diff --git a/internal/cmd/calendar_raw.go b/internal/cmd/calendar_raw.go
index 7679a83..e227939 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/calendar_raw.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/calendar_raw.go
@@ -2,10 +2,6 @@ package cmd
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"errors"
-	"os"
-
-	"github.com/steipete/gogcli/internal/outfmt"
 )
 
 // CalendarRawCmd dumps the full Events.Get response as JSON, using the
@@ -44,9 +40,10 @@ func (c *CalendarRawCmd) Run(ctx context.Context, flags *RootFlags) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if event == nil {
-		return errors.New("event not found")
+	event, err = requireRawResponse(event, "event not found")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
-	return outfmt.WriteRaw(ctx, os.Stdout, event, outfmt.RawOptions{Pretty: c.Pretty})
+	return writeRawJSON(ctx, event, c.Pretty)
 }
diff --git a/internal/cmd/docs.go b/internal/cmd/docs.go
index 1309e04..a15881d 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/docs.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/docs.go
@@ -71,11 +71,12 @@ func (c *DocsRawCmd) Run(ctx context.Context, flags *RootFlags) error {
 		}
 		return err
 	}
-	if doc == nil {
-		return errors.New("doc not found")
+	doc, err = requireRawResponse(doc, "doc not found")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
-	return outfmt.WriteRaw(ctx, os.Stdout, doc, outfmt.RawOptions{Pretty: c.Pretty})
+	return writeRawJSON(ctx, doc, c.Pretty)
 }
 
 type DocsExportCmd struct {
diff --git a/internal/cmd/drive.go b/internal/cmd/drive.go
index 18a857e..5c63b7b 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/drive.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/drive.go
@@ -149,8 +149,9 @@ func (c *DriveRawCmd) Run(ctx context.Context, flags *RootFlags) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if f == nil {
-		return errors.New("file not found")
+	f, err = requireRawResponse(f, "file not found")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
 	// Round-trip through JSON so we can redact by key when needed.
@@ -176,7 +177,7 @@ func (c *DriveRawCmd) Run(ctx context.Context, flags *RootFlags) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	return outfmt.WriteRaw(ctx, os.Stdout, m, outfmt.RawOptions{Pretty: c.Pretty})
+	return writeRawJSON(ctx, m, c.Pretty)
 }
 
 type DriveLsCmd struct {
diff --git a/internal/cmd/forms_raw.go b/internal/cmd/forms_raw.go
index ef78cbf..2b2f308 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/forms_raw.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/forms_raw.go
@@ -2,11 +2,7 @@ package cmd
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"errors"
-	"os"
 	"strings"
-
-	"github.com/steipete/gogcli/internal/outfmt"
 )
 
 // FormsRawCmd dumps the full Forms.Get response as JSON.
@@ -37,9 +33,10 @@ func (c *FormsRawCmd) Run(ctx context.Context, flags *RootFlags) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if form == nil {
-		return errors.New("form not found")
+	form, err = requireRawResponse(form, "form not found")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
-	return outfmt.WriteRaw(ctx, os.Stdout, form, outfmt.RawOptions{Pretty: c.Pretty})
+	return writeRawJSON(ctx, form, c.Pretty)
 }
diff --git a/internal/cmd/gmail_raw.go b/internal/cmd/gmail_raw.go
index 7bd8ae4..111454d 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/gmail_raw.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/gmail_raw.go
@@ -2,12 +2,8 @@ package cmd
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"os"
 	"strings"
-
-	"github.com/steipete/gogcli/internal/outfmt"
 )
 
 // GmailRawCmd dumps the full Users.Messages.Get response as JSON. Note the
@@ -56,9 +52,10 @@ func (c *GmailRawCmd) Run(ctx context.Context, flags *RootFlags) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if msg == nil {
-		return errors.New("message not found")
+	msg, err = requireRawResponse(msg, "message not found")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
-	return outfmt.WriteRaw(ctx, os.Stdout, msg, outfmt.RawOptions{Pretty: c.Pretty})
+	return writeRawJSON(ctx, msg, c.Pretty)
 }
diff --git a/internal/cmd/people_raw.go b/internal/cmd/people_raw.go
index 97a0edb..09ff7d0 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/people_raw.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/people_raw.go
@@ -2,11 +2,7 @@ package cmd
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"errors"
-	"os"
 	"strings"
-
-	"github.com/steipete/gogcli/internal/outfmt"
 )
 
