diff --git a/compose/project.py b/compose/project.py
index 0f112c9c10..0187aef834 100644
--- a/compose/project.py
+++ b/compose/project.py
@@ -65,6 +65,17 @@ def update_labels(cls, value, labels):
             raise ValueError("Invalid value for one_off: {}".format(repr(value)))
 
 
+def raise_errors(errors):
+    """
+    Raise a dict with error messages as values as a single ProjectError.
+    """
+    if len(errors):
+        combined_errors = '\n'.join([
+            e.decode('utf-8') if isinstance(e, bytes) else e for e in errors.values()
+        ])
+        raise ProjectError(combined_errors)
+
+
 class Project:
     """
     A collection of services.
@@ -510,11 +521,8 @@ def build_service(service):
                 'Building',
                 limit=5,
             )
-            if len(errors):
-                combined_errors = '\n'.join([
-                    e.decode('utf-8') if isinstance(e, bytes) else e for e in errors.values()
-                ])
-                raise ProjectError(combined_errors)
+
+            raise_errors(errors)
 
         else:
             for service in services:
@@ -707,10 +715,8 @@ def get_deps(service):
             None,
             get_deps,
         )
-        if errors:
-            raise ProjectError(
-                'Encountered errors while bringing up the project.'
-            )
+
+        raise_errors(errors)
 
         return [
             container
@@ -817,11 +823,8 @@ def pull_service(service):
             log.warning('Some service image(s) must be built from source by running:\n'
                         '    docker-compose build {}'
                         .format(' '.join(must_build)))
-        if len(errors):
-            combined_errors = '\n'.join([
-                e.decode('utf-8') if isinstance(e, bytes) else e for e in errors.values()
-            ])
-            raise ProjectError(combined_errors)
+
+        raise_errors(errors)
 
     def push(self, service_names=None, ignore_push_failures=False):
         unique_images = set()