diff --git a/source/godmode.c b/source/godmode.c
index 6c66878..3b31709 100644
--- a/source/godmode.c
+++ b/source/godmode.c
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ u32 SdFormatMenu(void) {
         return 1;
     }
     
-    if (*(vu32*) 0x101401C0 == 0) {
+    if (CheckA9lh()) {
         InitSDCardFS(); // on A9LH: copy the payload from mem to SD root
         FileSetData("0:/arm9loaderhax.bin", (u8*) 0x23F00000, 0x40000, 0, true);
         DeinitSDCardFS();
diff --git a/source/nand/nand.c b/source/nand/nand.c
index 4dd3341..5ffe9f9 100644
--- a/source/nand/nand.c
+++ b/source/nand/nand.c
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ bool InitNandCrypto(void)
 {   
     // part #0: KeyX / KeyY for secret sector 0x96
     // on a9lh this MUST be run before accessing the SHA register in any other way
-    if ((*(u32*) 0x101401C0) == 0) { // for a9lh
+    if (CheckA9lh()) { // for a9lh
         // store the current SHA256 from register
         memcpy(OtpSha256, (void*)REG_SHAHASH, 32);
     } else {
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ bool InitNandCrypto(void)
     
     // part #2: TWL KEY
     // see: https://www.3dbrew.org/wiki/Memory_layout#ARM9_ITCM
-    if ((*(vu32*) 0x101401C0) == 0) { // only for a9lh
+    if (CheckA9lh()) { // only for a9lh
         u32* TwlCustId = (u32*) (0x01FFB808);
         u8 TwlKeyX[16];
         u8 TwlKeyY[16];
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ bool InitNandCrypto(void)
     // part #3: CTRNAND N3DS KEY
     // thanks AuroraWright and Gelex for advice on this
     // see: https://github.com/AuroraWright/Luma3DS/blob/master/source/crypto.c#L347
-    if ((*(vu32*) 0x101401C0) == 0) { // only for a9lh
+    if (CheckA9lh()) { // only for a9lh
         u8 ctr[16] __attribute__((aligned(32)));
         u8 keyY[16] __attribute__((aligned(32)));
         u8 header[0x200];
@@ -243,6 +243,11 @@ bool CheckSector0x96Crypto(void)
     return !(memcmp(OtpSha256, zeroes, 32) == 0);
 }
 
+bool CheckA9lh(void)
+{
+    return ((*(vu32*) 0x101401C0) == 0);
+}
+
 void CryptNand(u8* buffer, u32 sector, u32 count, u32 keyslot)
 {
     u32 mode = (sector >= (0x0B100000 / 0x200)) ? AES_CNT_CTRNAND_MODE : AES_CNT_TWLNAND_MODE;
diff --git a/source/nand/nand.h b/source/nand/nand.h
index 9aa6159..b73f549 100644
--- a/source/nand/nand.h
+++ b/source/nand/nand.h
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ bool LoadKeyFromFile(const char* folder, u8* keydata, u32 keyslot, char type, ch
 bool InitNandCrypto(void);
 bool CheckSlot0x05Crypto(void);
 bool CheckSector0x96Crypto(void);
+bool CheckA9lh(void);
 
 void CryptNand(u8* buffer, u32 sector, u32 count, u32 keyslot);
 void CryptSector0x96(u8* buffer, bool encrypt);
diff --git a/source/virtual/vnand.c b/source/virtual/vnand.c
index 5acd0fc..d9e3ece 100644
--- a/source/virtual/vnand.c
+++ b/source/virtual/vnand.c
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ bool ReadVNandDir(VirtualFile* vfile, u32 nand_src) {
             continue; // keyslot 0x05 not properly set up
         if ((vfile->flags & VFLAG_NEEDS_OTP) && !CheckSector0x96Crypto())
             return false; // sector 0x96 crypto not set up
-        if (!(nand_src & VRT_SYSNAND) || (*(vu32*) 0x101401C0))
+        if (!(nand_src & VRT_SYSNAND) || !CheckA9lh())
             vfile->flags &= ~VFLAG_A9LH_AREA; // flag is meaningless outside of A9LH / SysNAND
         if (vfile->flags & VFLAG_NAND_SIZE) {
             if ((nand_src != NAND_SYSNAND) && (GetNandSizeSectors(NAND_SYSNAND) != GetNandSizeSectors(nand_src)))