diff --git a/test/functional/AccountDeletionRequestTest.php b/test/functional/AccountDeletionRequestTest.php
index 756865ad..877c6b91 100644
--- a/test/functional/AccountDeletionRequestTest.php
+++ b/test/functional/AccountDeletionRequestTest.php
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ private function getNumberAccountDeletionRequests()
     public function testRequestAccountDeletionUserHasNoGroups()
     {
         global $USER, $SQL;
-        switchUser(...getUserHasNotRequestedAccountDeletionHasNoGroups());
+        switchUser(...getBlankUser());
         $this->assertEmpty($USER->getPIGroupGIDs());
         $this->assertNumberAccountDeletionRequests(0);
         try {
diff --git a/test/functional/PIMemberRequestTest.php b/test/functional/PIMemberRequestTest.php
index af37add5..a4bb3826 100644
--- a/test/functional/PIMemberRequestTest.php
+++ b/test/functional/PIMemberRequestTest.php
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public function testRequestMembership()
         $this->assertTrue($pi_group->exists());
         $this->assertEqualsCanonicalizing([$pi], $pi_group->getGroupMembers());
         $this->assertEqualsCanonicalizing([], $SQL->getRequests($gid));
-        switchUser(...getUserNotPiNotRequestedBecomePi());
+        switchUser(...getBlankUser());
         $uid = $USER->uid;
         $this->assertFalse($USER->isPI());
         $this->assertFalse($SQL->requestExists($uid, UnitySQL::REQUEST_BECOME_PI));
diff --git a/test/functional/PiBecomeRequestTest.php b/test/functional/PiBecomeRequestTest.php
index 0ac80e3f..69dc69e5 100644
--- a/test/functional/PiBecomeRequestTest.php
+++ b/test/functional/PiBecomeRequestTest.php
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ private function getNumberPiBecomeRequests()
     public function testRequestBecomePi()
     {
         global $USER, $SQL;
-        switchUser(...getUserNotPiNotRequestedBecomePi());
+        switchUser(...getBlankUser());
         $this->assertFalse($USER->isPI());
         $this->assertNumberPiBecomeRequests(0);
         try {
diff --git a/test/phpunit-bootstrap.php b/test/phpunit-bootstrap.php
index 7cd4273d..8ca38744 100644
--- a/test/phpunit-bootstrap.php
+++ b/test/phpunit-bootstrap.php
@@ -239,7 +239,8 @@ function getUserHasNotRequestedAccountDeletionHasGroup()
     return ["user1@org1.test", "foo", "bar", "user1@org1.test"];
 }
 
-function getUserHasNotRequestedAccountDeletionHasNoGroups()
+/* a blank user has no requests, no PI group, and has not requested account deletion */
+function getBlankUser()
 {
     return ["user2@org1.test", "foo", "bar", "user2@org1.test"];
 }
@@ -249,11 +250,6 @@ function getUserHasNoSshKeys()
     return ["user3@org1.test", "foo", "bar", "user3@org1.test"];
 }
 
-function getUserNotPiNotRequestedBecomePi()
-{
-    return ["user2@org1.test", "foo", "bar", "user2@org1.test"];
-}
-
 function getUserNotPiNotRequestedBecomePiRequestedAccountDeletion()
 {
     return ["user4@org1.test", "foo", "bar", "user4@org1.test"];