 // defaultPeopleRawMask is the field mask used when the user does not
@@ -68,9 +64,10 @@ func runPeopleRaw(ctx context.Context, flags *RootFlags, id, fields string, pret
 	if err != nil {
 		return wrapPeopleAPIError(err)
 	}
-	if person == nil {
-		return errors.New("person not found")
+	person, err = requireRawResponse(person, "person not found")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
-	return outfmt.WriteRaw(ctx, os.Stdout, person, outfmt.RawOptions{Pretty: pretty})
+	return writeRawJSON(ctx, person, pretty)
 }
diff --git a/internal/cmd/raw_helpers.go b/internal/cmd/raw_helpers.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..749fed6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/cmd/raw_helpers.go
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"os"
+
+	"github.com/steipete/gogcli/internal/outfmt"
+)
+
+func requireRawResponse[T any](response *T, notFoundMessage string) (*T, error) {
+	if response == nil {
+		return nil, errors.New(notFoundMessage)
+	}
+	return response, nil
+}
+
+func writeRawJSON(ctx context.Context, value any, pretty bool) error {
+	return outfmt.WriteRaw(ctx, os.Stdout, value, outfmt.RawOptions{Pretty: pretty})
+}
diff --git a/internal/cmd/sheets.go b/internal/cmd/sheets.go
index ae4e1eb..e374688 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/sheets.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/sheets.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package cmd
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
@@ -458,15 +457,16 @@ func (c *SheetsRawCmd) Run(ctx context.Context, flags *RootFlags) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if resp == nil {
-		return errors.New("spreadsheet not found")
+	resp, err = requireRawResponse(resp, "spreadsheet not found")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
 	if len(resp.DeveloperMetadata) > 0 {
 		u.Err().Println("warning: response contains developerMetadata which may hold third-party app secrets")
 	}
 
-	return outfmt.WriteRaw(ctx, os.Stdout, resp, outfmt.RawOptions{Pretty: c.Pretty})
+	return writeRawJSON(ctx, resp, c.Pretty)
 }
 
 type SheetsMetadataCmd struct {
diff --git a/internal/cmd/slides.go b/internal/cmd/slides.go
index 4e8dd9f..0673103 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/slides.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/slides.go
@@ -69,11 +69,12 @@ func (c *SlidesRawCmd) Run(ctx context.Context, flags *RootFlags) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if pres == nil {
-		return errors.New("presentation not found")
+	pres, err = requireRawResponse(pres, "presentation not found")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
-	return outfmt.WriteRaw(ctx, os.Stdout, pres, outfmt.RawOptions{Pretty: c.Pretty})
+	return writeRawJSON(ctx, pres, c.Pretty)
 }
 
 type SlidesExportCmd struct {
diff --git a/internal/cmd/tasks_raw.go b/internal/cmd/tasks_raw.go
index f14ae02..2e0383d 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/tasks_raw.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/tasks_raw.go
@@ -2,11 +2,7 @@ package cmd
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"errors"
-	"os"
 	"strings"
-
-	"github.com/steipete/gogcli/internal/outfmt"
 )
 
 // TasksRawCmd dumps the full Tasks.Get response as JSON.
@@ -46,9 +42,10 @@ func (c *TasksRawCmd) Run(ctx context.Context, flags *RootFlags) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if task == nil {
-		return errors.New("task not found")
+	task, err = requireRawResponse(task, "task not found")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
-	return outfmt.WriteRaw(ctx, os.Stdout, task, outfmt.RawOptions{Pretty: c.Pretty})
+	return writeRawJSON(ctx, task, c.Pretty)
 }