diff --git a/common/countdown/exp_duration.go b/common/countdown/exp_duration.go
index 10689bf630..0f1e20c4fb 100644
--- a/common/countdown/exp_duration.go
+++ b/common/countdown/exp_duration.go
@@ -42,10 +42,7 @@ func (d *ExpTimeoutDuration) GetTimeoutDuration(currentRound, highestRound types
 	power := float64(1)
 	// below statement must be true, just to prevent negative result
 	if highestRound < currentRound {
-		exp := uint8(currentRound-highestRound) - 1
-		if exp > d.maxExponent {
-			exp = d.maxExponent
-		}
+		exp := min(uint8(currentRound-highestRound) - 1, d.maxExponent)
 		power = math.Pow(d.base, float64(exp))
 	}
 	return d.duration * time.Duration(power)
diff --git a/core/block_validator.go b/core/block_validator.go
index a646fd127d..cef59389ac 100644
--- a/core/block_validator.go
+++ b/core/block_validator.go
@@ -193,10 +193,7 @@ func CalcGasLimit(parent *types.Block) uint64 {
 	// however, if we're now below the target (TargetGasLimit) we increase the
 	// limit as much as we can (parentGasLimit / 1024 -1)
 	if limit < params.TargetGasLimit {
-		limit = parent.GasLimit() + decay
-		if limit > params.TargetGasLimit {
-			limit = params.TargetGasLimit
-		}
+		limit = min(parent.GasLimit() + decay, params.TargetGasLimit)
 	}
 	return limit
 }