diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 815e274..a7a9845 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ kmscon_LDADD = libkmscon-core.la
 test_console_SOURCES = tests/test_console.c
 test_console_LDADD = libkmscon-core.la
 
-test_output_SOURCES = tests/test_output.c
+test_output_SOURCES = tests/test_output.c tests/test_include.h
 test_output_LDADD = libkmscon-core.la
 
 test_vt_SOURCES = tests/test_vt.c
diff --git a/tests/test_include.h b/tests/test_include.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..060c78c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_include.h
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+/*
+ * kmscon - Common test functions
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2012 David Herrmann <dh.herrmann@googlemail.com>
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining
+ * a copy of this software and associated documentation files
+ * (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including
+ * without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,
+ * distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to
+ * permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to
+ * the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included
+ * in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS
+ * OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
+ * MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.
+ * IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY
+ * CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT,
+ * TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE
+ * SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+ */
+
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <signal.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <sys/signalfd.h>
+#include "conf.h"
+#include "eloop.h"
+#include "log.h"
+
+static void sig_generic(struct ev_eloop *p, struct signalfd_siginfo *info,
+			void *data)
+{
+	struct ev_eloop *eloop = data;
+
+	ev_eloop_exit(eloop);
+	log_info("terminating due to caught signal %d", info->ssi_signo);
+}
+
+static int test_prepare(int argc, char **argv, struct ev_eloop **out)
+{
+	int ret;
+	struct ev_eloop *eloop;
+
+	ret = conf_parse_argv(argc, argv);
+	if (ret)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	if (conf_global.exit)
+		return -1;
+
+	if (!conf_global.debug && !conf_global.verbose && conf_global.silent)
+		log_set_config(&LOG_CONFIG_WARNING(0, 0, 0, 0));
+	else
+		log_set_config(&LOG_CONFIG_INFO(conf_global.debug,
+						conf_global.verbose));
+
+	log_print_init(argv[0]);
+
+	ret = ev_eloop_new(&eloop);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	ret = ev_eloop_register_signal_cb(eloop, SIGTERM, sig_generic, eloop);
+	if (ret) {
+		ev_eloop_unref(eloop);
+		return ret;
+	}
+
+	ret = ev_eloop_register_signal_cb(eloop, SIGINT, sig_generic, eloop);
+	if (ret) {
+		ev_eloop_unregister_signal_cb(eloop, SIGTERM,
+						sig_generic, eloop);
+		ev_eloop_unref(eloop);
+		return ret;
+	}
+
+	*out = eloop;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static void test_fail(int ret)
+{
+	if (ret)
+		log_err("init failed, errno %d: %s", ret, strerror(-ret));
+}
+
+static void test_exit(struct ev_eloop *eloop)
+{
+	ev_eloop_unregister_signal_cb(eloop, SIGINT, sig_generic, eloop);
+	ev_eloop_unregister_signal_cb(eloop, SIGTERM, sig_generic, eloop);
+	ev_eloop_unref(eloop);
+}
diff --git a/tests/test_output.c b/tests/test_output.c
index 8bd3358..061f6dc 100644
--- a/tests/test_output.c
+++ b/tests/test_output.c
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
 #include "gl.h"
 #include "log.h"
 #include "uterm.h"
+#include "test_include.h"
 
 /* a colored quad */
 float d_vert[] = { -1, -1, 1, -1, -1, 1, 1, -1, 1, 1, -1, 1 };
@@ -187,26 +188,19 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	int ret;
 	struct ev_eloop *eloop;
 
-	log_print_init("test_output");
-	log_set_config(&LOG_CONFIG_INFO(1, 1));
-
-	ret = ev_eloop_new(&eloop);
+	ret = test_prepare(argc, argv, &eloop);
 	if (ret)
-		return EXIT_FAILURE;
+		goto err_fail;
 
 	log_notice("Creating video object...");
 	ret = uterm_video_new(&video, UTERM_VIDEO_DRM, eloop);
-	if (ret) {
-		log_err("Cannot create video object: %d", ret);
-		return abs(ret);
-	}
+	if (ret)
+		goto err_exit;
 
 	log_notice("Wakeing up video object...");
 	ret = uterm_video_wake_up(video);
-	if (ret < 0) {
-		log_err("Cannot wakeup video object: %d", ret);
+	if (ret < 0)
 		goto err_unref;
-	}
 
 	if (argc < 2) {
 		ret = list_outputs(video);
@@ -224,5 +218,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 err_unref:
 	uterm_video_unref(video);
+err_exit:
+	test_exit(eloop);
+err_fail:
+	test_fail(ret);
 	return abs(ret);
 }