diff --git a/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/browser/browser_bug562899.js b/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/browser/browser_bug562899.js
index 1d83ec17f22..bfe81b5e108 100644
--- a/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/browser/browser_bug562899.js
+++ b/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/browser/browser_bug562899.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ Components.utils.import("resource://gre/modules/LightweightThemeManager.jsm");
 const xpi = "browser/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/browser/browser_installssl.xpi";
 
 var gManagerWindow;
+var gCategoryUtilities;
 
 function test() {
   waitForExplicitFinish();
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@ function test() {
 
   open_manager(null, function(aWindow) {
     gManagerWindow = aWindow;
+    gCategoryUtilities = new CategoryUtilities(gManagerWindow);
     run_next_test();
   });
 }
@@ -39,26 +41,21 @@ function end_test() {
 add_test(function() {
   var themeCount = null;
   var pluginCount = null;
-  var themeItem = gManagerWindow.document.getElementById("category-themes");
-  var pluginItem = gManagerWindow.document.getElementById("category-plugins");
+  var themeItem = gCategoryUtilities.get("theme");
+  var pluginItem = gCategoryUtilities.get("plugin");
   var list = gManagerWindow.document.getElementById("addon-list");
 
-  EventUtils.synthesizeMouse(themeItem, 2, 2, { }, gManagerWindow);
-
-  wait_for_view_load(gManagerWindow, function() {
+  gCategoryUtilities.open(themeItem, function() {
     themeCount = list.childNodes.length;
     ok(themeCount > 0, "Test is useless if there are no themes");
 
-    EventUtils.synthesizeMouse(pluginItem, 2, 2, { }, gManagerWindow);
-
-    wait_for_view_load(gManagerWindow, function() {
+    gCategoryUtilities.open(pluginItem, function() {
       pluginCount = list.childNodes.length;
       ok(pluginCount > 0, "Test is useless if there are no plugins");
 
-      EventUtils.synthesizeMouse(themeItem, 2, 2, { }, gManagerWindow);
-      EventUtils.synthesizeMouse(pluginItem, 2, 2, { }, gManagerWindow);
+      gCategoryUtilities.open(themeItem);
 
-      wait_for_view_load(gManagerWindow, function() {
+      gCategoryUtilities.open(pluginItem, function() {
         is(list.childNodes.length, pluginCount, "Should only see the plugins");
 
         var item = list.firstChild;
@@ -70,11 +67,9 @@ add_test(function() {
         // Tests that switching to, from, to the same pane in quick succession
         // still only shows the right number of results
 
-        EventUtils.synthesizeMouse(themeItem, 2, 2, { }, gManagerWindow);
-        EventUtils.synthesizeMouse(pluginItem, 2, 2, { }, gManagerWindow);
-        EventUtils.synthesizeMouse(themeItem, 2, 2, { }, gManagerWindow);
-
-        wait_for_view_load(gManagerWindow, function() {
+        gCategoryUtilities.open(themeItem);
+        gCategoryUtilities.open(pluginItem);
+        gCategoryUtilities.open(themeItem, function() {
           is(list.childNodes.length, themeCount, "Should only see the theme");
 
           var item = list.firstChild;
diff --git a/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/browser/browser_bug572561.js b/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/browser/browser_bug572561.js
index 75aae1b80ef..033b59292fa 100644
--- a/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/browser/browser_bug572561.js
+++ b/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/browser/browser_bug572561.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 // installed but some are pending install
 
 var gManagerWindow;
+var gCategoryUtilities;
 var gProvider;
 var gInstallProperties = [{
   name: "Locale Category Test",
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ function test() {
 
   open_manager(null, function(aWindow) {
     gManagerWindow = aWindow;
+    gCategoryUtilities = new CategoryUtilities(gManagerWindow);
     run_next_test();
   });
 }
@@ -52,8 +54,8 @@ function end_test() {
 }
 
 function check_hidden(aExpectedHidden) {
-  var category = gManagerWindow.gCategories.get("addons://list/locale");
-  is(category.hidden, aExpectedHidden, "Should have correct hidden state");
+  var hidden = !gCategoryUtilities.isTypeVisible("locale");
+  is(hidden, aExpectedHidden, "Should have correct hidden state");
 }
 
