runscript cmdinfo))
 	     (db-host   (assoc/default 'db-host   cmdinfo))
 	     (run-id    (assoc/default 'run-id    cmdinfo))
@@ -1030,11 +1030,11 @@
     (if (not (getenv "MT_CMDINFO"))
 	(begin
 	  (debug:print 0 "ERROR: MT_CMDINFO env var not set, commands -test-status, -runstep and -setlog must be called *inside* a megatest environment!")
 	  (exit 5))
 	(let* ((startingdir (current-directory))
-	       (cmdinfo   (read (open-input-string (z3:decode-buffer (base64:base64-decode (getenv "MT_CMDINFO"))))))
+	       (cmdinfo   (common:read-encoded-string (getenv "MT_CMDINFO")))
 	       (testpath  (assoc/default 'testpath  cmdinfo))
 	       (test-name (assoc/default 'test-name cmdinfo))
 	       (runscript (assoc/default 'runscript cmdinfo))
 	       (db-host   (assoc/default 'db-host   cmdinfo))
 	       (run-id    (assoc/default 'run-id    cmdinfo))