diff --git a/test/helpers/application_helper_test.rb b/test/helpers/application_helper_test.rb
index a25bae99d4..d14edba17c 100644
--- a/test/helpers/application_helper_test.rb
+++ b/test/helpers/application_helper_test.rb
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 require "test_helper"
 
 class ApplicationHelperTest < ActionView::TestCase
-  fixtures :users, :user_roles
-
   def setup
     I18n.locale = "en"
   end
@@ -59,36 +57,36 @@ def test_style_rules
     assert_match /\.hide_unless_administrator /, css
     assert_match /\.hide_unless_moderator /, css
 
-    @user = users(:normal_user)
+    @user = create(:user)
 
     css = style_rules
     assert_match /\.hidden /, css
     assert_no_match /\.hide_unless_logged_in /, css
     assert_match /\.hide_if_logged_in /, css
-    assert_match /\.hide_if_user_1 /, css
-    assert_match /\.show_if_user_1 /, css
+    assert_match /\.hide_if_user_#{@user.id} /, css
+    assert_match /\.show_if_user_#{@user.id} /, css
     assert_match /\.hide_unless_administrator /, css
     assert_match /\.hide_unless_moderator /, css
 
-    @user = users(:moderator_user)
+    @user = create(:moderator_user)
 
     css = style_rules
     assert_match /\.hidden /, css
     assert_no_match /\.hide_unless_logged_in /, css
     assert_match /\.hide_if_logged_in /, css
-    assert_match /\.hide_if_user_5 /, css
-    assert_match /\.show_if_user_5 /, css
+    assert_match /\.hide_if_user_#{@user.id} /, css
+    assert_match /\.show_if_user_#{@user.id} /, css
     assert_match /\.hide_unless_administrator /, css
     assert_no_match /\.hide_unless_moderator /, css
 
-    @user = users(:administrator_user)
+    @user = create(:administrator_user)
 
     css = style_rules
     assert_match /\.hidden /, css
     assert_no_match /\.hide_unless_logged_in /, css
     assert_match /\.hide_if_logged_in /, css
-    assert_match /\.hide_if_user_6 /, css
-    assert_match /\.show_if_user_6 /, css
+    assert_match /\.hide_if_user_#{@user.id} /, css
+    assert_match /\.show_if_user_#{@user.id} /, css
     assert_no_match /\.hide_unless_administrator /, css
     assert_match /\.hide_unless_moderator /, css
   end
@@ -110,11 +108,12 @@ def test_if_not_logged_in
   end
 
   def test_if_user
-    html = if_user(users(:normal_user)) { "Test 1" }
-    assert_dom_equal "<div class=\"hidden show_if_user_1\">Test 1</div>", html
+    user = create(:user)
+    html = if_user(user) { "Test 1" }
+    assert_dom_equal "<div class=\"hidden show_if_user_#{user.id}\">Test 1</div>", html
 
-    html = if_user(users(:normal_user), :span) { "Test 2" }
-    assert_dom_equal "<span class=\"hidden show_if_user_1\">Test 2</span>", html
+    html = if_user(user, :span) { "Test 2" }
+    assert_dom_equal "<span class=\"hidden show_if_user_#{user.id}\">Test 2</span>", html
 
     html = if_user(nil) { "Test 3" }
     assert_nil html
@@ -124,11 +123,12 @@ def test_if_user
   end
 
   def test_unless_user
-    html = unless_user(users(:normal_user)) { "Test 1" }
-    assert_dom_equal "<div class=\"hide_if_user_1\">Test 1</div>", html
+    user = create(:user)
+    html = unless_user(user) { "Test 1" }
+    assert_dom_equal "<div class=\"hide_if_user_#{user.id}\">Test 1</div>", html
 
-    html = unless_user(users(:normal_user), :span) { "Test 2" }
-    assert_dom_equal "<span class=\"hide_if_user_1\">Test 2</span>", html
+    html = unless_user(user, :span) { "Test 2" }
+    assert_dom_equal "<span class=\"hide_if_user_#{user.id}\">Test 2</span>", html
 
     html = unless_user(nil) { "Test 3" }
     assert_dom_equal "<div>Test 3</div>", html
diff --git a/test/helpers/note_helper_test.rb b/test/helpers/note_helper_test.rb
index 8495e21a99..c78d215ed8 100644
--- a/test/helpers/note_helper_test.rb
+++ b/test/helpers/note_helper_test.rb
@@ -4,19 +4,20 @@ class NoteHelperTest < ActionView::TestCase
   include ERB::Util
   include ApplicationHelper
 
