diff --git a/tests/tests_abstract.py b/tests/tests_abstract.py
index 7dc4bdbda982349720edf4bbe0b429002dd980bb..552b05201e8848d0dc4102089f398cb2dad7b513 100644
--- a/tests/tests_abstract.py
+++ b/tests/tests_abstract.py
@@ -4,6 +4,17 @@ import unittest
 import pyinsane2
 
 
+def get_devices():
+    '''Return devices, perhaps after creating a test device.'''
+    devices = pyinsane2.get_devices()
+    if len(devices) == 0:
+        # if there are no devices found, create a virtual device.
+        # see sane-test(5) and /etc/sane.d/test.conf
+        pyinsane2.Scanner("test").scan()
+        devices = pyinsane2.get_devices()
+    return devices
+
+
 class TestSaneGetDevices(unittest.TestCase):
     module = None
 
@@ -11,12 +22,7 @@ class TestSaneGetDevices(unittest.TestCase):
         pyinsane2.init()
 
     def test_get_devices(self):
-        devices = pyinsane2.get_devices()
-        if len(devices) == 0:
-            # if there are no devices found, create a virtual device.
-            # see sane-test(5) and /etc/sane.d/test.conf
-            pyinsane2.Scanner("test")._open()
-            devices = pyinsane2.get_devices()
+        devices = get_devices()
         self.assertTrue(len(devices) > 0)
 
     def tearDown(self):
@@ -28,7 +34,7 @@ class TestSaneOptions(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         pyinsane2.init()
-        self.devices = pyinsane2.get_devices()
+        self.devices = get_devices()
         self.assertTrue(len(self.devices) > 0)
 
     def test_get_option(self):
@@ -89,7 +95,7 @@ class TestSaneScan(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         pyinsane2.init()
-        devices = pyinsane2.get_devices()
+        devices = get_devices()
         self.assertTrue(len(devices) > 0)
         self.dev = devices[0]
 
diff --git a/tests/tests_saneapi.py b/tests/tests_saneapi.py
index 1bbbefcfc54078bbc20d57929cf0968990af1820..d15353821d011dd714cf3ede0579ea1120502179 100644
--- a/tests/tests_saneapi.py
+++ b/tests/tests_saneapi.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ if os.name != "nt":
     from pyinsane2.sane import rawapi
 
 
-def get_test_devices():
+def get_devices():
     '''Return SANE devices, perhaps after creating a test device.'''
     devices = rawapi.sane_get_devices()
     if len(devices) == 0:
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class TestSaneGetDevices(unittest.TestCase):
 
     @unittest.skipIf(os.name == "nt", "sane only")
     def test_get_devices(self):
-        devices = get_test_devices()
+        devices = get_devices()
         self.assertTrue(len(devices) > 0)
 
     def tearDown(self):
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class TestSaneGetDevices(unittest.TestCase):
 class TestSaneOpen(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         rawapi.sane_init()
-        devices = get_test_devices()
+        devices = get_devices()
         self.assertTrue(len(devices) > 0)
         self.dev_name = devices[0].name
 
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class TestSaneOpen(unittest.TestCase):
 class TestSaneGetOptionDescriptor(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         rawapi.sane_init()
-        devices = get_test_devices()
+        devices = get_devices()
         self.assertTrue(len(devices) > 0)
         dev_name = devices[0].name
         self.dev_handle = rawapi.sane_open(dev_name)
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ class TestSaneGetOptionDescriptor(unittest.TestCase):
 class TestSaneControlOption(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         rawapi.sane_init()
-        devices = get_test_devices()
+        devices = get_devices()
         self.assertTrue(len(devices) > 0)
         dev_name = devices[0].name
         self.dev_handle = rawapi.sane_open(dev_name)
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ class TestSaneControlOption(unittest.TestCase):
 class TestSaneScan(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         rawapi.sane_init()
-        devices = get_test_devices()
+        devices = get_devices()
         self.assertTrue(len(devices) > 0)
         dev_name = devices[0].name
         self.dev_handle = rawapi.sane_open(dev_name)