diff --git a/internal/api/account_test.go b/internal/api/account_test.go
index 6941a91ba..987153f58 100644
--- a/internal/api/account_test.go
+++ b/internal/api/account_test.go
@@ -12,8 +12,9 @@ import (
 
 func TestGetAccounts(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("successful request", func(t *testing.T) {
-		app, router, _, sess := NewAdminApiTest()
+		app, router, _ := NewApiTest()
 		GetAccounts(router)
+		sess := AuthenticateAdmin(app, router)
 		r := AuthenticatedRequest(app, "GET", "/api/v1/accounts?count=10", sess)
 		val := gjson.Get(r.Body.String(), "#(AccName=\"Test Account\").AccURL")
 		count := gjson.Get(r.Body.String(), "#")
diff --git a/internal/api/api_test.go b/internal/api/api_test.go
index 78718eddd..9e11a929f 100644
--- a/internal/api/api_test.go
+++ b/internal/api/api_test.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package api
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
@@ -25,15 +24,15 @@ func NewApiTest() (app *gin.Engine, router *gin.RouterGroup, conf *config.Config
 	return app, router, service.Config()
 }
 
-// NewAdminApiTest returns new API test helper with authenticated admin session.
-func NewAdminApiTest() (app *gin.Engine, router *gin.RouterGroup, conf *config.Config, sessId string) {
-	return NewAuthApiTest("admin", "photoprism")
+// AuthenticateAdmin Register session routes and returns valid SessionId.
+// Call this func after registering other routes and before performing other requests.
+func AuthenticateAdmin(app *gin.Engine, router *gin.RouterGroup) (sessId string) {
+	return AuthenticateUser(app, router, "admin", "photoprism")
 }
 
-// NewAuthApiTest returns new API test helper with authenticated admin session.
-func NewAuthApiTest(username string, password string) (app *gin.Engine, router *gin.RouterGroup, conf *config.Config, sessId string) {
-	app = gin.New()
-	router = app.Group("/api/v1")
+// AuthenticateUser Register session routes and returns valid SessionId.
+// Call this func after registering other routes and before performing other requests.
+func AuthenticateUser(app *gin.Engine, router *gin.RouterGroup, username string, password string) (sessId string) {
 	CreateSession(router)
 	f := form.Login{
 		UserName: username,
@@ -43,13 +42,9 @@ func NewAuthApiTest(username string, password string) (app *gin.Engine, router *
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	reader := bytes.NewReader(loginStr)
-	req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", "/api/v1/session", reader)
-	w := httptest.NewRecorder()
-	app.ServeHTTP(w, req)
-	sessId = w.Header().Get("X-Session-ID")
-	gin.SetMode(gin.TestMode)
-	return app, router, service.Config(), sessId
+	r0 := PerformRequestWithBody(app, http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/session", string(loginStr))
+	sessId = r0.Header().Get("X-Session-ID")
+	return
 }
 
 // Performs API request with empty request body.
@@ -79,6 +74,16 @@ func PerformRequestWithBody(r http.Handler, method, path, body string) *httptest
 	return w
 }
 
+// Performs authenticated API request including request body as string.
+func AuthenticatedRequestWithBody(r http.Handler, method, path, body string, sessionId string) *httptest.ResponseRecorder {
+	reader := strings.NewReader(body)
+	req, _ := http.NewRequest(method, path, reader)
+	req.Header.Add("X-Session-ID", sessionId)
+	w := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	r.ServeHTTP(w, req)
+	return w
+}
+
 func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
 	log = logrus.StandardLogger()
 	log.SetLevel(logrus.DebugLevel)
diff --git a/internal/api/session_test.go b/internal/api/session_test.go
index f8419dc34..03af506e1 100644
--- a/internal/api/session_test.go
+++ b/internal/api/session_test.go
@@ -1,12 +1,9 @@
 package api
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"net/http"
 	"testing"
 
-	"github.com/photoprism/photoprism/internal/form"
-
 	"github.com/photoprism/photoprism/internal/i18n"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/tidwall/gjson"
@@ -80,36 +77,18 @@ func TestCreateSession(t *testing.T) {
 func TestDeleteSession(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("delete admin session", func(t *testing.T) {
 		app, router, _ := NewApiTest()
-		CreateSession(router)
 		DeleteSession(router)
-		f := form.Login{
-			UserName: "admin",
-			Password: "photoprism",
-		}
-		loginStr, err := json.Marshal(f)
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Fatal(err)
-		}
-		r0 := PerformRequestWithBody(app, http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/session", string(loginStr))
-		sessId := r0.Header().Get("X-Session-ID")
+
+		sessId := AuthenticateAdmin(app, router)
 
 		r := PerformRequest(app, http.MethodDelete, "/api/v1/session/"+sessId)
 		assert.Equal(t, http.StatusOK, r.Code)
 	})
 	t.Run("delete user session", func(t *testing.T) {
 		app, router, _ := NewApiTest()
-		CreateSession(router)
 		DeleteSession(router)
-		f := form.Login{
-			UserName: "alice",
-			Password: "Alice123!",
-		}
-		loginStr, err := json.Marshal(f)
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Fatal(err)
-		}
-		r0 := PerformRequestWithBody(app, http.MethodPost, "/api/v1/session", string(loginStr))
-		sessId := r0.Header().Get("X-Session-ID")
+
+		sessId := AuthenticateUser(app, router, "alice", "Alice123!")
 
 		r := PerformRequest(app, http.MethodDelete, "/api/v1/session/"+sessId)
 		assert.Equal(t, http.StatusOK, r.Code)