diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d8a5af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+[pytest]
+norecursedirs=tests/helpers
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..501ed17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+import sys
+import os
+sys.path.append(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'helpers'))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/helpers/__init__.py b/tests/helpers/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/tests/helpers/util.py b/tests/helpers/util.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..faed6e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/helpers/util.py
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+""" Utility functions for tests
+"""
+from fediblockhole import setup_argparse, augment_args
+
+def shim_argparse(testargv: list=[], tomldata: str=None):
+    """Helper function to parse test args
+    """
+    ap = setup_argparse()
+    args = ap.parse_args(testargv)
+    args = augment_args(args, tomldata)
+    return args
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/test_cmdline.py b/tests/test_cmdline.py
index 4e6f355..46b5748 100644
--- a/tests/test_cmdline.py
+++ b/tests/test_cmdline.py
@@ -1,15 +1,8 @@
 """Test the commandline defined parameters correctly
 """
+from util import shim_argparse
 from fediblockhole import setup_argparse, augment_args
 
-def shim_argparse(testargv: list=[], tomldata: str=None):
-    """Helper function to parse test args
-    """
-    ap = setup_argparse()
-    args = ap.parse_args(testargv)
-    args = augment_args(args, tomldata)
-    return args
-
 def test_cmdline_no_configfile():
     """ Test bare command with no configfile
     """
diff --git a/tests/test_configfile.py b/tests/test_configfile.py
index d52a425..4b2c1e7 100644
--- a/tests/test_configfile.py
+++ b/tests/test_configfile.py
@@ -1,15 +1,8 @@
 """Test the config file is loading parameters correctly
 """
+from util import shim_argparse
 from fediblockhole import setup_argparse, augment_args
 
-def shim_argparse(testargv: list=[], tomldata: str=None):
-    """Helper function to parse test args
-    """
-    ap = setup_argparse()
-    args = ap.parse_args(testargv)
-    args = augment_args(args, tomldata)
-    return args
-
 def test_parse_tomldata():
     tomldata = """
 # Test TOML config for FediBlockHole