diff --git a/c_src/encoder.c b/c_src/encoder.c
index 4d8bb49..a440f77 100644
--- a/c_src/encoder.c
+++ b/c_src/encoder.c
@@ -598,6 +598,49 @@ enc_map_to_ejson(ErlNifEnv* env, ERL_NIF_TERM map, ERL_NIF_TERM* out)
 }
 #endif
 
+ERL_NIF_TERM
+enc_object_element(Encoder* e, int first, ERL_NIF_TERM curr, ERL_NIF_TERM* stackp)
+{
+    ErlNifEnv* env = e->env;
+    ERL_NIF_TERM stack = *stackp;
+    ERL_NIF_TERM item;
+    const ERL_NIF_TERM* tuple;
+    int arity;
+
+    if(first && !enc_start_object(e)) {
+        return enc_error(e, "internal_error");
+    }
+    if(enif_is_empty_list(env, curr)) {
+        if(!enc_end_object(e)) {
+            return enc_error(e, "internal_error");
+        }
+        return 0;
+    }
+    if(!enif_get_list_cell(env, curr, &item, &curr)) {
+        return enc_error(e, "internal_error");
+    }
+    if(!enif_get_tuple(env, item, &arity, &tuple)) {
+        return enc_obj_error(e, "invalid_object_member", item);
+    }
+    if(arity != 2) {
+        return enc_obj_error(e, "invalid_object_member_arity", item);
+    }
+    if(!first && !enc_comma(e)) {
+        return enc_error(e, "internal_error");
+    }
+    if(!enc_string(e, tuple[0])) {
+        return enc_obj_error(e, "invalid_object_member_key", tuple[0]);
+    }
+    if(!enc_colon(e)) {
+        return enc_error(e, "internal_error");
+    }
+    stack = enif_make_list_cell(env, curr, stack);
+    stack = enif_make_list_cell(env, e->atoms->ref_object, stack);
+    stack = enif_make_list_cell(env, tuple[1], stack);
+    *stackp = stack;
+    return 0;
+}
+
 ERL_NIF_TERM
 encode_init(ErlNifEnv* env, int argc, const ERL_NIF_TERM argv[])
 {
@@ -712,40 +755,8 @@ encode_iter(ErlNifEnv* env, int argc, const ERL_NIF_TERM argv[])
                 ret = enc_error(e, "internal_error");
                 goto done;
             }
-            if(enif_is_empty_list(env, curr)) {
-                if(!enc_end_object(e)) {
-                    ret = enc_error(e, "internal_error");
-                    goto done;
-                }
-                continue;
-            }
-            if(!enif_get_list_cell(env, curr, &item, &curr)) {
-                ret = enc_error(e, "internal_error");
-                goto done;
-            }
-            if(!enif_get_tuple(env, item, &arity, &tuple)) {
-                ret = enc_obj_error(e, "invalid_object_member", item);
-                goto done;
-            }
-            if(arity != 2) {
-                ret = enc_obj_error(e, "invalid_object_member_arity", item);
-                goto done;
-            }
-            if(!enc_comma(e)) {
-                ret = enc_error(e, "internal_error");
-                goto done;
-            }
-            if(!enc_string(e, tuple[0])) {
-                ret = enc_obj_error(e, "invalid_object_member_key", tuple[0]);
-                goto done;
-            }
-            if(!enc_colon(e)) {
-                ret = enc_error(e, "internal_error");
-                goto done;
-            }
-            stack = enif_make_list_cell(env, curr, stack);
-            stack = enif_make_list_cell(env, e->atoms->ref_object, stack);
-            stack = enif_make_list_cell(env, tuple[1], stack);
+            ret = enc_object_element(e, 0, curr, &stack);
+            if(ret) { goto done; }
         } else if(enif_is_identical(curr, e->atoms->ref_array)) {
             if(!enif_get_list_cell(env, stack, &curr, &stack)) {
                 ret = enc_error(e, "internal_error");
@@ -815,40 +826,8 @@ encode_iter(ErlNifEnv* env, int argc, const ERL_NIF_TERM argv[])
                     ret = enc_obj_error(e, "invalid_object", curr);
                     goto done;
                 }
-                if(!enc_start_object(e)) {
-                    ret = enc_error(e, "internal_error");
-                    goto done;
-                }
-                if(enif_is_empty_list(env, tuple[0])) {
-                    if(!enc_end_object(e)) {
-                        ret = enc_error(e, "internal_error");
-                        goto done;
-                    }
-                    continue;
-                }
-                if(!enif_get_list_cell(env, tuple[0], &item, &curr)) {
-                    ret = enc_error(e, "internal_error");
-                    goto done;
-                }
-                if(!enif_get_tuple(env, item, &arity, &tuple)) {
-                    ret = enc_obj_error(e, "invalid_object_member", item);
-                    goto done;
-                }
-                if(arity != 2) {
-                    ret = enc_obj_error(e, "invalid_object_member_arity", item);
-                    goto done;
-                }
-                if(!enc_string(e, tuple[0])) {
-                    ret = enc_obj_error(e, "invalid_object_member_key", tuple[0]);
-                    goto done;
-                }
-                if(!enc_colon(e)) {
-                    ret = enc_error(e, "internal_error");
-                    goto done;
-                }
-                stack = enif_make_list_cell(env, curr, stack);
-                stack = enif_make_list_cell(env, e->atoms->ref_object, stack);
-                stack = enif_make_list_cell(env, tuple[1], stack);
+                ret = enc_object_element(e, 1, tuple[0], &stack);
+                if (ret) { goto done; }
             } else if(arity == 2) {
                 if(enif_compare(tuple[0], e->atoms->atom_json) != 0) {
                     ret = enc_obj_error(e, "invalid_ejson", curr);