diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/common.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/common.py
index 4cc5759949..0b5c9acbed 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/common.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/common.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def i_press_the_category_delete_icon(step, category):
 
 @step('I have opened a new course in Studio$')
 def i_have_opened_a_new_course(step):
-    clear_courses()
+    world.clear_courses()
     log_into_studio()
     create_a_course()
 
@@ -69,23 +69,6 @@ def create_studio_user(
     user_profile = world.UserProfileFactory(user=studio_user)
 
 
-def flush_xmodule_store():
-    # Flush and initialize the module store
-    # It needs the templates because it creates new records
-    # by cloning from the template.
-    # Note that if your test module gets in some weird state
-    # (though it shouldn't), do this manually
-    # from the bash shell to drop it:
-    # $ mongo test_xmodule --eval "db.dropDatabase()"
-    _MODULESTORES = {}
-    modulestore().collection.drop()
-    update_templates()
-
-
-def clear_courses():
-    flush_xmodule_store()
-
-
 def fill_in_course_info(
         name='Robot Super Course',
         org='MITx',
diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/courses.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/courses.py
index 8301e6708f..348cc25e97 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/courses.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/courses.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ from common import *
 
 @step('There are no courses$')
 def no_courses(step):
-    clear_courses()
+    world.clear_courses()
 
 
 @step('I click the New Course button$')
diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/studio-overview-togglesection.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/studio-overview-togglesection.py
index 85a25a55ac..dc22d3ad1a 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/studio-overview-togglesection.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/studio-overview-togglesection.py
@@ -8,13 +8,13 @@ logger = getLogger(__name__)
 
 @step(u'I have a course with no sections$')
 def have_a_course(step):
-    clear_courses()
+    world.clear_courses()
     course = world.CourseFactory.create()
 
 
 @step(u'I have a course with 1 section$')
 def have_a_course_with_1_section(step):
-    clear_courses()
+    world.clear_courses()
     course = world.CourseFactory.create()
     section = world.ItemFactory.create(parent_location=course.location)
     subsection1 = world.ItemFactory.create(
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def have_a_course_with_1_section(step):
 
 @step(u'I have a course with multiple sections$')
 def have_a_course_with_two_sections(step):
-    clear_courses()
+    world.clear_courses()
     course = world.CourseFactory.create()
     section = world.ItemFactory.create(parent_location=course.location)
     subsection1 = world.ItemFactory.create(
diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/subsection.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/subsection.py
index f5863be27b..2094e65ccb 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/subsection.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/features/subsection.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from nose.tools import assert_equal
 
 @step('I have opened a new course section in Studio$')
 def i_have_opened_a_new_course_section(step):
-    clear_courses()
+    world.clear_courses()
     log_into_studio()
     create_a_course()
     add_section()
diff --git a/common/djangoapps/terrain/course_helpers.py b/common/djangoapps/terrain/course_helpers.py
index ebf5745f11..2ac3befd82 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/terrain/course_helpers.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/terrain/course_helpers.py
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ from django.contrib.auth import authenticate, login
 from django.contrib.auth.middleware import AuthenticationMiddleware
 from django.contrib.sessions.middleware import SessionMiddleware
 from student.models import CourseEnrollment
+from xmodule.modulestore.django import _MODULESTORES, modulestore
+from xmodule.templates import update_templates
 from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
 import os.path
 from urllib import quote_plus
@@ -119,3 +121,16 @@ def save_the_course_content(path='/tmp'):
     f = open('%s/%s' % (path, filename), 'w')
     f.write(output)
     f.close
+
+@world.absorb
+def clear_courses():
+    # Flush and initialize the module store
+    # It needs the templates because it creates new records
+    # by cloning from the template.
+    # Note that if your test module gets in some weird state
+    # (though it shouldn't), do this manually
+    # from the bash shell to drop it:
+    # $ mongo test_xmodule --eval "db.dropDatabase()"
+    _MODULESTORES = {}
+    modulestore().collection.drop()
+    update_templates()
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/features/common.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/features/common.py
index 2d366d462d..f015725ae9 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/features/common.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/features/common.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ def create_course(step, course):
     # First clear the modulestore so we don't try to recreate
     # the same course twice
     # This also ensures that the necessary templates are loaded
-    flush_xmodule_store()
+    world.clear_courses()
 
     # Create the course
     # We always use the same org and display name,
@@ -65,19 +65,6 @@ def add_tab_to_course(step, course, extra_tab_name):
                                             display_name=str(extra_tab_name))
 
 
-def flush_xmodule_store():
-    # Flush and initialize the module store
-    # It needs the templates because it creates new records
-    # by cloning from the template.
-    # Note that if your test module gets in some weird state
-    # (though it shouldn't), do this manually
-    # from the bash shell to drop it:
-    # $ mongo test_xmodule --eval "db.dropDatabase()"
-    _MODULESTORES = {}
-    modulestore().collection.drop()
-    update_templates()
-
-
 def course_id(course_num):
     return "%s/%s/%s" % (TEST_COURSE_ORG, course_num,
                          TEST_COURSE_NAME.replace(" ", "_"))