diff --git a/app/controllers/admin/conference_controller.rb b/app/controllers/admin/conference_controller.rb
index 03079a76..1c1045e9 100644
--- a/app/controllers/admin/conference_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/admin/conference_controller.rb
@@ -160,9 +160,6 @@ module Admin
       # get campaigns
       @campaigns = @conference.get_campaigns
 
-      # get withdrawn events
-      @withdrawn_events = @conference.program.events.where(state: :withdrawn)
-
       respond_to do |format|
         format.html
         format.json { render json: @conference.to_json }
diff --git a/app/helpers/admin/conference_helper.rb b/app/helpers/admin/conference_helper.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5130abac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/helpers/admin/conference_helper.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+module Admin
+  module ConferenceHelper
+    def withdrawn_events?(conference)
+      conference.program.events.where(state: :withdrawn).empty?
+    end
+
+    def withdrawn_events_count(conference)
+      conference.program.events.where(state: :withdrawn).count
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/views/admin/conference/show.html.haml b/app/views/admin/conference/show.html.haml
index 5e25a7af..01c17416 100644
--- a/app/views/admin/conference/show.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/admin/conference/show.html.haml
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-- if !@withdrawn_events.empty?
+- if !withdrawn_events?(@conference)
   .alert.alert-warning.alert-dismissible{role: 'alert'}
     %button.close{data: {dismiss: 'alert'}, aria: {label: 'Close'}, type: 'button'}
       %span{aria: {hidden: 'true'}}
         ×
-    Sadly #{pluralize(@withdrawn_events.count, 'event')} #{'was'.pluralize(@withdrawn_events.count)} withdrawn.
+    Sadly #{pluralize(withdrawn_events_count(@conference), 'event')} #{'was'.pluralize(withdrawn_events_count(@conference))} withdrawn.
     = link_to 'Click here', admin_conference_program_events_path(@conference.short_title)
 
 %h1