diff --git a/tensordict/_td.py b/tensordict/_td.py
index 77f806ee2..0ec6616eb 100644
--- a/tensordict/_td.py
+++ b/tensordict/_td.py
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@
     _is_shared,
     _KEY_ERROR,
     _LOCK_ERROR,
+    _maybe_correct_neg_dim,
     _mismatch_keys,
     _NON_STR_KEY_ERR,
     _NON_STR_KEY_TUPLE_ERR,
@@ -878,8 +879,7 @@ def all(self, dim: int = None) -> bool | TensorDictBase:
                 "smaller than tensordict.batch_dims"
             )
         if dim is not None:
-            if dim < 0:
-                dim = self.batch_dims + dim
+            dim = _maybe_correct_neg_dim(dim, self.batch_size)
 
             names = None
             if self._has_names():
@@ -901,8 +901,7 @@ def any(self, dim: int = None) -> bool | TensorDictBase:
                 "smaller than tensordict.batch_dims"
             )
         if dim is not None:
-            if dim < 0:
-                dim = self.batch_dims + dim
+            dim = _maybe_correct_neg_dim(dim, self.batch_size)
 
             names = None
             if self._has_names():
@@ -980,14 +979,7 @@ def proc_dim(dim, batch_dims, tuple_ok=True):
                         for _d in proc_dim(d, batch_dims, tuple_ok=False)
                     )
                 return dim
-            if dim >= batch_dims or dim < -batch_dims:
-                raise RuntimeError(
-                    "dim must be greater than or equal to -tensordict.batch_dims and "
-                    "smaller than tensordict.batch_dims"
-                )
-            if dim < 0:
-                return (batch_dims + dim,)
-            return (dim,)
+            return (_maybe_correct_neg_dim(dim, None, batch_dims),)
 
         dim_needs_proc = (dim is not NO_DEFAULT) and (dim not in ("feature",))
         if dim_needs_proc:
@@ -1724,13 +1716,7 @@ def split(self, split_size: int | list[int], dim: int = 0) -> list[TensorDictBas
         WRONG_TYPE = "split(): argument 'split_size' must be int or list of ints"
         batch_size = self.batch_size
         batch_sizes = []
-        batch_dims = len(batch_size)
-        if dim < 0:
-            dim = len(batch_size) + dim
-        if dim >= batch_dims or dim < 0:
-            raise IndexError(
-                f"Dimension out of range (expected to be in range of [-{self.batch_dims}, {self.batch_dims - 1}], but got {dim})"
-            )
+        dim = _maybe_correct_neg_dim(dim, batch_size)
         max_size = batch_size[dim]
         if isinstance(split_size, int):
             idx0 = 0
@@ -2005,17 +1991,7 @@ def _squeeze(tensor):
                 propagate_lock=True,
             )
         # make the dim positive
-        if dim < 0:
-            newdim = self.batch_dims + dim
-        else:
-            newdim = dim
-
-        if (newdim >= self.batch_dims) or (newdim < 0):
-            raise RuntimeError(
-                f"squeezing is allowed for dims comprised between "
-                f"`-td.batch_dims` and `td.batch_dims - 1` only. Got "
-                f"dim={dim} with a batch size of {self.batch_size}."
-            )
+        newdim = _maybe_correct_neg_dim(dim, batch_size)
         if batch_size[dim] != 1:
             return self
         batch_size = list(batch_size)
diff --git a/tensordict/base.py b/tensordict/base.py
index 763876ca1..83ab269bc 100644
--- a/tensordict/base.py
+++ b/tensordict/base.py
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@
     _KEY_ERROR,
     _lock_warn,
     _make_dtype_promotion,
+    _maybe_correct_neg_dim,
     _parse_to,
     _pass_through,
     _pass_through_cls,
@@ -3343,13 +3344,7 @@ def unbind(self, dim: int) -> tuple[T, ...]:
             tensor([4, 5, 6, 7])
 
         """
-        batch_dims = self.batch_dims
-        if dim < -batch_dims or dim >= batch_dims:
-            raise RuntimeError(
-                f"the dimension provided ({dim}) is beyond the tensordict dimensions ({self.ndim})."
-            )
-        if dim < 0:
-            dim = batch_dims + dim
+        dim = _maybe_correct_neg_dim(dim, self.batch_size)
         results = self._unbind(dim)
         if self._is_memmap or self._is_shared:
             for result in results:
@@ -7406,12 +7401,7 @@ def unflatten(self, dim, unflattened_size):
             >>> td_unflat = td_flat.unflatten(0, [3, 4])
             >>> assert (td == td_unflat).all()
         """
-        if dim < 0:
-            dim = self.ndim + dim
-            if dim < 0:
-                raise ValueError(
-                    f"Incompatible dim {dim} for tensordict with shape {self.shape}."
-                )
+        dim = _maybe_correct_neg_dim(dim, self.batch_size)
 
         def unflatten(tensor):
             return torch.unflatten(
@@ -8956,11 +8946,7 @@ def _map(
         iterable: bool,
     ):
         num_workers = pool._processes
-        dim_orig = dim
-        if dim < 0:
-            dim = self.ndim + dim
-        if dim < 0 or dim >= self.ndim:
-            raise ValueError(f"Got incompatible dimension {dim_orig}")
+        dim = _maybe_correct_neg_dim(dim, self.batch_size)
 
         self_split = _split_tensordict(
             self,
@@ -9588,18 +9574,11 @@ def softmax(self, dim: int, dtype: torch.dtype | None = None):  # noqa: D417
 
         """
         if isinstance(dim, int):
-            if dim < 0:
-                new_dim = self.ndim + dim
-            else:
-                new_dim = dim
+            dim = _maybe_correct_neg_dim(dim, self.batch_size)
         else:
             raise ValueError(f"Expected dim of type int, got {type(dim)}.")
-        if (new_dim < 0) or (new_dim >= self.ndim):
-            raise ValueError(
-                f"The dimension {dim} is incompatible with a tensordict with batch_size {self.batch_size}."
-            )
         return self._fast_apply(
-            lambda x: torch.softmax(x, dim=new_dim, dtype=dtype),
+            lambda x: torch.softmax(x, dim=dim, dtype=dtype),
         )
 
     def log10(self) -> T:
diff --git a/tensordict/utils.py b/tensordict/utils.py
index dc2f0a769..c2fd31ff4 100644
--- a/tensordict/utils.py
+++ b/tensordict/utils.py
@@ -2923,3 +2923,24 @@ def set_mode(self, type: Any | None) -> None:
         cm = self._lock if not is_compiling() else nullcontext()
         with cm:
             self._mode = type
+
+
+def _maybe_correct_neg_dim(
+    dim: int, shape: torch.Size | None, ndim: int | None = None
+) -> int:
+    """Corrects neg dim to pos."""
+    if ndim is None:
+        ndim = len(shape)
+    if dim < 0:
+        new_dim = ndim + dim
+    else:
+        new_dim = dim
+    if new_dim < 0 or new_dim >= ndim:
+        if shape is not None:
+            raise IndexError(
+                f"Incompatible dim {new_dim} for tensordict with shape {shape}."
+            )
+        raise IndexError(
+            f"Incompatible dim {new_dim} for tensordict with batch dims {ndim}."
+        )
+    return new_dim
diff --git a/test/test_tensordict.py b/test/test_tensordict.py
index 838ad35d0..cac9cab76 100644
--- a/test/test_tensordict.py
+++ b/test/test_tensordict.py
@@ -2566,7 +2566,7 @@ def test_split_with_empty_tensordict(self):
     def test_split_with_invalid_arguments(self):
         td = TensorDict({"a": torch.zeros(2, 1)}, [])
         # Test empty batch size
-        with pytest.raises(IndexError, match="Dimension out of range"):
+        with pytest.raises(IndexError, match="Incompatible dim"):
             td.split(1, 0)
 
         td = TensorDict({}, [3, 2])
@@ -2587,9 +2587,9 @@ def test_split_with_invalid_arguments(self):
             td.split([1, 1], 0)
 
         # Test invalid dimension input
-        with pytest.raises(IndexError, match="Dimension out of range"):
+        with pytest.raises(IndexError, match="Incompatible dim"):
             td.split(1, 2)
-        with pytest.raises(IndexError, match="Dimension out of range"):
+        with pytest.raises(IndexError, match="Incompatible dim"):
             td.split(1, -3)
 
     def test_split_with_negative_dim(self):