diff --git a/spec/models/cost_query/chaining_spec.rb b/spec/models/cost_query/chaining_spec.rb
index f917087b80..beb3e7f0a3 100644
--- a/spec/models/cost_query/chaining_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/cost_query/chaining_spec.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 require File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../spec_helper')
+require_relative 'query_helper'
 
-describe CostQuery do
+describe CostQuery, :reporting_query_helper => true do
   minimal_query
 
   fixtures :users
diff --git a/spec/models/cost_query/filter_spec.rb b/spec/models/cost_query/filter_spec.rb
index 57bcdfaff8..50896e7025 100644
--- a/spec/models/cost_query/filter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/cost_query/filter_spec.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 require File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../spec_helper')
+require_relative 'query_helper'
 
-describe CostQuery do
+describe CostQuery, :reporting_query_helper => true do
   minimal_query
 
   fixtures :users
diff --git a/spec/models/cost_query/group_by_spec.rb b/spec/models/cost_query/group_by_spec.rb
index 4cde93f0a0..f0dbdcefe5 100644
--- a/spec/models/cost_query/group_by_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/cost_query/group_by_spec.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 require File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../spec_helper')
+require_relative 'query_helper'
 
-describe CostQuery do
+describe CostQuery, :reporting_query_helper do
   minimal_query
 
   fixtures :users
diff --git a/spec/models/cost_query/integration_spec.rb b/spec/models/cost_query/integration_spec.rb
index fe6dc4f7f1..27b517ba7b 100644
--- a/spec/models/cost_query/integration_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/cost_query/integration_spec.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 require File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../spec_helper')
+require_relative 'query_helper'
 
-describe CostQuery do
+describe CostQuery, :reporting_query_helper => true do
   minimal_query
 
   fixtures :users
diff --git a/spec/models/cost_query/operator_spec.rb b/spec/models/cost_query/operator_spec.rb
index 8629ea38d3..954e188041 100644
--- a/spec/models/cost_query/operator_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/cost_query/operator_spec.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 require File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../spec_helper')
+require_relative 'query_helper'
 
-describe CostQuery do
+describe CostQuery, :reporting_query_helper => true do
   minimal_query
 
   fixtures :users
diff --git a/spec/models/cost_query/query_helper.rb b/spec/models/cost_query/query_helper.rb
index f75654e801..cd2b0202ba 100644
--- a/spec/models/cost_query/query_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/models/cost_query/query_helper.rb
@@ -1,8 +1,14 @@
-class Spec::Rails::Example::ModelExampleGroup
-  def minimal_query
-    before do
-      @query = CostQuery.new
-      @query.send(:minimal_chain!)
+module Reporting
+  module QueryHelper
+    def minimal_query
+      before do
+        @query = CostQuery.new
+        @query.send(:minimal_chain!)
+      end
     end
   end
 end
+
+Rspec.configure do |c|
+  c.extend Reporting::QueryHelper, :reporting_query_helper => true
+end
diff --git a/spec/models/cost_query/result_spec.rb b/spec/models/cost_query/result_spec.rb
index 69d9331f4d..4d6a8b6545 100644
--- a/spec/models/cost_query/result_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/cost_query/result_spec.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 require File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../spec_helper')
+require_relative 'query_helper'
 
-describe CostQuery do
+describe CostQuery, :reporting_query_helper => true do
   before { User.current = users(:admin) }
   minimal_query
 
diff --git a/spec/models/cost_query/walker_spec.rb b/spec/models/cost_query/walker_spec.rb
index 55e757df99..32b7b8d269 100644
--- a/spec/models/cost_query/walker_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/cost_query/walker_spec.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 require File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../spec_helper')
+require_relative 'query_helper'
 
-describe CostQuery do
+describe CostQuery, :reporting_query_helper => true do
   minimal_query
 
   fixtures :users
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 4eac9308f6..17197f6f9e 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-RAILS_ENV = "test"
+require 'spec_helper'
 
 # prevent case where we are using rubygems and test-unit 2.x is installed
 begin
@@ -7,31 +7,16 @@ begin
 rescue LoadError
 end
 
-begin
-  require 'spec/spec_helper'
-rescue LoadError => error
-  puts <<-EOS
-
-    You need to install rspec in your Redmine project.
-    Please execute the following code:
-
-      gem install rspec-rails
-      script/generate rspec
-
-  EOS
-  raise error
-end
 
 def l(*args)
   I18n.t(*args)
 end
 
-Fixtures.create_fixtures File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), "fixtures"), ActiveRecord::Base.connection.tables
-require File.join(RAILS_ROOT, "test", "object_daddy_helpers.rb")
-Dir.glob(File.expand_path("#{__FILE__}/../../../redmine_costs/test/exemplars/*.rb")) { |e| require e }
-Dir.glob(File.expand_path("#{__FILE__}/../models/helpers/*_helper.rb")) { |e| require e }
-
-require 'redmine_factory_girl'
+# not sure whether these are required - commenting them out for now
+#  - mfrister
+# require File.join(RAILS_ROOT, "test", "object_daddy_helpers.rb")
+# Dir.glob(File.expand_path("#{__FILE__}/../../../redmine_costs/test/exemplars/*.rb")) { |e| require e }
+# Dir.glob(File.expand_path("#{__FILE__}/../models/helpers/*_helper.rb")) { |e| require e }
 
 def login_user(user)
   @controller.send(:logged_user=, user)