diff --git a/testcases/t/26-regress-close.t b/testcases/t/26-regress-close.t
index 125caf73..349ffca5 100644
--- a/testcases/t/26-regress-close.t
+++ b/testcases/t/26-regress-close.t
@@ -7,19 +7,14 @@
 use i3test tests => 1;
 use X11::XCB qw(:all);
 
-my $i3 = i3("/tmp/nestedcons");
-
 my $tmp = get_unused_workspace();
-$i3->command("workspace $tmp")->recv;
+cmd "workspace $tmp";
 
-$i3->command('open')->recv;
-$i3->command('mode toggle')->recv;
-$i3->command('kill')->recv;
-$i3->command('kill')->recv;
+cmd 'open';
+cmd 'mode toggle';
+cmd 'kill';
+cmd 'kill';
 
-
-my $tree = $i3->get_tree->recv;
-my @nodes = @{$tree->{nodes}};
-ok(@nodes > 0, 'i3 still lives');
+does_i3_live;
 
 diag( "Testing i3, Perl $], $^X" );
diff --git a/testcases/t/27-regress-floating-parent.t b/testcases/t/27-regress-floating-parent.t
index 0074af6f..d72fd350 100644
--- a/testcases/t/27-regress-floating-parent.t
+++ b/testcases/t/27-regress-floating-parent.t
@@ -40,8 +40,6 @@ is(get_focused($tmp), $floating, 'floating window focused');
 sleep 1;
 $i3->command('mode toggle')->recv;
 
-my $tree = $i3->get_tree->recv;
-my @nodes = @{$tree->{nodes}};
-ok(@nodes > 0, 'i3 still lives');
+does_i3_live;
 
 diag( "Testing i3, Perl $], $^X" );
diff --git a/testcases/t/34-invalid-command.t b/testcases/t/34-invalid-command.t
index e1cc2c6f..cfb330a1 100644
--- a/testcases/t/34-invalid-command.t
+++ b/testcases/t/34-invalid-command.t
@@ -5,12 +5,8 @@
 #
 use i3test tests => 1;
 
-my $i3 = i3("/tmp/nestedcons");
+cmd 'blargh!';
 
-$i3->command("blargh!")->recv;
-
-my $tree = $i3->get_tree->recv;
-my @nodes = @{$tree->{nodes}};
-ok(@nodes > 0, 'i3 still lives');
+does_i3_live;
 
 diag( "Testing i3, Perl $], $^X" );
diff --git a/testcases/t/42-regress-move-floating.t b/testcases/t/42-regress-move-floating.t
index 2fc14177..1c4fae13 100644
--- a/testcases/t/42-regress-move-floating.t
+++ b/testcases/t/42-regress-move-floating.t
@@ -14,6 +14,4 @@ cmd 'open';
 cmd 'mode toggle';
 cmd "move workspace $otmp";
 
-my $tree = i3('/tmp/nestedcons')->get_tree->recv;
-my @nodes = @{$tree->{nodes}};
-ok(@nodes > 0, 'i3 still lives');
+does_i3_live;
diff --git a/testcases/t/47-regress-floatingmove.t b/testcases/t/47-regress-floatingmove.t
index ae6fe963..189d2808 100644
--- a/testcases/t/47-regress-floatingmove.t
+++ b/testcases/t/47-regress-floatingmove.t
@@ -34,6 +34,4 @@ sleep 0.25;
 cmd 'move before v';
 sleep 0.25;
 
-my $tree = i3('/tmp/nestedcons')->get_tree->recv;
-my @nodes = @{$tree->{nodes}};
-ok(@nodes > 0, 'i3 still lives');
+does_i3_live;