diff --git a/tests/actions-test-lib.sh b/tests/actions-test-lib.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..2928261
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/actions-test-lib.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+make_action()
+{
+    unset TODO_ACTIONS_DIR
+    [ -d .todo.actions.d ] || mkdir .todo.actions.d
+    cat > ".todo.actions.d/$1" <<EOF
+#!/bin/bash
+[ "\$1" = "usage" ] && {
+    echo "    $1 ITEM#[, ITEM#, ...] [TERM...]"
+    echo "      This custom action does $1."
+    echo ""
+    exit
+}
+echo "custom action $1"
+EOF
+chmod +x ".todo.actions.d/$1"
+}
diff --git a/tests/t2100-help.sh b/tests/t2100-help.sh
index 16de5a0..2ee8bed 100755
--- a/tests/t2100-help.sh
+++ b/tests/t2100-help.sh
@@ -5,10 +5,9 @@ test_description='help functionality
 
 This test covers the help output.
 '
+. ./actions-test-lib.sh
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
-unset TODO_ACTIONS_DIR
-
 # Note: To avoid having to adapt the test whenever the help documentation
 # slightly changes, only check for the section headers.
 test_todo_session 'help output' <<EOF
@@ -33,16 +32,6 @@ test_todo_session 'very verbose help output' <<EOF
   Built-in Actions:
 EOF
 
-mkdir .todo.actions.d
-make_action()
-{
-	cat > ".todo.actions.d/$1" <<- EOF
-	#!/bin/bash
-	echo "custom action $1"
-EOF
-chmod +x ".todo.actions.d/$1"
-}
-
 make_action "foo"
 test_todo_session 'help output with custom action' <<EOF
 >>> todo.sh -v help | sed '/^  \w/!d'
diff --git a/tests/t8000-actions.sh b/tests/t8000-actions.sh
index 5c8b7d5..763c4e9 100755
--- a/tests/t8000-actions.sh
+++ b/tests/t8000-actions.sh
@@ -4,19 +4,9 @@ test_description='custom actions functionality
 
 This test covers the contract between todo.sh and custom actions.
 '
+. ./actions-test-lib.sh
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
-unset TODO_ACTIONS_DIR
-mkdir .todo.actions.d
-make_action()
-{
-	cat > ".todo.actions.d/$1" <<- EOF
-	#!/bin/bash
-	echo "custom action $1"
-EOF
-chmod +x ".todo.actions.d/$1"
-}
-
 make_action "foo"
 test_todo_session 'executable action' <<EOF
 >>> todo.sh foo
diff --git a/tests/t8010-listaddons.sh b/tests/t8010-listaddons.sh
index 2c1dc17..ed0cb05 100755
--- a/tests/t8010-listaddons.sh
+++ b/tests/t8010-listaddons.sh
@@ -4,19 +4,9 @@ test_description='listaddons functionality
 
 This test checks listing of custom actions.
 '
+. ./actions-test-lib.sh
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
-unset TODO_ACTIONS_DIR
-mkdir .todo.actions.d
-make_action()
-{
-	cat > ".todo.actions.d/$1" <<- EOF
-	#!/bin/bash
-	echo "custom action $1"
-EOF
-chmod +x ".todo.actions.d/$1"
-}
-
 test_todo_session 'no custom actions' <<EOF
 >>> todo.sh listaddons
 EOF
diff --git a/tests/t8020-actions-help.sh b/tests/t8020-actions-help.sh
index 6f6746b..3d6ee1f 100755
--- a/tests/t8020-actions-help.sh
+++ b/tests/t8020-actions-help.sh
@@ -4,31 +4,15 @@ test_description='actions help functionality
 
 This test checks listing the usage help of a custom action.
 '
+. ./actions-test-lib.sh
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
-unset TODO_ACTIONS_DIR
 test_todo_session 'custom action help with no custom action directory' <<'EOF'
 >>> todo.sh help foo
 TODO: No actions directory exists.
 === 1
 EOF
 
-mkdir .todo.actions.d
-make_action()
-{
-	cat > ".todo.actions.d/$1" <<EOF
-#!/bin/bash
-[ "\$1" = "usage" ] && {
-    echo "    $1 ITEM#[, ITEM#, ...] [TERM...]"
-    echo "      This custom action does $1."
-    echo ""
-    exit
-}
-echo "custom action $1"
-EOF
-chmod +x ".todo.actions.d/$1"
-}
-
 make_action "foo"
 make_action "bar"
 make_action "quux"