diff --git a/lib/puppet/provider/file_line/ruby.rb b/lib/puppet/provider/file_line/ruby.rb
index 94e7fac91..ae1a8b3db 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/provider/file_line/ruby.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/provider/file_line/ruby.rb
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ def lines
 
   def handle_create_with_match()
     regex = resource[:match] ? Regexp.new(resource[:match]) : nil
-    match_count = lines.select { |l| regex.match(l) }.size
+    match_count = count_matches(regex)
     if match_count > 1 && resource[:multiple].to_s != 'true'
      raise Puppet::Error, "More than one line in file '#{resource[:path]}' matches pattern '#{resource[:match]}'"
     end
@@ -51,9 +51,7 @@ def handle_create_with_match()
 
   def handle_create_with_after
     regex = Regexp.new(resource[:after])
-
-    count = lines.count {|l| l.match(regex)}
-
+    count = count_matches(regex)
     case count
     when 1 # find the line to put our line after
       File.open(resource[:path], 'w') do |fh|
@@ -71,6 +69,10 @@ def handle_create_with_after
     end
   end
 
+  def count_matches(regex)
+    lines.select{|l| l.match(regex)}.size
+  end
+
   ##
   # append the line to the file.
   #