diff --git a/internal/ipc/server.go b/internal/ipc/server.go
index 6e7d590..4d035a3 100644
--- a/internal/ipc/server.go
+++ b/internal/ipc/server.go
@@ -583,180 +583,113 @@ func (s *Server) dispatch(ctx context.Context, req Request) (json.RawMessage, er
 		return marshalResult(PingResp{Alive: true, Locked: locked}), nil
 
 	case MethodAssertStepUp:
-		if s.StepUp != nil {
-			return marshalResult(nil), s.StepUp(ctx)
+		if s.StepUp == nil {
+			return nil, unknownMethod(req.Method)
 		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrUnknownMethod, req.Method)
+		return marshalResult(nil), s.StepUp(ctx)
 
 	case MethodStoreEncryptionKey:
-		if s.WrapKeyFn != nil {
-			var p storeEncryptionKeyReq
-			if err := unmarshalParams(req.Params, &p); err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			return marshalResult(nil), s.WrapKeyFn(ctx, p.Secret, p.Explicit)
+		if s.WrapKeyFn == nil {
+			return nil, unknownMethod(req.Method)
 		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrUnknownMethod, req.Method)
+		var p storeEncryptionKeyReq
+		if err := unmarshalParams(req.Params, &p); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		return marshalResult(nil), s.WrapKeyFn(ctx, p.Secret, p.Explicit)
 
 	case MethodUnlock:
-		if s.UnlockFn != nil {
-			var p unlockReq
-			if err := unmarshalParams(req.Params, &p); err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			return marshalResult(nil), s.UnlockFn(ctx, p.Secret)
+		if s.UnlockFn == nil {
+			return nil, unknownMethod(req.Method)
 		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrUnknownMethod, req.Method)
+		var p unlockReq
+		if err := unmarshalParams(req.Params, &p); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		return marshalResult(nil), s.UnlockFn(ctx, p.Secret)
 
