diff --git a/selfdrive/car/fw_versions.py b/selfdrive/car/fw_versions.py
index 5c36ba5664..e44523c89d 100755
--- a/selfdrive/car/fw_versions.py
+++ b/selfdrive/car/fw_versions.py
@@ -28,11 +28,16 @@ def chunks(l, n=128):
     yield l[i:i + n]
 
 
+def is_brand(brand: str, filter_brand: Optional[str]) -> bool:
+  """Returns if brand matches filter_brand or no brand filter is specified"""
+  return filter_brand is None or brand == filter_brand
+
+
 def build_fw_dict(fw_versions: List[capnp.lib.capnp._DynamicStructBuilder],
                   filter_brand: Optional[str] = None) -> Dict[Tuple[int, Optional[int]], Set[bytes]]:
   fw_versions_dict = defaultdict(set)
   for fw in fw_versions:
-    if (filter_brand is None or fw.brand == filter_brand) and not fw.logging:
+    if is_brand(fw.brand, filter_brand) and not fw.logging:
       sub_addr = fw.subAddress if fw.subAddress != 0 else None
       fw_versions_dict[(fw.address, sub_addr)].add(fw.fwVersion)
   return dict(fw_versions_dict)
@@ -277,7 +282,7 @@ def get_fw_versions(logcan, sendcan, query_brand=None, extra=None, timeout=0.1,
 
   # Get versions and build capnp list to put into CarParams
   car_fw = []
-  requests = [(brand, config, r) for brand, config, r in REQUESTS if query_brand is None or brand == query_brand]
+  requests = [(brand, config, r) for brand, config, r in REQUESTS if is_brand(brand, query_brand)]
   for addr in tqdm(addrs, disable=not progress):
     for addr_chunk in chunks(addr):
       for brand, config, r in requests: