diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index 1fd82ecda7..799f9aa217 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -947,6 +947,7 @@ distclean: clean
 	tests/tap/Makefile \
 	tests/auth/Makefile \
 	tests/cmd/Makefile \
+	tests/common/Makefile \
 	tests/util/Makefile \
 	src/helper-splint.sh
 	if test -d doc/man-pages ; then \
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 0df22bc84e..0aa3dba5fc 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -245,6 +245,7 @@ src/helper-splint.sh \
 tests/Makefile \
 tests/auth/Makefile \
 tests/cmd/Makefile \
+tests/common/Makefile \
 tests/rpctestlib/Makefile \
 tests/tap/Makefile \
 tests/util/Makefile,
diff --git a/tests/Makefile.in b/tests/Makefile.in
index 3e17b51946..550312cae4 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.in
+++ b/tests/Makefile.in
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ include @TOP_OBJDIR@/src/config/Makefile.pthread
 MODULE_CFLAGS = -DSOURCE='"$(abs_top_srcdir)/tests"' \
 	-DBUILD='"$(abs_top_builddir)/tests"'
 
-SUBDIRS = tap auth util cmd
+SUBDIRS = tap common auth util cmd
 
 all: runtests
 	@for A in $(SUBDIRS); do cd $$A && $(MAKE) $@ && cd .. || exit 1; done
diff --git a/tests/auth/Makefile.in b/tests/auth/Makefile.in
index e378b3c048..b6c84be39e 100644
--- a/tests/auth/Makefile.in
+++ b/tests/auth/Makefile.in
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ include @TOP_OBJDIR@/src/config/Makefile.pthread
 
 TESTS = authcon-t superuser-t keys-t
 
-MODULE_CFLAGS=-I$(srcdir)/..
+MODULE_CFLAGS=-I$(srcdir)/.. -I$(srcdir)/../common/
 
 all check test tests: $(TESTS)
 
@@ -17,17 +17,17 @@ MODULE_LIBS = 	../tap/libtap.a \
 		$(LIB_rfc3961) $(LIB_roken) -lafsutil\
 		$(XLIBS)
 
-authcon-t: authcon-t.o common.o
-	$(AFS_LDRULE) authcon-t.o common.o \
+authcon-t: authcon-t.o ../common/config.o
+	$(AFS_LDRULE) authcon-t.o ../common/config.o \
 		$(MODULE_LIBS)
 
-superuser-t: superuser-t.o common.o test.cs.o test.ss.o test.xdr.o
-	$(AFS_LDRULE) superuser-t.o common.o \
+superuser-t: superuser-t.o ../common/config.o test.cs.o test.ss.o test.xdr.o
+	$(AFS_LDRULE) superuser-t.o ../common/config.o \
 		test.cs.o test.ss.o test.xdr.o \
 		$(MODULE_LIBS)
 
-keys-t: keys-t.o common.o
-	$(AFS_LDRULE) keys-t.o common.o $(MODULE_LIBS)
+keys-t: keys-t.o ../common/config.o
+	$(AFS_LDRULE) keys-t.o ../common/config.o $(MODULE_LIBS)
 
 writekeyfile: writekeyfile.o
 	$(AFS_LDRULE) writekeyfile.o $(MODULE_LIBS)
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ test.xdr.c: test.xg
 test.h: test.xg
 	$(RXGEN) -A -x -h -o $@ $(srcdir)/test.xg
 
-superuser-t.o: test.h common.h
+superuser-t.o: test.h
 
 clean:
 	rm -f *.o *.cs.c *.ss.c *.xdr.c test.h \
diff --git a/tests/auth/authcon-t.c b/tests/auth/authcon-t.c
index 1552f26376..c9e968ee87 100644
--- a/tests/auth/authcon-t.c
+++ b/tests/auth/authcon-t.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     struct afsconf_typedKey *key;
 
     plan(9);
-    dirname = buildTestConfig();
+    dirname = afstest_BuildTestConfig();
 
     dir = afsconf_Open(dirname);
     if (dir == NULL) {
diff --git a/tests/auth/keys-t.c b/tests/auth/keys-t.c
index ba7391e0a7..19ab98ab8c 100644
--- a/tests/auth/keys-t.c
+++ b/tests/auth/keys-t.c
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     /* Create a temporary afs configuration directory */
 
-    dirname = buildTestConfig();
+    dirname = afstest_BuildTestConfig();
 
     if (asprintf(&keyfile, "%s/KeyFile", dirname) == -1)
 	goto out;
@@ -557,12 +557,12 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     afsconf_Close(dir);
 
-    unlinkTestConfig(dirname);
+    afstest_UnlinkTestConfig(dirname);
     free(dirname);
     free(keyfile);
 
     /* Start a new test configuration */
-    dirname = buildTestConfig();
+    dirname = afstest_BuildTestConfig();
     dir = afsconf_Open(dirname);
     ok(dir != NULL, "Sucessfully opened brand new config directory");
     if (dir == NULL)
@@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
        " ... with the right key");
 
 out:
-    unlinkTestConfig(dirname);
+    afstest_UnlinkTestConfig(dirname);
 
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/tests/auth/superuser-t.c b/tests/auth/superuser-t.c
index c2ebbc6f10..dae89c1dc5 100644
--- a/tests/auth/superuser-t.c
+++ b/tests/auth/superuser-t.c
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     /* Otherwise, do the basic configuration, then start the client and
      * server */
 
-    dirname = buildTestConfig();
+    dirname = afstest_BuildTestConfig();
 
     dir = afsconf_Open(dirname);
     if (dir == NULL) {
diff --git a/tests/common/Makefile.in b/tests/common/Makefile.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..225d06a29b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/common/Makefile.in
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+
+srcdir=@srcdir@
+abs_top_builddir=@abs_top_builddir@
+include @TOP_OBJDIR@/src/config/Makefile.config
+include @TOP_OBJDIR@/src/config/Makefile.pthread
+
+MODULE_CFLAGS=-I$(srcdir)/..
+
+all check test tests:	config.o
+
+clean:
+	rm -f *.o
diff --git a/tests/auth/common.h b/tests/common/common.h
similarity index 93%
rename from tests/auth/common.h
rename to tests/common/common.h
index afe0b67f00..9f8fe2ba7e 100644
--- a/tests/auth/common.h
+++ b/tests/common/common.h
@@ -22,5 +22,5 @@
  * THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
  */
 
-extern char *buildTestConfig(void);
-extern void unlinkTestConfig(char *);
+extern char *afstest_BuildTestConfig(void);
+extern void afstest_UnlinkTestConfig(char *);
diff --git a/tests/auth/common.c b/tests/common/config.c
similarity index 97%
rename from tests/auth/common.c
rename to tests/common/config.c
index fb9595571a..1170240ddd 100644
--- a/tests/auth/common.c
+++ b/tests/common/config.c
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ unlinkConfigFile(char *dirname, char *filename) {
  */
 
 char *
-buildTestConfig(void) {
+afstest_BuildTestConfig(void) {
     char *dir = NULL;
     FILE *file;
 
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ fail:
  */
 
 void
-unlinkTestConfig(char *dir)
+afstest_UnlinkTestConfig(char *dir)
 {
     unlinkConfigFile(dir, "KeyFile");
     unlinkConfigFile(dir, "CellServDB");