diff --git a/graphics/elements/rectangle.lua b/graphics/elements/rectangle.lua
index 069ef2b..a8c65b1 100644
--- a/graphics/elements/rectangle.lua
+++ b/graphics/elements/rectangle.lua
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ local function rectangle(args)
         assert(border_width_h * 2 <= e.frame.h, "graphics.elements.rectangle: border too thick for height")
 
         -- form the basic and top/bottom blit strings
-        spaces = util.strrep(" ", e.frame.w)
+        spaces = util.spaces(e.frame.w)
         blit_fg = util.strrep(e.fg_bg.blit_fgd, e.frame.w)
         blit_bg_top_bot = util.strrep(border_blit, e.frame.w)
 
diff --git a/graphics/elements/vbar.lua b/graphics/elements/vbar.lua
index 333af74..c140c2e 100644
--- a/graphics/elements/vbar.lua
+++ b/graphics/elements/vbar.lua
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ local function vbar(args)
     -- blit strings
     local fgd = util.strrep(e.fg_bg.blit_fgd, e.frame.w)
     local bkg = util.strrep(e.fg_bg.blit_bkg, e.frame.w)
-    local spaces = util.strrep(" ", e.frame.w)
+    local spaces = util.spaces(e.frame.w)
     local one_third = util.strrep("\x8f", e.frame.w)
     local two_thirds = util.strrep("\x83", e.frame.w)
 
diff --git a/scada-common/util.lua b/scada-common/util.lua
index dea1621..1a36bc0 100644
--- a/scada-common/util.lua
+++ b/scada-common/util.lua
@@ -68,6 +68,13 @@ function util.strrep(str, n)
     return repeated
 end
 
+-- repeat a space n times
+---@param n integer
+---@return string
+function util.spaces(n)
+    return util.strrep(" ", n)
+end
+
 -- wrap a string into a table of lines, supporting single dash splits
 ---@param str string
 ---@param limit integer line limit