diff --git a/app/controllers/graphql_controller.rb b/app/controllers/graphql_controller.rb
index be4f51f03..de7ae7de7 100644
--- a/app/controllers/graphql_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/graphql_controller.rb
@@ -1,28 +1,44 @@
 class GraphqlController < ApplicationController
+  attr_accessor :query_variables, :query_string
 
   skip_before_action :verify_authenticity_token
   skip_authorization_check
 
+  class QueryStringError < StandardError; end
+
   def query
-
-    if request.headers["CONTENT_TYPE"] == 'application/graphql'
-      query_string = request.body.string  # request.body.class => StringIO
-    else
-      query_string = params[:query]
-    end
-
-    if query_string.nil?
+    begin
+      set_query_environment
+      response = ConsulSchema.execute query_string, variables: query_variables
+      render json: response, status: :ok
+    rescue GraphqlController::QueryStringError
       render json: { message: 'Query string not present' }, status: :bad_request
-    else
-      begin
-        response = ConsulSchema.execute(
-          query_string,
-          variables: params[:variables] || {}
-        )
-        render json: response, status: :ok
-      rescue GraphQL::ParseError
-        render json: { message: 'Query string is not valid JSON' }, status: :bad_request
-      end
+    rescue GraphQL::ParseError
+      render json: { message: 'Query string is not valid JSON' }, status: :bad_request
     end
   end
+
+  private
+
+    def set_query_environment
+      set_query_string
+      set_query_variables
+    end
+
+    def set_query_string
+      if request.headers["CONTENT_TYPE"] == 'application/graphql'
+        @query_string = request.body.string  # request.body.class => StringIO
+      else
+        @query_string = params[:query]
+      end
+      if query_string.nil? then raise GraphqlController::QueryStringError end
+    end
+
+    def set_query_variables
+      if params[:variables].nil?
+        @query_variables = {}
+      else
+        @query_variables = params[:variables]
+      end
+    end
 end