diff --git a/flask_util.py b/flask_util.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c3df185
--- /dev/null
+++ b/flask_util.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env/python3
+
+from flask import jsonify
+
+API_NAME = 'tv'
+API_NAME_KEY = 'api_name'
+RESPONSE_KEY = 'response'
+VERSION = '1.0'
+VERSION_KEY = 'version'
+
+
+def flask_response(response_string):
+    """
+    https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7907596/json-dumps-vs-flask-jsonify
+    :param response_string:
+    :return: a flask.Response object
+    """
+    data = {API_NAME_KEY: API_NAME,
+            VERSION_KEY: VERSION,
+            RESPONSE_KEY: response_string}
+
+    json = jsonify(data)
+    return json
+
diff --git a/scheduler.py b/scheduler.py
index e519d25..35b056e 100644
--- a/scheduler.py
+++ b/scheduler.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 from remote_command import RemoteCommand
 from ir_remote import transmit_command_ir
 import quiet_times
+import flask_util
 import time
 
 
@@ -109,6 +110,9 @@ def volume_decrease_increase(decrease_count=4, increase_count=3, duration_second
             transmit_command_ir(RemoteCommand.VOLUME_INCREASE)
             time.sleep(5)
 
+        # TODO: check if returning here fixes ValueError: View function did not return a response
+        return flask_util.flask_response('volume-decrease-increase')
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
 
diff --git a/service.py b/service.py
index 455247a..d979fb5 100644
--- a/service.py
+++ b/service.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 """
 
 from flask import Flask, jsonify, request
+import flask_util
 
 from remote_command import RemoteCommand
 from ir_remote import transmit_command_ir
@@ -15,20 +16,13 @@
 # app is a flask object
 app = Flask(__name__)
 
-API_NAME_KEY = 'api_name'
-RESPONSE_KEY = 'response'
-VERSION_KEY = 'version'
-
-API_NAME = 'tv'
-VERSION = '1.0'
-
 
 def route(command):
     """
     :param command: a RemoteCommand
     :return: route string
     """
-    return "/api/v1/{}/{}/".format(API_NAME, command.value)
+    return "/api/v1/{}/{}/".format(flask_util.API_NAME, command.value)
 
 
 def transmit_command(command):
@@ -44,29 +38,21 @@ def transmit_command(command):
     transmit_command_ir(command)
 
     # f string requires Python >= 3.6, so don't use it yet.
-    # response = f'transmitted command {command}'
-    response = 'transmitted command {}'.format(command.value)
+    # response_string = f'transmitted command {command}'
+    response_string = 'transmitted command {}'.format(command.value)
 
-    data = {API_NAME_KEY: API_NAME,
-            VERSION_KEY: VERSION,
-            RESPONSE_KEY: response}
-
-    return jsonify(data)
+    return flask_util.flask_response(response_string)
 
 
 # / is the website root, the entry point
-# http://127.0.0.1:5000
+# http://10.0.0.4:5000
 # home http://127.0.0.1
 # port :5000
 @app.route('/')
-@app.route("/api/v1/{}/ping/".format(API_NAME), methods=['GET'])
+@app.route("/api/v1/{}/ping/".format(flask_util.API_NAME), methods=['GET'])
 def api_status():
     if request.method == 'GET':
-        data = {API_NAME_KEY: API_NAME,
-                VERSION_KEY: VERSION,
-                RESPONSE_KEY: 'pong'}
-
-        return jsonify(data)
+        return flask_util.flask_response('pong')
 
 
 # POST but not GET because GET should not change any state on the server
@@ -101,7 +87,7 @@ def volume_increase():
     return transmit_command(RemoteCommand.VOLUME_INCREASE)
 
 
-@app.route("/api/v1/{}/volume-decrease-increase/".format(API_NAME), methods=['POST'])
+@app.route("/api/v1/{}/volume-decrease-increase/".format(flask_util.API_NAME), methods=['POST'])
 def volume_duck():
     return scheduler.Scheduler.volume_decrease_increase(decrease_count=4, increase_count=3, duration_seconds=10)