 	case MethodIngestMail:
-		if s.IngestMailFn != nil {
-			var p IngestMailReq
-			if err := unmarshalParams(req.Params, &p); err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			resp, err := s.IngestMailFn(ctx, p)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			return marshalResult(resp), nil
-		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrUnknownMethod, req.Method)
-
+		return callDirect(ctx, req, s.IngestMailFn)
 	case MethodSwapModel:
-		if s.SwapModelFn != nil {
-			var p SwapModelReq
-			if err := unmarshalParams(req.Params, &p); err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			resp, err := s.SwapModelFn(ctx, p)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			return marshalResult(resp), nil
-		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrUnknownMethod, req.Method)
-
+		return callDirect(ctx, req, s.SwapModelFn)
 	case MethodDescribeImage:
-		if s.DescribeImageFn != nil {
-			var p DescribeImageReq
-			if err := unmarshalParams(req.Params, &p); err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			resp, err := s.DescribeImageFn(ctx, p)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			return marshalResult(resp), nil
-		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrUnknownMethod, req.Method)
-
+		return callDirect(ctx, req, s.DescribeImageFn)
 	case MethodCaptureStart:
-		if s.CaptureStartFn != nil {
-			var p CaptureStartReq
-			if err := unmarshalParams(req.Params, &p); err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			resp, err := s.CaptureStartFn(ctx, p)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			return marshalResult(resp), nil
-		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrUnknownMethod, req.Method)
-
+		return callDirect(ctx, req, s.CaptureStartFn)
 	case MethodCaptureAppend:
-		if s.CaptureAppendFn != nil {
-			var p CaptureAppendReq
-			if err := unmarshalParams(req.Params, &p); err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			resp, err := s.CaptureAppendFn(ctx, p)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			return marshalResult(resp), nil
-		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrUnknownMethod, req.Method)
-
+		return callDirect(ctx, req, s.CaptureAppendFn)
 	case MethodCaptureStop:
-		if s.CaptureStopFn != nil {
-			var p CaptureStopReq
-			if err := unmarshalParams(req.Params, &p); err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			resp, err := s.CaptureStopFn(ctx, p)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			return marshalResult(resp), nil
-		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrUnknownMethod, req.Method)
-
-	case MethodCaptureStatus:
-		if s.CaptureStatusFn != nil {
-			resp, err := s.CaptureStatusFn(ctx)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			return marshalResult(resp), nil
-		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrUnknownMethod, req.Method)
-
+		return callDirect(ctx, req, s.CaptureStopFn)
 	case MethodEnrollSpeaker:
-		if s.EnrollSpeakerFn != nil {
-			var p EnrollSpeakerReq
-			if err := unmarshalParams(req.Params, &p); err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			resp, err := s.EnrollSpeakerFn(ctx, p)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			return marshalResult(resp), nil
-		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrUnknownMethod, req.Method)
-
+		return callDirect(ctx, req, s.EnrollSpeakerFn)
+	case MethodCaptureStatus:
+		return callDirectNoParams(ctx, req, s.CaptureStatusFn)
 	case MethodListSpeakers:
-		if s.ListSpeakersFn != nil {
-			resp, err := s.ListSpeakersFn(ctx)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			return marshalResult(resp), nil
-		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrUnknownMethod, req.Method)
-
-	case MethodForgetSpeaker:
-		if s.ForgetSpeakerFn != nil {
-			var p ForgetSpeakerReq
-			if err := unmarshalParams(req.Params, &p); err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			if err := s.ForgetSpeakerFn(ctx, p); err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			return marshalResult(nil), nil
-		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrUnknownMethod, req.Method)
-
+		return callDirectNoParams(ctx, req, s.ListSpeakersFn)
 	case MethodModelStatus:
-		if s.ModelStatusFn != nil {
-			resp, err := s.ModelStatusFn(ctx)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			return marshalResult(resp), nil
-		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrUnknownMethod, req.Method)
+		return callDirectNoParams(ctx, req, s.ModelStatusFn)
+	case MethodForgetSpeaker:
+		return callDirectVoid(ctx, req, s.ForgetSpeakerFn)
 	}
 
 	h, ok := methodTable[req.Method]
 	if !ok {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrUnknownMethod, req.Method)
+		return nil, unknownMethod(req.Method)
 	}
 	return h(ctx, api, req.Params)
 }
 
+// callDirect runs a daemon-supplied handler that bypasses CoreAPI: unmarshal
+// the params, call it, marshal the reply. A nil handler is the capability being
+// unconfigured on this box, and the wire says so as an unknown method.
+func callDirect[P any, R any](ctx context.Context, req Request, fn func(context.Context, P) (R, error)) (json.RawMessage, error) {
+	if fn == nil {
+		return nil, unknownMethod(req.Method)
+	}
+	var p P
+	if err := unmarshalParams(req.Params, &p); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	r, err := fn(ctx, p)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return marshalResult(r), nil
+}
+
+// callDirectNoParams is callDirect for a handler that reads no params. Like
+// withoutParams it never touches req.Params.
+func callDirectNoParams[R any](ctx context.Context, req Request, fn func(context.Context) (R, error)) (json.RawMessage, error) {
+	if fn == nil {
+		return nil, unknownMethod(req.Method)
+	}
+	r, err := fn(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return marshalResult(r), nil
+}
+
+// callDirectVoid is callDirect for a handler with nothing to report back. The
+// wire reply is always null.
+func callDirectVoid[P any](ctx context.Context, req Request, fn func(context.Context, P) error) (json.RawMessage, error) {
+	if fn == nil {
+		return nil, unknownMethod(req.Method)
+	}
+	var p P
+	if err := unmarshalParams(req.Params, &p); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if err := fn(ctx, p); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return marshalResult(nil), nil
+}
+
+func unknownMethod(m Method) error {
+	return fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrUnknownMethod, m)
+}
+
 func unmarshalParams(raw json.RawMessage, v any) error {
 	if len(raw) == 0 {
 		raw = []byte("null")