-  fixtures :users
-
   def test_note_event
     date = Time.new(2014, 3, 5, 21, 37, 45, "+00:00")
+    user = create(:user)
 
     assert_match %r{^Created by anonymous <abbr title='Wed, 05 Mar 2014 21:37:45 \+0000'><span title=" 5 March 2014 at 21:37">.*</span> ago</abbr>$}, note_event("open", date, nil)
-    assert_match %r{^Resolved by <a href="/user/test2">test2</a> <abbr title='Wed, 05 Mar 2014 21:37:45 \+0000'><span title=" 5 March 2014 at 21:37">.*</span> ago</abbr>$}, note_event("closed", date, users(:public_user))
+    assert_match %r{^Resolved by <a href="/user/#{URI.encode(user.display_name)}">#{user.display_name}</a> <abbr title='Wed, 05 Mar 2014 21:37:45 \+0000'><span title=" 5 March 2014 at 21:37">.*</span> ago</abbr>$}, note_event("closed", date, user)
   end
 
   def test_note_author
+    deleted_user = create(:user, :deleted)
+    user = create(:user)
     assert_equal "", note_author(nil)
-    assert_equal "deleted", note_author(users(:deleted_user))
-    assert_equal "<a href=\"/user/test2\">test2</a>", note_author(users(:public_user))
-    assert_equal "<a href=\"http://test.host/user/test2\">test2</a>", note_author(users(:public_user), :only_path => false)
+    assert_equal "deleted", note_author(deleted_user)
+    assert_equal "<a href=\"/user/#{URI.encode(user.display_name)}\">#{user.display_name}</a>", note_author(user)
+    assert_equal "<a href=\"http://test.host/user/#{URI.encode(user.display_name)}\">#{user.display_name}</a>", note_author(user, :only_path => false)
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/integration/page_locale_test.rb b/test/integration/page_locale_test.rb
index c95af86abd..fffe83accd 100644
--- a/test/integration/page_locale_test.rb
+++ b/test/integration/page_locale_test.rb
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 require "test_helper"
 
 class PageLocaleTest < ActionDispatch::IntegrationTest
-  fixtures :users
-
   def setup
     I18n.locale = "en"
     stub_hostip_requests
@@ -13,7 +11,7 @@ def teardown
   end
 
   def test_defaulting
-    user = users(:second_public_user)
+    user = create(:user, :languages => [])
 
     post_via_redirect "/login", :username => user.email, :password => "test"
 
@@ -27,7 +25,7 @@ def test_defaulting
   end
 
   def test_override
-    user = users(:german_user)
+    user = create(:user, :languages => ["de"])
 
     get "/diary"
     assert_select "html[lang=?]", "en"
diff --git a/test/integration/user_blocks_test.rb b/test/integration/user_blocks_test.rb
index 9425c690f3..38bb3338a6 100644
--- a/test/integration/user_blocks_test.rb
+++ b/test/integration/user_blocks_test.rb
@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
 require "test_helper"
 
 class UserBlocksTest < ActionDispatch::IntegrationTest
-  fixtures :users, :user_roles
-
   def auth_header(user, pass)
     { "HTTP_AUTHORIZATION" => format("Basic %s", Base64.encode64("#{user}:#{pass}")) }
   end
 
   def test_api_blocked
-    blocked_user = users(:public_user)
+    blocked_user = create(:user)
 
     get "/api/#{API_VERSION}/user/details"
     assert_response :unauthorized
@@ -19,7 +17,7 @@ def test_api_blocked
     # now block the user
     UserBlock.create(
       :user_id => blocked_user.id,
-      :creator_id => users(:moderator_user).id,
+      :creator_id => create(:moderator_user).id,
       :reason => "testing",
       :ends_at => Time.now.getutc + 5.minutes
     )
@@ -28,8 +26,8 @@ def test_api_blocked
   end
 
