diff --git a/tests/libtest.sh b/tests/libtest.sh
index 388408df..f09f4a2c 100755
--- a/tests/libtest.sh
+++ b/tests/libtest.sh
@@ -648,3 +648,12 @@ assert_not_ref () {
         fatal "rev-parse $2 unexpectedly succeeded!"
     fi
 }
+
+assert_fail () {
+  set +e
+  $@
+  if [ $? = 0 ] ; then
+    echo 1>&2 "$@ did not fail"; exit 1
+  fi
+  set -euo pipefail
+}
diff --git a/tests/test-remote-headers.sh b/tests/test-remote-headers.sh
index a4ee386f..a41d087a 100755
--- a/tests/test-remote-headers.sh
+++ b/tests/test-remote-headers.sh
@@ -33,15 +33,6 @@ setup_fake_remote_repo1 "archive" "" \
   --expected-header baz=badger \
   --expected-header "User-Agent=libostree/$V dodo/2.15"
 
-assert_fail (){
-  set +e
-  $@
-  if [ $? = 0 ] ; then
-    echo 1>&2 "$@ did not fail"; exit 1
-  fi
-  set -euo pipefail
-}
-
 cd ${test_tmpdir}
 rm repo -rf
 mkdir repo