diff --git a/prospect/trace/stderr.rkt b/prospect/trace/stderr.rkt
index 51de7c3..7293784 100644
--- a/prospect/trace/stderr.rkt
+++ b/prospect/trace/stderr.rkt
@@ -40,18 +40,20 @@
 
 (define (set-stderr-trace-flags! flags-string)
   (set! flags (for/set [(c flags-string)] (string->symbol (string c))))
-  (set! show-exceptions? (set-member? flags 'x))
-  (set! show-patch-events? (set-member? flags 'r))
-  (set! show-message-events? (set-member? flags 'm))
-  (set! show-boot-events? (set-member? flags 'b))
-  (set! show-events? (set-member? flags 'e))
-  (set! show-process-states-pre? (set-member? flags 's))
-  (set! show-process-states-post? (set-member? flags 't))
-  (set! show-process-lifecycle? (set-member? flags 'p))
-  (set! show-patch-actions? (set-member? flags 'R))
-  (set! show-message-actions? (set-member? flags 'M))
-  (set! show-actions? (set-member? flags 'a))
-  (set! show-routing-table? (set-member? flags 'g))
+  (define-syntax-rule (set-flag! symbol variable)
+    (set! variable (set-member? flags 'symbol)))
+  (set-flag! x show-exceptions?)
+  (set-flag! r show-patch-events?)
+  (set-flag! m show-message-events?)
+  (set-flag! b show-boot-events?)
+  (set-flag! e show-events?)
+  (set-flag! s show-process-states-pre?)
+  (set-flag! t show-process-states-post?)
+  (set-flag! p show-process-lifecycle?)
+  (set-flag! R show-patch-actions?)
+  (set-flag! M show-message-actions?)
+  (set-flag! a show-actions?)
+  (set-flag! g show-routing-table?)
   (set! world-is-boring? (not (set-member? flags 'W))))
 
 (set-stderr-trace-flags! (or (getenv "MINIMART_TRACE") ""))