diff --git a/include/cantera/base/ValueCache.h b/include/cantera/base/ValueCache.h
index e1f89b897..f64cbc0ae 100644
--- a/include/cantera/base/ValueCache.h
+++ b/include/cantera/base/ValueCache.h
@@ -33,6 +33,71 @@ struct CachedValue {
         stateNum(std::numeric_limits<int>::min())
     {
     }
+
+    //! Check whether the currently cached value is valid based on
+    //! a single state variable. If it is not valid it updates the stored
+    //! state to the new state in addition to returning false.
+    bool validate(double state1New) {
+      if(state1 == state1New) {
+        return true;
+      } else {
+        state1 = state1New;
+      }
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    //! Check whether the currently cached value is valid based on
+    //! state1 and state2. If it is not valid it updates the stored
+    //! state to the new state in addition to returning false.
+    bool validate(double state1New, double state2New) {
+      if(state1 == state1New && state2 == state2New) {
+        return true;
+      } else {
+        state1 = state1New;
+        state2 = state2New;
+      }
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    //! Check whether the currently cached value is valid based on
+    //! state1 and stateNum. If it is not valid it updates the stored
+    //! state to the new state in addition to returning false.
+    bool validate(double state1New, int stateNumNew) {
+      if(state1 == state1New && stateNum == stateNumNew) {
+        return true;
+      } else {
+        state1 = state1New;
+        stateNum = stateNumNew;
+      }
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    //! Check whether the currently cached value is valid based on
+    //! stateNum. If it is not valid it updates the stored
+    //! state to the new state in addition to returning false.
+    bool validate(int stateNumNew) {
+      if(stateNum == stateNumNew) {
+        return true;
+      } else {
+        stateNum = stateNumNew;
+      }
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    //! Check whether the currently cached value is valid based on
+    //! state1, state2, and stateNum. If it is not valid it updates the stored
+    //! state to the new state in addition to returning false.
+    bool validate(double state1New, double state2New, int stateNumNew) {
+      if(state1 == state1New && state2 == state2New && stateNum == stateNumNew) {
+        return true;
+      } else {
+        state1 = state1New;
+        state2 = state2New;
+        stateNum = stateNumNew;
+      }
+      return false;
+    }
+
     //! Value of the first state variable for the state at which #value was
     //! evaluated, e.g. temperature.
     double state1;
diff --git a/src/thermo/HMWSoln.cpp b/src/thermo/HMWSoln.cpp
index bcd3e8db6..d8af26919 100644
--- a/src/thermo/HMWSoln.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/HMWSoln.cpp
@@ -683,15 +683,9 @@ void HMWSoln::calcDensity()
 {
     static const int cacheId = m_cache.getId();
     CachedScalar cached = m_cache.getScalar(cacheId);
-    const doublereal tnow = temperature();
-    const doublereal pnow = pressure();
-    const int stateNumNow = stateMFNumber();
-    if( cached.state1 == tnow && cached.state2 == pnow && cached.stateNum == stateNumNow ) {
+    if(cached.validate(temperature(), pressure(), stateMFNumber())) {
         return;
     }
-    cached.state1 = tnow;
-    cached.state2 = pnow;
-    cached.stateNum = stateNumNow;
 
     double* vbar = &m_pp[0];
     getPartialMolarVolumes(vbar);
@@ -1051,11 +1045,9 @@ double HMWSoln::A_Debye_TP(double tempArg, double presArg) const
 
     static const int cacheId = m_cache.getId();
     CachedScalar cached = m_cache.getScalar(cacheId);
-    if(cached.state1 == T && cached.state2 == P) {
+    if(cached.validate(T, P)) {
         return m_A_Debye;
     }
-    cached.state1 = T;
-    cached.state2 = P;
 
     switch (m_form_A_Debye) {
     case A_DEBYE_CONST:
@@ -1117,11 +1109,9 @@ double HMWSoln::dA_DebyedP_TP(double tempArg, double presArg) const
         dAdP = 0.0;
         break;
     case A_DEBYE_WATER:
-        if( cached.state1 == T && cached.state2 == P ) {
+        if(cached.validate(T, P)) {
             dAdP = cached.value;
         } else {
-            cached.state1 = T;
-            cached.state2 = P;
             dAdP = m_waterProps->ADebye(T, P, 3);
             cached.value  = dAdP;
         }
@@ -1346,15 +1336,9 @@ void HMWSoln::s_update_lnMolalityActCoeff() const
 {
     static const int cacheId = m_cache.getId();
     CachedScalar cached = m_cache.getScalar(cacheId);
-    const doublereal tnow = temperature();
-    const doublereal pnow = pressure();
-    const int stateNumNow = stateMFNumber();
-    if( cached.state1 == tnow && cached.state2 == pnow && cached.stateNum == stateNumNow ) {
+    if( cached.validate(temperature(), pressure(), stateMFNumber()) ) {
         return;
     }
-    cached.state1 = tnow;
-    cached.state2 = pnow;
-    cached.stateNum = stateNumNow;
 
