diff --git a/tests/actions-test-lib.sh b/tests/actions-test-lib.sh
index 51d4eef..daf18a9 100644
--- a/tests/actions-test-lib.sh
+++ b/tests/actions-test-lib.sh
@@ -34,3 +34,19 @@ echo "custom action $1 in folder $1"
 EOF
 chmod +x ".todo.actions.d/$1/$1"
 }
+
+invalidate_action()
+{
+    local customActionFilespec="${1:?}"; shift
+    local testName="${1:?}"; shift
+
+    chmod -x "$customActionFilespec"
+    # On Cygwin, clearing the executable flag may have no effect, as the Windows
+    # ACL may still grant execution rights. In this case, we skip the test, and
+    # remove the (still valid) custom action so that it doesn't break following
+    # tests.
+    if [ -x "$customActionFilespec" ]; then
+        SKIP_TESTS="${SKIP_TESTS}${SKIP_TESTS+ }${testName}"
+        rm -- "$customActionFilespec"
+    fi
+}
diff --git a/tests/t8010-listaddons.sh b/tests/t8010-listaddons.sh
index cf212e8..ee0495a 100755
--- a/tests/t8010-listaddons.sh
+++ b/tests/t8010-listaddons.sh
@@ -28,14 +28,7 @@ ls
 quux
 EOF
 
-chmod -x .todo.actions.d/foo
-# On Cygwin, clearing the executable flag may have no effect, as the Windows ACL
-# may still grant execution rights. In this case, we skip the test, and remove
-# the (still valid) custom action so that it doesn't break following tests.
-if [ -x .todo.actions.d/foo ]; then
-    SKIP_TESTS="${SKIP_TESTS}${SKIP_TESTS+ }t8010.4"
-    rm .todo.actions.d/foo
-fi
+invalidate_action .todo.actions.d/foo t8010.4
 test_todo_session 'nonexecutable action' <<EOF
 >>> todo.sh listaddons
 bar
@@ -68,15 +61,7 @@ norris
 quux
 EOF
 
-# nthorne: shamelessly stolen from above..
-chmod -x .todo.actions.d/norris/norris
-# On Cygwin, clearing the executable flag may have no effect, as the Windows ACL
-# may still grant execution rights. In this case, we skip the test, and remove
-# the (still valid) custom action so that it doesn't break following tests.
-if [ -x .todo.actions.d/norris/norris ]; then
-    SKIP_TESTS="${SKIP_TESTS}${SKIP_TESTS+ }t8010.8"
-    rm .todo.actions.d/norris/norris
-fi
+invalidate_action .todo.actions.d/norris/norris t8010.8
 test_todo_session 'nonexecutable action in subfolder' <<EOF
 >>> todo.sh listaddons
 bar