   def test_api_revoke
-    blocked_user = users(:public_user)
-    moderator = users(:moderator_user)
+    blocked_user = create(:user)
+    moderator = create(:moderator_user)
 
     block = UserBlock.create(
       :user_id => blocked_user.id,
diff --git a/test/integration/user_creation_test.rb b/test/integration/user_creation_test.rb
index b8c9f2b833..93e55939cc 100644
--- a/test/integration/user_creation_test.rb
+++ b/test/integration/user_creation_test.rb
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 require "test_helper"
 
 class UserCreationTest < ActionDispatch::IntegrationTest
-  fixtures :users
-
   def setup
     I18n.locale = "en"
 
@@ -33,7 +31,7 @@ def test_create_user_form
 
   def test_user_create_submit_duplicate_email
     I18n.available_locales.each do |locale|
-      dup_email = users(:public_user).email
+      dup_email = create(:user).email
       display_name = "#{locale}_new_tester"
       assert_difference("User.count", 0) do
         assert_difference("ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.size", 0) do
@@ -52,7 +50,7 @@ def test_user_create_submit_duplicate_email
 
   def test_user_create_submit_duplicate_username
     I18n.available_locales.each do |locale|
-      dup_display_name = users(:public_user).display_name
+      dup_display_name = create(:user).display_name
       email = "#{locale}_new_tester"
       assert_difference("User.count", 0) do
         assert_difference("ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.size", 0) do
diff --git a/test/integration/user_roles_test.rb b/test/integration/user_roles_test.rb
index edf1c7c4a9..c2f065e0e8 100644
--- a/test/integration/user_roles_test.rb
+++ b/test/integration/user_roles_test.rb
@@ -1,20 +1,18 @@
 require "test_helper"
 
 class UserRolesTest < ActionDispatch::IntegrationTest
-  fixtures :users, :user_roles
-
   def setup
     stub_hostip_requests
   end
 
   test "grant" do
-    check_fail(:grant, :public_user, :moderator)
+    check_fail(:grant, :user, :moderator)
     check_fail(:grant, :moderator_user, :moderator)
     check_success(:grant, :administrator_user, :moderator)
   end
 
   test "revoke" do
-    check_fail(:revoke, :public_user, :moderator)
+    check_fail(:revoke, :user, :moderator)
     check_fail(:revoke, :moderator_user, :moderator)
     # this other user doesn't have moderator role, so this fails
     check_fail(:revoke, :administrator_user, :moderator)
@@ -28,13 +26,14 @@ def check_fail(action, user, role)
     assert_redirected_to "controller" => "user", "action" => "login", "cookie_test" => "true"
     follow_redirect!
     assert_response :success
-    post "/login", "username" => users(user).email, "password" => "test", :referer => "/"
+    post "/login", "username" => create(user).email, "password" => "test", :referer => "/"
     assert_response :redirect
     follow_redirect!
     assert_response :success
 
-    post "/user/#{users(:second_public_user).display_name}/role/#{role}/#{action}"
-    assert_redirected_to :controller => "user", :action => "view", :display_name => users(:second_public_user).display_name
+    target_user = create(:user)
+    post "/user/#{URI.encode(target_user.display_name)}/role/#{role}/#{action}"
+    assert_redirected_to :controller => "user", :action => "view", :display_name => target_user.display_name
 
     reset!
   end
@@ -45,13 +44,14 @@ def check_success(action, user, role)
     assert_redirected_to "controller" => "user", "action" => "login", "cookie_test" => "true"
     follow_redirect!
     assert_response :success
-    post "/login", "username" => users(user).email, "password" => "test", :referer => "/"
+    post "/login", "username" => create(user).email, "password" => "test", :referer => "/"
     assert_response :redirect
     follow_redirect!
     assert_response :success
 
-    post "/user/#{users(:second_public_user).display_name}/role/#{role}/#{action}"
-    assert_redirected_to :controller => "user", :action => "view", :display_name => users(:second_public_user).display_name
+    target_user = create(:user)
+    post "/user/#{URI.encode(target_user.display_name)}/role/#{role}/#{action}"
+    assert_redirected_to :controller => "user", :action => "view", :display_name => target_user.display_name
 
     reset!
   end