I nevertheless prefer afoken’s solution, because it would be a general one.   (Also, as noted, it is something that has probably already been done.)

In my book, it is well worth the “extra effort” to develop a solution that makes a problem go-away completely, in every case, and never come back under any (unforseen at the time it was written) circumstances.   (The “suh-prize!”-es usually pop up at three o’clock in the morning.)   Best to “whack that mole” such that it stays whacked.