diff --git a/XenAdmin/Commands/ExportCommand.cs b/XenAdmin/Commands/ExportCommand.cs
index cdf2cc511..36cdd7754 100644
--- a/XenAdmin/Commands/ExportCommand.cs
+++ b/XenAdmin/Commands/ExportCommand.cs
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ namespace XenAdmin.Commands
             Pool poolAncestor = selection.PooAncestorFromConnection;
 
             if ((poolAncestor != null || hostAncestor != null) //CA-61207: this check ensures there's no cross-pool selection
-                && (selection.FirstIsPool || selection.FirstIsHost || selection.FirstIsRealVM || selection.FirstIsVMappliance))
+                && (selection.FirstIs<Pool>() || selection.FirstIs<Host>() || selection.FirstIsRealVM || selection.FirstIs<VM_appliance>()))
             {
 				if (selection.AllItemsAre<VM>())
 					return selection.AtLeastOneXenObjectCan<VM>(CanExportVm);
diff --git a/XenAdmin/Commands/SelectedItemCollection.cs b/XenAdmin/Commands/SelectedItemCollection.cs
index a20bf704c..63a740ad1 100644
--- a/XenAdmin/Commands/SelectedItemCollection.cs
+++ b/XenAdmin/Commands/SelectedItemCollection.cs
@@ -261,25 +261,11 @@ namespace XenAdmin.Commands
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Gets a value indicating whether the first item is a pool.
+        /// Gets a value indicating whether the first item is a T.
         /// </summary>
-        public bool FirstIsPool
+        public bool FirstIs<T>() where T : IXenObject
         {
-            get
-            {
-                return First is Pool;
-            }
-        }
-
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Gets a value indicating whether the first item is a host.
-        /// </summary>
-        public bool FirstIsHost
-        {
-            get
-            {
-                return First is Host;
-            }
+            return First is T;
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -289,29 +275,7 @@ namespace XenAdmin.Commands
         {
             get
             {
-                return FirstIsHost && ((Host)this[0].XenObject).IsLive;
-            }
-        }
-
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Gets a value indicating whether the first item is a VM.
-        /// </summary>
-        public bool FirstIsVM
-        {
-            get
-            {
-                return First is VM;
-            }
-        }
-
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Gets a value indicating whether the first item is a SR.
-        /// </summary>
-        public bool FirstIsSR
-        {
-            get
-            {
-                return First is SR;
+                return FirstIs<Host>() && ((Host)this[0].XenObject).IsLive;
             }
         }
 
@@ -322,7 +286,7 @@ namespace XenAdmin.Commands
         {
             get
             {
-                return FirstIsVM && !((VM)this[0].XenObject).is_a_template;
+                return FirstIs<VM>() && !((VM)this[0].XenObject).is_a_template;
             }
         }
 
@@ -333,29 +297,7 @@ namespace XenAdmin.Commands
         {
             get
             {
-                return FirstIsVM && ((VM)this[0].XenObject).is_a_template && !((VM)this[0].XenObject).is_a_snapshot;
-            }
-        }
-
-		/// <summary>
-		/// Gets a value indicating whether the first item is a VM_appliance.
-		/// </summary>
-		public bool FirstIsVMappliance
-		{
-			get
-			{
-				return First is VM_appliance;
-			}
-		}
-
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Gets a value indicating whether the first item is a GroupingTag.
-        /// </summary>
-        public bool FirstIsGroup
-        {
-            get
-            {
-                return First is GroupingTag;
+                return FirstIs<VM>() && ((VM)this[0].XenObject).is_a_template && !((VM)this[0].XenObject).is_a_snapshot;
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/XenAdmin/MainWindow.cs b/XenAdmin/MainWindow.cs
index 982122032..419f22406 100644
--- a/XenAdmin/MainWindow.cs
+++ b/XenAdmin/MainWindow.cs
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ namespace XenAdmin
 
 				if (SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIsRealVM)
 					ConsolePanel.setCurrentSource((VM)SelectionManager.Selection.First);
-                else if (SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIsHost)
+                else if (SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIs<Host>())
                     ConsolePanel.setCurrentSource((Host)SelectionManager.Selection.First);
 
                 UnpauseVNC(sender == TheTabControl);
@@ -1375,10 +1375,10 @@ namespace XenAdmin
 
             bool multi = SelectionManager.Selection.Count > 1;
 
-            bool isPoolSelected = SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIsPool;
-            bool isVMSelected = SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIsVM;
-            bool isHostSelected = SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIsHost;
-            bool isSRSelected = SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIsSR;
+            bool isPoolSelected = SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIs<Pool>();
+            bool isVMSelected = SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIs<VM>();
+            bool isHostSelected = SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIs<Host>();
+            bool isSRSelected = SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIs<SR>();
             bool isRealVMSelected = SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIsRealVM;
             bool isTemplateSelected = SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIsTemplate;
             bool isHostLive = SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIsLiveHost;
@@ -1774,7 +1774,7 @@ namespace XenAdmin
                     ConsolePanel.setCurrentSource((VM)SelectionManager.Selection.First);
                     UnpauseVNC(e != null && sender == TheTabControl);
                 }
-                else if (SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIsHost)
+                else if (SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIs<Host>())
                 {
                     ConsolePanel.setCurrentSource((Host)SelectionManager.Selection.First);
                     UnpauseVNC(e != null && sender == TheTabControl);
@@ -1782,7 +1782,7 @@ namespace XenAdmin
             }
             else if (t == TabPageCvmConsole)
             {
-                if (SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIsHost)
+                if (SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIs<Host>())
                 {
                     CvmConsolePanel.setCurrentSource((Host)SelectionManager.Selection.First);
                     UnpauseVNC(e != null && sender == TheTabControl);
@@ -2451,21 +2451,21 @@ namespace XenAdmin
 
             if (TheTabControl.SelectedTab == TabPagePhysicalStorage || TheTabControl.SelectedTab == TabPageStorage || TheTabControl.SelectedTab == TabPageSR)
             {
-                if (SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIsPool)
+                if (SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIs<Pool>())
                     return "Pool";
-                if (SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIsHost)
+                if (SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIs<Host>())
                     return "Server";
-                if (SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIsVM)
+                if (SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIs<VM>())
                     return "VM";
-                if (SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIsSR)
+                if (SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIs<SR>())
                     return "Storage";
             }
 
             if (TheTabControl.SelectedTab == TabPageNetwork)
             {
-                if (SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIsHost)
+                if (SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIs<Host>())
                     return "Server";
-                if (SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIsVM)
+                if (SelectionManager.Selection.FirstIs<VM>())
                     return "VM";
             }
 
diff --git a/XenAdmin/Wizards/ExportWizard/ExportSelectVMsPage.cs b/XenAdmin/Wizards/ExportWizard/ExportSelectVMsPage.cs
index 046d35c5a..39bb9115c 100644
--- a/XenAdmin/Wizards/ExportWizard/ExportSelectVMsPage.cs
+++ b/XenAdmin/Wizards/ExportWizard/ExportSelectVMsPage.cs
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ namespace XenAdmin.Wizards.ExportWizard
 				m_dataGridView.Rows.Clear();
 
 				var applianceVMs = new List<XenRef<VM>>();
-				if (SelectedItems != null && SelectedItems.FirstIsVMappliance)
+                if (SelectedItems != null && SelectedItems.FirstIs<VM_appliance>())
 					applianceVMs.AddRange(((VM_appliance)SelectedItems.FirstAsXenObject).VMs);
 
 				foreach (var vm in Connection.Cache.VMs.Where(vm => IsVmExportable(vm) && MatchesSearchText(vm)))