diff --git a/test/integration/layout_test.rb b/test/integration/layout_test.rb
index 03d407d24..001bf50d2 100644
--- a/test/integration/layout_test.rb
+++ b/test/integration/layout_test.rb
@@ -13,9 +13,7 @@ class LayoutTest < ActionController::IntegrationTest
   end
 
   test "browsing to an unauthorized page should render the base layout" do
-    user = User.find(9)
-    user.password, user.password_confirmation = 'test', 'test'
-    user.save!
+    change_user_password('miscuser9', 'test')
     
     log_user('miscuser9','test')
 
diff --git a/test/test_helper.rb b/test/test_helper.rb
index 15a1f1570..dc04fa82d 100644
--- a/test/test_helper.rb
+++ b/test/test_helper.rb
@@ -86,6 +86,12 @@ class ActiveSupport::TestCase
     saved_settings.each {|k, v| Setting[k] = v}
   end
 
+  def change_user_password(login, new_password)
+    user = User.first(:conditions => {:login => login})
+    user.password, user.password_confirmation = new_password, new_password
+    user.save!
+  end
+
   def self.ldap_configured?
     @test_ldap = Net::LDAP.new(:host => '127.0.0.1', :port => 389)
     return @test_ldap.bind