diff --git a/tests/__init__.py b/tests/__init__.py
index 1ab6746..63384f9 100644
--- a/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/__init__.py
@@ -97,6 +97,20 @@ def mock_remote_object(
             status,
             content)
 
+def create_remote_person(
+        url,
+        name,
+        publicKey):
+
+    mock_remote_object(
+            url=url,
+            content=json.dumps(remote_user(
+                url=url,
+                name=name,
+                publicKey = publicKey,
+                )),
+            )
+
 def test_message_body_and_headers(secret='',
         path=INBOX_PATH,
         host=INBOX_HOST,
diff --git a/tests/test_inbox.py b/tests/test_inbox.py
index 047b815..a26f562 100644
--- a/tests/test_inbox.py
+++ b/tests/test_inbox.py
@@ -24,12 +24,10 @@ class TestInbox(TestCase):
                 auto_follow=False,
                 )
 
-        mock_remote_object(REMOTE_FRED,
-                content=json.dumps(remote_user(
-                    url=REMOTE_FRED,
-                    name='Fred',
-                    publicKey = keys['public'],
-                    )),
+        create_remote_person(
+                name='fred',
+                url=REMOTE_FRED,
+                publicKey = keys['public'],
                 )
 
         post_test_message(