diff --git a/IPython/html/tests/casperjs/test_cases/dashboard_nav.js b/IPython/html/tests/casperjs/test_cases/dashboard_nav.js
index 9730b1e2f..0eebe4dae 100644
--- a/IPython/html/tests/casperjs/test_cases/dashboard_nav.js
+++ b/IPython/html/tests/casperjs/test_cases/dashboard_nav.js
@@ -1,7 +1,4 @@
-casper.wait_for_list = function () {
-    casper.waitForSelector('.list_item');
-    // casper.wait(500);
-}
+
 
 casper.get_list_items = function () {
     return this.evaluate(function () {
@@ -14,7 +11,7 @@ casper.get_list_items = function () {
     });
 }
 
-casper.test_items = function (test, baseUrl) {
+casper.test_items = function (baseUrl) {
     casper.then(function () {
         var items = casper.get_list_items();
         casper.each(items, function (self, item) {
@@ -22,9 +19,9 @@ casper.test_items = function (test, baseUrl) {
                 var followed_url = baseUrl+item.link;
                 if (!followed_url.match('/\.\.$')) {
                     casper.thenOpen(baseUrl+item.link, function () {
-                        casper.wait_for_list();
-                        test.assertEquals(this.getCurrentUrl(), followed_url, 'Testing dashboard link: '+followed_url);
-                        casper.test_items(test, baseUrl);
+                        casper.wait_for_dashboard();
+                        this.test.assertEquals(this.getCurrentUrl(), followed_url, 'Testing dashboard link: '+followed_url);
+                        casper.test_items(baseUrl);
                         this.back();
                     });
                 }
@@ -33,13 +30,8 @@ casper.test_items = function (test, baseUrl) {
     });
 }
 
-casper.test.begin('Testing dashboard navigation', function (test) {
-    var baseUrl = casper.get_notebook_server();
-    casper.start(baseUrl);
-    casper.echo(baseUrl);
-    casper.wait_for_list();
-    casper.test_items(test, baseUrl);
-    casper.run(function() {
-        test.done();
-    });
-});
+casper.dashboard_test(function () {
+    baseUrl = this.get_notebook_server()
+    casper.test_items(baseUrl);
+})
+
diff --git a/IPython/html/tests/casperjs/util.js b/IPython/html/tests/casperjs/util.js
index 44db968ca..8c49dd240 100644
--- a/IPython/html/tests/casperjs/util.js
+++ b/IPython/html/tests/casperjs/util.js
@@ -250,6 +250,34 @@ casper.notebook_test = function(test) {
     });
 };
 
+casper.wait_for_dashboard = function () {
+    // Wait for the dashboard list to load.
+    casper.waitForSelector('.list_item');
+}
+
+casper.open_dashboard = function () {
+    // Start casper by opening the dashboard page.
+    var baseUrl = this.get_notebook_server();
+    this.start(baseUrl);
+    this.wait_for_dashboard();
+}
+
+casper.dashboard_test = function (test) {
+    // Open the dashboard page and run a test.
+    this.open_dashboard();
+    this.then(test);
+
+    this.then(function () {
+        this.page.close();
+        this.page = null;
+    });
+    
+    // Run the browser automation.
+    this.run(function() {
+        this.test.done();
+    });
+}
+
 casper.options.waitTimeout=10000
 casper.on('waitFor.timeout', function onWaitForTimeout(timeout) {
     this.echo("Timeout for " + casper.get_notebook_server());