diff --git a/nodes/core/io/22-websocket.js b/nodes/core/io/22-websocket.js
index 058b1082f..d21225dda 100644
--- a/nodes/core/io/22-websocket.js
+++ b/nodes/core/io/22-websocket.js
@@ -160,14 +160,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                 delete msg._session;
                 payload = JSON.stringify(msg);
             } else {
-                payload = msg.payload;
-                if (Buffer.isBuffer(payload)) {
-                    payload = payload.toString();
-                } else if (typeof payload === "object") {
-                    payload = JSON.stringify(payload);
-                } else if (typeof payload !== "string") {
-                    payload = ""+payload;
-                }
+                payload = RED.utils.ensureString(msg.payload);
             }
             if (msg._session && msg._session.type == "websocket") {
                 node.serverConfig.send(msg._session.id,payload);
diff --git a/nodes/core/social/61-email.js b/nodes/core/social/61-email.js
index 2f45a0a6e..2f0e98a7e 100644
--- a/nodes/core/social/61-email.js
+++ b/nodes/core/social/61-email.js
@@ -73,14 +73,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
             if (msg != null) {
                 if (smtpTransport) {
                     node.status({fill:"blue",shape:"dot",text:"sending"});
-                    var payload = msg.payload;
-                    if (Buffer.isBuffer(payload)) {
-                        payload = payload.toString();
-                    } else if (typeof payload === "object") {
-                        payload = JSON.stringify(payload);
-                    } else if (typeof payload !== "string") {
-                        payload = ""+payload;
-                    }
+                    var payload = RED.utils.ensureString(msg.payload);
                     
                     smtpTransport.sendMail({
                         from: node.userid, // sender address
diff --git a/nodes/core/storage/65-redisout.js b/nodes/core/storage/65-redisout.js
index 0cfef2a68..fabb2bbcd 100644
--- a/nodes/core/storage/65-redisout.js
+++ b/nodes/core/storage/65-redisout.js
@@ -83,14 +83,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                     var k = this.key || msg.topic;
                     if (k) {
                         if (this.structtype == "string") {
-                            if (Buffer.isBuffer(msg.payload)) {
-                                msg.payload = msg.payload.toString();
-                            } else if (typeof msg.payload === "object") {
-                                msg.payload = JSON.stringify(msg.payload);
-                            } else if (typeof msg.payload !== "string") {
-                                msg.payload = ""+msg.payload;
-                            }
-                            this.client.set(k,msg.payload);
+                            this.client.set(k,RED.utils.ensureString(msg.payload));
                         } else if (this.structtype == "hash") {
                             var r = hashFieldRE.exec(msg.payload);
                             if (r) {
diff --git a/red/red.js b/red/red.js
index a97c153d3..559eb96bf 100644
--- a/red/red.js
+++ b/red/red.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ var nodes = require("./nodes");
 var library = require("./library");
 var comms = require("./comms");
 var log = require("./log");
+var utils = require("./utils");
 var fs = require("fs");
 var settings = null;
 var credentials = require("./nodes/credentials");
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ var RED = {
     events: events,
     log: log,
     comms: comms,
+    utils: utils,
     version: function () {
         var p = require(path.join(process.env.NODE_RED_HOME,"package.json"));
         if (fs.existsSync(path.join(process.env.NODE_RED_HOME,".git"))) {
diff --git a/red/utils.js b/red/utils.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..012504e3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/red/utils.js
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright 2014 IBM Corp.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ **/
+
+function ensureString(o) {
+    if (Buffer.isBuffer(o)) {
+        return o.toString();
+    } else if (typeof o === "object") {
+        return JSON.stringify(o);
+    } else if (typeof o === "string") {
+        return o;
+    }
+    return ""+o;
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+    ensureString: ensureString,
+};
+
diff --git a/test/red/utils_spec.js b/test/red/utils_spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b39db5c26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/red/utils_spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright 2014 IBM Corp.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ **/
+var should = require("should");
+var utils = require("../../red/utils");
+
+describe("red/utils", function() {
+    describe('ensureString', function() {
+        it('strings are preserved', function() {
+            utils.ensureString('string').should.equal('string');
+        });
+        it('Buffer is converted', function() {
+            var s = utils.ensureString(new Buffer('foo'));
+            s.should.equal('foo');
+            (typeof s).should.equal('string');
+        });
+        it('Object is converted to JSON', function() {
+            var s = utils.ensureString({foo: "bar"});
+            (typeof s).should.equal('string');
+            should.deepEqual(JSON.parse(s), {foo:"bar"});
+        });
+        it('stringifies other things', function() {
+            var s = utils.ensureString(123);
+            (typeof s).should.equal('string');
+            s.should.equal('123');
+        });
+    });
+});
+