     /*
      * Calculate the molalities. Currently, the molalities
@@ -2955,15 +2939,9 @@ void HMWSoln::s_update_dlnMolalityActCoeff_dT() const
 {
     static const int cacheId = m_cache.getId();
     CachedScalar cached = m_cache.getScalar(cacheId);
-    const doublereal tnow = temperature();
-    const doublereal pnow = pressure();
-    const int stateNumNow = stateMFNumber();
-    if( cached.state1 == tnow && cached.state2 == pnow && cached.stateNum == stateNumNow ) {
+    if( cached.validate(temperature(), pressure(), stateMFNumber()) ) {
         return;
     }
-    cached.state1 = tnow;
-    cached.state2 = pnow;
-    cached.stateNum = stateNumNow;
 
     /*
      *  Zero the unscaled 2nd derivatives
@@ -3816,15 +3794,9 @@ void HMWSoln::s_update_d2lnMolalityActCoeff_dT2() const
 {
     static const int cacheId = m_cache.getId();
     CachedScalar cached = m_cache.getScalar(cacheId);
-    const doublereal tnow = temperature();
-    const doublereal pnow = pressure();
-    const int stateNumNow = stateMFNumber();
-    if( cached.state1 == tnow && cached.state2 == pnow && cached.stateNum == stateNumNow ) {
+    if( cached.validate(temperature(), pressure(), stateMFNumber()) ) {
         return;
     }
-    cached.state1 = tnow;
-    cached.state2 = pnow;
-    cached.stateNum = stateNumNow;
 
     /*
      *  Zero the unscaled 2nd derivatives
@@ -4682,15 +4654,9 @@ void HMWSoln::s_update_dlnMolalityActCoeff_dP() const
 {
     static const int cacheId = m_cache.getId();
     CachedScalar cached = m_cache.getScalar(cacheId);
-    const doublereal tnow = temperature();
-    const doublereal pnow = pressure();
-    const int stateNumNow = stateMFNumber();
-    if( cached.state1 == tnow && cached.state2 == pnow && cached.stateNum == stateNumNow ) {
+    if( cached.validate(temperature(), pressure(), stateMFNumber()) ) {
         return;
     }
-    cached.state1 = tnow;
-    cached.state2 = pnow;
-    cached.stateNum = stateNumNow;
 
     m_dlnActCoeffMolaldP_Unscaled.assign(m_kk, 0.0);
     s_updatePitzer_dlnMolalityActCoeff_dP();
diff --git a/src/thermo/MaskellSolidSolnPhase.cpp b/src/thermo/MaskellSolidSolnPhase.cpp
index 176458af7..d56a0674d 100644
--- a/src/thermo/MaskellSolidSolnPhase.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/MaskellSolidSolnPhase.cpp
@@ -156,13 +156,7 @@ getActivityCoefficients(doublereal* ac) const
     _updateThermo();
     static const int cacheId = m_cache.getId();
     CachedArray cached = m_cache.getArray(cacheId);
-    const doublereal tnow = temperature();
-    const doublereal pnow = pressure();
-    const int stateNumNow = stateMFNumber();
-    if( cached.state1 != temperature() || cached.state2 != pressure() || cached.stateNum != stateNumNow ) {
-      cached.state1 = tnow;
-      cached.state2 = pnow;
-      cached.stateNum = stateNumNow;
+    if( !cached.validate(temperature(), pressure(), stateMFNumber()) ) {
       cached.value.resize(2);
 
       const doublereal r = moleFraction(product_species_index);
@@ -336,9 +330,8 @@ void MaskellSolidSolnPhase::_updateThermo() const
      * Update the thermodynamic functions of the reference state.
      */
     doublereal tnow = temperature();
-    if( cached.state1 != tnow )
+    if( !cached.validate(tnow) )
     {
-        cached.state1 = tnow;
         m_spthermo->update(tnow, DATA_PTR(m_cp0_R), DATA_PTR(m_h0_RT),
                            DATA_PTR(m_s0_R));
         for (size_t k = 0; k < m_kk; k++) {