diff --git a/src/xrt/auxiliary/util/u_device.c b/src/xrt/auxiliary/util/u_device.c
index 5a5dd5bcc..c10d1ebfc 100644
--- a/src/xrt/auxiliary/util/u_device.c
+++ b/src/xrt/auxiliary/util/u_device.c
@@ -294,3 +294,68 @@ u_device_free(struct xrt_device *xdev)
 
 	free(xdev);
 }
+
+/*
+ * move the assigned xdev from hand to other_hand if:
+ * - controller of type "any hand" is assigned to hand
+ * - other_hand is unassiged
+ */
+static void
+try_move_assignment(struct xrt_device **xdevs, int *hand, int *other_hand)
+{
+	if (*hand != XRT_DEVICE_ROLE_UNASSIGNED &&
+	    xdevs[*hand]->device_type == XRT_DEVICE_TYPE_ANY_HAND_CONTROLLER &&
+	    *other_hand == XRT_DEVICE_ROLE_UNASSIGNED) {
+
+		*other_hand = *hand;
+		*hand = XRT_DEVICE_ROLE_UNASSIGNED;
+	}
+}
+
+void
+u_device_assign_xdev_roles(struct xrt_device **xdevs,
+                           size_t num_xdevs,
+                           int *head,
+                           int *left,
+                           int *right)
+{
+	*head = XRT_DEVICE_ROLE_UNASSIGNED;
+	*left = XRT_DEVICE_ROLE_UNASSIGNED;
+	*right = XRT_DEVICE_ROLE_UNASSIGNED;
+
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < num_xdevs; i++) {
+		if (xdevs[i] == NULL) {
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		switch (xdevs[i]->device_type) {
+		case XRT_DEVICE_TYPE_HMD:
+			if (*head == XRT_DEVICE_ROLE_UNASSIGNED) {
+				*head = i;
+			}
+			break;
+		case XRT_DEVICE_TYPE_LEFT_HAND_CONTROLLER:
+			try_move_assignment(xdevs, left, right);
+			if (*left == XRT_DEVICE_ROLE_UNASSIGNED) {
+				*left = i;
+			}
+			break;
+		case XRT_DEVICE_TYPE_RIGHT_HAND_CONTROLLER:
+			try_move_assignment(xdevs, right, left);
+			if (*right == XRT_DEVICE_ROLE_UNASSIGNED) {
+				*right = i;
+			}
+			break;
+		case XRT_DEVICE_TYPE_ANY_HAND_CONTROLLER:
+			if (*left == XRT_DEVICE_ROLE_UNASSIGNED) {
+				*left = i;
+			} else if (*right == XRT_DEVICE_ROLE_UNASSIGNED) {
+				*right = i;
+			} else {
+				//! @todo: do something with unassigend devices?
+			}
+			break;
+		default: break;
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/xrt/auxiliary/util/u_device.h b/src/xrt/auxiliary/util/u_device.h
index 9d5b26e63..c3bec4ba3 100644
--- a/src/xrt/auxiliary/util/u_device.h
+++ b/src/xrt/auxiliary/util/u_device.h
@@ -98,6 +98,20 @@ void
 u_device_free(struct xrt_device *xdev);
 
 
+#define XRT_DEVICE_ROLE_UNASSIGNED (-1)
+
+/*!
+ * Helper function to assign head, left hand and right hand roles.
+ *
+ * @ingroup aux_util
+ */
+void
+u_device_assign_xdev_roles(struct xrt_device **xdevs,
+                           size_t num_xdevs,
+                           int *head,
+                           int *left,
+                           int *right);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/xrt/state_trackers/oxr/oxr_instance.c b/src/xrt/state_trackers/oxr/oxr_instance.c
index 905bf6280..d33fd4c44 100644
--- a/src/xrt/state_trackers/oxr/oxr_instance.c
+++ b/src/xrt/state_trackers/oxr/oxr_instance.c
@@ -114,41 +114,6 @@ cache_path(struct oxr_logger *log,
 
 #define NUM_XDEVS 16
 
-static void
-assign_xdev_roles(struct oxr_instance *inst)
-{
-	struct oxr_system *sys = &inst->system;
-	for (size_t i = 0; i < NUM_XDEVS; i++) {
-		if (sys->xdevs[i] == NULL) {
-			continue;
-		}
-
-		if (sys->xdevs[i]->device_type == XRT_DEVICE_TYPE_HMD) {
-			sys->role.head = i;
-		} else if (sys->xdevs[i]->device_type ==
-		           XRT_DEVICE_TYPE_LEFT_HAND_CONTROLLER) {
-			if (sys->role.left == XRT_DEVICE_ROLE_UNASSIGNED) {
-				sys->role.left = i;
-			}
-		} else if (sys->xdevs[i]->device_type ==
-		           XRT_DEVICE_TYPE_RIGHT_HAND_CONTROLLER) {
-			if (sys->role.right == XRT_DEVICE_ROLE_UNASSIGNED) {
-				sys->role.right = i;
-			}
-		} else if (sys->xdevs[i]->device_type ==
-		           XRT_DEVICE_TYPE_ANY_HAND_CONTROLLER) {
-			if (sys->role.left == XRT_DEVICE_ROLE_UNASSIGNED) {
-				sys->role.left = i;
-			} else if (sys->role.right ==
-			           XRT_DEVICE_ROLE_UNASSIGNED) {
-				sys->role.right = i;
-			} else {
-				//! @todo: do something with unassigend devices?
-			}
-		}
-	}
-}
-
 static inline size_t
 min_size_t(size_t a, size_t b)
 {
@@ -277,7 +242,8 @@ oxr_instance_create(struct oxr_logger *log,
 		oxr_xdev_destroy(&xdevs[i]);
 	}
 
-	assign_xdev_roles(inst);
+	u_device_assign_xdev_roles(xdevs, NUM_XDEVS, &sys->role.head,
+	                           &sys->role.left, &sys->role.right);
 
 	// Did we find any HMD
 	// @todo Headless with only controllers?
diff --git a/src/xrt/state_trackers/oxr/oxr_objects.h b/src/xrt/state_trackers/oxr/oxr_objects.h
index b5e1b1cbb..70b6d401b 100644
--- a/src/xrt/state_trackers/oxr/oxr_objects.h
+++ b/src/xrt/state_trackers/oxr/oxr_objects.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include "util/u_index_fifo.h"
 #include "util/u_hashset.h"
 #include "util/u_hashmap.h"
+#include "util/u_device.h"
 
 #include "oxr_extension_support.h"
 #include "oxr_subaction.h"
@@ -1089,8 +1090,6 @@ struct oxr_handle_base
 	oxr_handle_destroyer destroy;
 };
 
-#define XRT_DEVICE_ROLE_UNASSIGNED (-1)
-
 /*!
  * Single or multiple devices grouped together to form a system that sessions
  * can be created from. Might need to open devices in order to get all