diff --git a/tools/utils.hh b/tools/utils.hh
index 907d29b062..e6fb73b86e 100644
--- a/tools/utils.hh
+++ b/tools/utils.hh
@@ -35,6 +35,39 @@ concept Operation = requires(Op op) {
     { op.name() }; // returns some string
 };
 
+// Extract the operation from the argv.
+//
+// The operation is expected to be at argv[1].If found, it is shifted out to the
+// end (effectively removed) and the corresponding Op* is returned.
+// If not found or unrecognized an error is logged and exit() is called.
+template <Operation Op>
+const Op& get_selected_operation(int& ac, char**& av, const std::vector<Op>& operations, std::string_view alias) {
+    if (ac < 2) {
+        fmt::print(std::cerr, "error: missing mandatory {} argument\n", alias);
+        exit(1);
+    }
+
+    const Op* found_operation = nullptr;
+    for (const auto& op : operations) {
+        if (av[1] == op.name()) {
+            found_operation = &op;
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+    if (found_operation) {
+        --ac;
+        for (int i = 1; i < ac; ++i) {
+            std::swap(av[i], av[i + 1]);
+        }
+        return *found_operation;
+    }
+
+    const auto all_operation_names = boost::algorithm::join(operations | boost::adaptors::transformed([] (const Op& op) { return op.name(); } ), ", ");
+
+    fmt::print(std::cerr, "error: unrecognized {} argument: expected one of ({}), got {}\n", alias, all_operation_names, av[1]);
+    exit(1);
+}
+
 template <Operation Op>
 const Op& get_selected_operation(boost::program_options::variables_map& app_config, const std::vector<Op>& operations, std::string_view alias) {
     std::vector<const Op*> found_operations;