diff --git a/helper.inc.php b/helper.inc.php
index 23e27021..c6ff36d9 100644
--- a/helper.inc.php
+++ b/helper.inc.php
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ function get_value(mixed $var): mixed
 
 function get_value_or_default(mixed $var, mixed $default = null): mixed
 {
-	return $var && isset($var) ? $var : $default;
+	return isset($var) && $var ? $var : $default;
 }
 
 function get_value_property_or_default(mixed $var, mixed $property, mixed $default = null): mixed
@@ -48,6 +48,16 @@ function show_pdo_errors_if_any($pdo)
 	}
 }
 
+function pdo_succeeded($pdo)
+{
+	return check_for_pdo_errors($pdo) === true;
+}
+
+function pdo_failed($pdo)
+{
+	return check_for_pdo_errors($pdo) === false;
+}
+
 function check_for_pdo_errors($pdo)
 {
 	$errorInfo = $pdo->errorInfo();