diff --git a/common/config/config_userapi.c b/common/config/config_userapi.c
index 1a831d28c5..7c92a611de 100644
--- a/common/config/config_userapi.c
+++ b/common/config/config_userapi.c
@@ -105,13 +105,14 @@ int config_execcheck(configmodule_interface_t *cfg, paramdef_t *params, int nump
   return st;
 }
 
-int config_paramidx_fromname(paramdef_t *params, int numparams, const char *name) {
-  for (int i=0; i<numparams ; i++) {
-    if (strcmp(name,params[i].optname) == 0)
+int config_paramidx_fromname(const paramdef_t *params, int numparams, const char *name)
+{
+  for (int i = 0; i < numparams; i++) {
+    if (strcmp(name, params[i].optname) == 0)
       return i;
   }
 
-  fprintf(stderr,"[CONFIG]config_paramidx_fromname , %s is not a valid parameter name\n",name);
+  fprintf(stderr, "[CONFIG]config_paramidx_fromname , %s is not a valid parameter name\n", name);
   return -1;
 }
 
@@ -290,3 +291,10 @@ void config_set_checkfunctions(paramdef_t *params, checkedparam_t *checkfunction
     params[i].chkPptr = &(checkfunctions[i]);
   }
 }
+
+const paramdef_t *config_get_paramdef_from_name(const paramdef_t *pd, int num, const char *name)
+{
+  int idx = config_paramidx_fromname(pd, num, (char *)name);
+  AssertFatal(idx >= 0 && idx < num, "Invalid parameter name %s\n", name);
+  return &pd[idx];
+}
diff --git a/common/config/config_userapi.h b/common/config/config_userapi.h
index 00818c4976..3aeeeec3c1 100644
--- a/common/config/config_userapi.h
+++ b/common/config/config_userapi.h
@@ -49,7 +49,9 @@ extern configmodule_interface_t *uniqCfg;
 #define CONFIG_SETRTFLAG(P)   if (config_get_if()) { config_get_if()->rtflags |= P; }
 #define CONFIG_CLEARRTFLAG(P) if (config_get_if()) { config_get_if()->rtflags &= (~P); }
 #define CONFIG_ISPARAMFLAGSET(P,F) ( !!(P.paramflags & F))
-int config_paramidx_fromname(paramdef_t *params, int numparams, const char *name);
+#define gpd(pd_array, nump, name) config_get_paramdef_from_name(pd_array, nump, name)
+
+int config_paramidx_fromname(const paramdef_t *params, int numparams, const char *name);
 
 /* utility functions, to be used by configuration module and/or configuration libraries */
 void config_printhelp(paramdef_t *, int numparams, const char *prefix);
@@ -75,6 +77,7 @@ int config_check_modify_integer(configmodule_interface_t *cfg, paramdef_t *param
 int config_check_intrange(configmodule_interface_t *cfg, paramdef_t *param);
 int config_check_strval(configmodule_interface_t *cfg, paramdef_t *param);
 int config_checkstr_assign_integer(configmodule_interface_t *cfg, paramdef_t *param);
+const paramdef_t *config_get_paramdef_from_name(const paramdef_t *pd, int num, const char *name);
 
 #define CONFIG_GETCONFFILE (config_get_if()->cfgP[0])
 
diff --git a/radio/fhi_72/mplane/init-mplane.c b/radio/fhi_72/mplane/init-mplane.c
index fcd908562a..7e0c105463 100644
--- a/radio/fhi_72/mplane/init-mplane.c
+++ b/radio/fhi_72/mplane/init-mplane.c
@@ -72,14 +72,6 @@ static void ly_print_clb(LY_LOG_LEVEL level, const char *msg, const char *path)
   }
 }
 
-static const paramdef_t *gpd(const paramdef_t *pd, int num, const char *name)
-{
-  /* the config module does not know const-correctness... */
-  int idx = config_paramidx_fromname((paramdef_t *)pd, num, (char *)name);
-  DevAssert(idx >= 0);
-  return &pd[idx];
-}
-
 bool init_mplane(ru_session_list_t *ru_session_list)
 {
   paramdef_t fhip[] = ORAN_GLOBALPARAMS_DESC;
diff --git a/radio/fhi_72/oran-config.c b/radio/fhi_72/oran-config.c
index 51374e79fe..3a8e60ebdb 100644
--- a/radio/fhi_72/oran-config.c
+++ b/radio/fhi_72/oran-config.c
@@ -440,14 +440,6 @@ void print_fh_config(const struct xran_fh_config *fh_config)
 #endif
 }
 
-static const paramdef_t *gpd(const paramdef_t *pd, int num, const char *name)
-{
-  /* the config module does not know const-correctness... */
-  int idx = config_paramidx_fromname((paramdef_t *)pd, num, (char *)name);
-  DevAssert(idx >= 0);
-  return &pd[idx];
-}
-
 static uint64_t get_u64_mask(const paramdef_t *pd)
 {
   DevAssert(pd != NULL);