diff --git a/forgejo-test-helper.sh b/forgejo-test-helper.sh
index 35fefdf..e555c0f 100755
--- a/forgejo-test-helper.sh
+++ b/forgejo-test-helper.sh
@@ -9,15 +9,28 @@ DIR=$(mktemp -d)
 
 trap "rm -fr $DIR" EXIT
 
+function api() {
+    method=$1
+    shift
+    url=$1
+    shift
+    path=$1
+    shift
+    token=$1
+
+    if ! which jq curl > /dev/null ; then
+	apt-get -qq install -y jq curl
+    fi
+
+    curl --fail -X $method -sS -H "Content-Type: application/json" -H "Authorization: token $token" "$@" $url/api/v1/$path
+}
+
 function check_status() {
     local url="$1"
     local repo="$2"
     local sha="$3"
 
-    if ! which jq > /dev/null ; then
-	apt-get install -y -qq jq
-    fi
-    local state=$(curl --fail -sS "$url/api/v1/repos/$repo/commits/$sha/status" | jq --raw-output .state)
+    local state=$(api GET $url repos/$repo/commits/$sha/status | jq --raw-output .state)
     echo $state
     test "$state" != "" -a "$state" != "pending" -a "$state" != "running" -a "$state" != "null"
 }