 // Tests that a non-active install does not make the locale category show
@@ -70,6 +72,7 @@ add_test(function() {
 add_test(function() {
   restart_manager(gManagerWindow, null, function(aWindow) {
     gManagerWindow = aWindow;
+    gCategoryUtilities = new CategoryUtilities(gManagerWindow);
     check_hidden(true);
     run_next_test();
   });
@@ -85,6 +88,7 @@ add_test(function() {
 add_test(function() {
   restart_manager(gManagerWindow, null, function(aWindow) {
     gManagerWindow = aWindow;
+    gCategoryUtilities = new CategoryUtilities(gManagerWindow);
     check_hidden(false);
 
     gExpectedCancel = true;
diff --git a/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/browser/head.js b/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/browser/head.js
index 01e7c7ab7de..9e50959f8ac 100644
--- a/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/browser/head.js
+++ b/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/test/browser/head.js
@@ -107,6 +107,79 @@ function restart_manager(aManagerWindow, aView, aCallback) {
   close_manager(aManagerWindow, function() { open_manager(aView, aCallback); });
 }
 
+function CategoryUtilities(aManagerWindow) {
+  this.window = aManagerWindow;
+
+  var self = this;
+  this.window.addEventListener("unload", function() {
+    self.removeEventListener("unload", arguments.callee, false);
+    self.window = null;
+  }, false);
+}
+
+CategoryUtilities.prototype = {
+  window: null,
+
+  get selectedCategory() {
+    isnot(this.window, null, "Should not get selected category when manager window is not loaded");
+    var selectedItem = this.window.document.getElementById("categories").selectedItem;
+    isnot(selectedItem, null, "A category should be selected");
+    var view = this.window.gViewController.parseViewId(selectedItem.value);
+    return (view.type == "list") ? view.param : view.type;
+  },
+
+  get: function(aCategoryType) {
+    isnot(this.window, null, "Should not get category when manager window is not loaded");
+    var categories = this.window.document.getElementById("categories");
+
+    var viewId = "addons://list/" + aCategoryType;
+    var items = categories.getElementsByAttribute("value", viewId);
+    if (items.length)
+      return items[0];
+
+    viewId = "addons://" + aCategoryType + "/";
+    items = categories.getElementsByAttribute("value", viewId);
+    if (items.length)
+      return items[0];
+
+    ok(false, "Should have found a category with type " + aCategoryType);
+    return null;
+  },
+
+  getViewId: function(aCategoryType) {
+    isnot(this.window, null, "Should not get view id when manager window is not loaded");
+    return this.get(aCategoryType).value;
+  },
+
+  isVisible: function(aCategory) {
+    isnot(this.window, null, "Should not check visible state when manager window is not loaded");
+    if (aCategory.hasAttribute("disabled") &&
+        aCategory.getAttribute("disabled") == "true")
+      return false;
+
+    var style = this.window.document.defaultView.getComputedStyle(aCategory, "");
+    return style.display != "none" && style.visibility == "visible";
+  },
+
+  isTypeVisible: function(aCategoryType) {
+    return this.isVisible(this.get(aCategoryType));
+  },
+
+  open: function(aCategory, aCallback) {
+    isnot(this.window, null, "Should not open category when manager window is not loaded");
+    ok(this.isVisible(aCategory), "Category should be visible if attempting to open it");
+
+    EventUtils.synthesizeMouse(aCategory, 2, 2, { }, this.window);
+
+    if (aCallback)
+      wait_for_view_load(this.window, aCallback);
+  },
+
+  openType: function(aCategoryType, aCallback) {
+    this.open(this.get(aCategoryType), aCallback);
+  },
+}
+
 function CertOverrideListener(host, bits) {
   this.host = host;
   this.bits = bits;