diff --git a/Sources/Filters.swift b/Sources/Filters.swift
index 9b7cb24..dd78ff4 100644
--- a/Sources/Filters.swift
+++ b/Sources/Filters.swift
@@ -1,35 +1,13 @@
-func toString(_ value: Any?) -> String? {
-  if let value = value as? String {
-    return value
-  } else if let value = value as? CustomStringConvertible {
-    return value.description
-  }
-
-  return nil
-}
-
 func capitalise(_ value: Any?) -> Any? {
-  if let value = toString(value) {
-    return value.capitalized
-  }
-
-  return value
+  return stringify(value).capitalized
 }
 
 func uppercase(_ value: Any?) -> Any? {
-  if let value = toString(value) {
-    return value.uppercased()
-  }
-
-  return value
+  return stringify(value).uppercased()
 }
 
 func lowercase(_ value: Any?) -> Any? {
-  if let value = toString(value) {
-    return value.lowercased()
-  }
-
-  return value
+  return stringify(value).lowercased()
 }
 
 func defaultFilter(value: Any?, arguments: [Any?]) -> Any? {
diff --git a/Sources/Node.swift b/Sources/Node.swift
index 781fd3b..5b47177 100644
--- a/Sources/Node.swift
+++ b/Sources/Node.swift
@@ -70,15 +70,19 @@ public class VariableNode : NodeType {
 
   public func render(_ context: Context) throws -> String {
     let result = try variable.resolve(context)
-
-    if let result = result as? String {
-      return result
-    } else if let result = result as? CustomStringConvertible {
-      return result.description
-    } else if let result = result as? NSObject {
-      return result.description
-    }
-
-    return ""
+    return stringify(result)
   }
 }
+
+
+func stringify(_ result: Any?) -> String {
+  if let result = result as? String {
+    return result
+  } else if let result = result as? CustomStringConvertible {
+    return result.description
+  } else if let result = result as? NSObject {
+    return result.description
+  }
+
+  return ""
+}