diff --git a/nut-client/src/blocking/mod.rs b/nut-client/src/blocking/mod.rs
index 11286f2..3fd810c 100644
--- a/nut-client/src/blocking/mod.rs
+++ b/nut-client/src/blocking/mod.rs
@@ -94,7 +94,8 @@ impl TcpConnection {
             self.stream = self.stream.upgrade_ssl(sess)?;
 
             // Send a test command
-            self.get_network_version()?;
+            self.write_cmd(Command::NetworkVersion)?;
+            self.read_plain_response()?;
         }
         Ok(self)
     }
@@ -119,12 +120,6 @@ impl TcpConnection {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    #[allow(dead_code)]
-    fn get_network_version(&mut self) -> crate::Result<String> {
-        self.write_cmd(Command::NetworkVersion)?;
-        self.read_plain_response()
-    }
-
     pub(crate) fn write_cmd(&mut self, line: Command) -> crate::Result<()> {
         let line = format!("{}\n", line);
         if self.config.debug {
diff --git a/nut-client/src/cmd.rs b/nut-client/src/cmd.rs
index 1f8aff3..1295254 100644
--- a/nut-client/src/cmd.rs
+++ b/nut-client/src/cmd.rs
@@ -337,6 +337,54 @@ macro_rules! implement_get_commands {
     };
 }
 
+/// A macro for implementing simple/direct commands.
+///
+/// Each function should return a 2-tuple with
+///     (1) the command to pass
+///     (2) a closure for mapping the `String` row to the return type
+macro_rules! implement_simple_commands {
+    (
+        $(
+            $(#[$attr:meta])+
+            fn $name:ident($($argname:ident: $argty:ty),*) -> $retty:ty {
+                (
+                    $cmd:block,
+                    $mapper:block,
+                )
+            }
+        )*
+    ) => {
+        impl crate::blocking::Connection {
+            $(
+                $(#[$attr])*
+                pub fn $name(&mut self$(, $argname: $argty)*) -> crate::Result<$retty> {
+                    match self {
+                        Self::Tcp(conn) => {
+                            conn.write_cmd($cmd)?;
+                            ($mapper)(conn.read_plain_response()?)
+                        },
+                    }
+                }
+            )*
+        }
+
+        #[cfg(feature = "async")]
+        impl crate::tokio::Connection {
+            $(
+                $(#[$attr])*
+                pub async fn $name(&mut self$(, $argname: $argty)*) -> crate::Result<$retty> {
+                    match self {
+                        Self::Tcp(conn) => {
+                            conn.write_cmd($cmd).await?;
+                            ($mapper)(conn.read_plain_response().await?)
+                        },
+                    }
+                }
+            )*
+        }
+    };
+}
+
 implement_list_commands! {
     /// Queries a list of UPS devices.
     fn list_ups() -> Vec<(String, String)> {
@@ -372,3 +420,13 @@ implement_get_commands! {
         )
     }
 }
+
+implement_simple_commands! {
+    /// Queries the network protocol version.
+    fn get_network_version() -> String {
+        (
+            { Command::NetworkVersion },
+            { |row: String| Ok(row) },
+        )
+    }
+}
diff --git a/nut-client/src/tokio/mod.rs b/nut-client/src/tokio/mod.rs
index 6e1e563..b8269e7 100644
--- a/nut-client/src/tokio/mod.rs
+++ b/nut-client/src/tokio/mod.rs
@@ -101,7 +101,8 @@ impl TcpConnection {
             self.stream = self.stream.upgrade_ssl(config, dns_name.as_ref()).await?;
 
             // Send a test command
-            self.get_network_version().await?;
+            self.write_cmd(Command::NetworkVersion).await?;
+            self.read_plain_response().await?;
         }
         Ok(self)
     }
@@ -126,12 +127,6 @@ impl TcpConnection {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    #[allow(dead_code)]
-    async fn get_network_version(&mut self) -> crate::Result<String> {
-        self.write_cmd(Command::NetworkVersion).await?;
-        self.read_plain_response().await
-    }
-
     pub(crate) async fn write_cmd(&mut self, line: Command<'_>) -> crate::Result<()> {
         let line = format!("{}\n", line);
         if self.config.debug {