diff --git a/tests/xdg-client-helper.c b/tests/xdg-client-helper.c
index 644199b7e..88a7dbd32 100644
--- a/tests/xdg-client-helper.c
+++ b/tests/xdg-client-helper.c
@@ -161,6 +161,17 @@ xdg_surface_wait_configure(struct xdg_surface_data *xdg_surface)
 	test_assert_u32_gt(xdg_surface->configure.serial, 0);
 }
 
+void
+xdg_surface_maybe_ack_configure(struct xdg_surface_data *xdg_surface)
+{
+	if (xdg_surface->configure.serial == 0)
+		return;
+
+	xdg_surface_ack_configure(xdg_surface->xdg_surface,
+				  xdg_surface->configure.serial);
+	xdg_surface->configure.serial = 0;
+}
+
 void
 xdg_surface_commit_solid(struct xdg_surface_data *xdg_surface,
 			 uint8_t r, uint8_t g, uint8_t b)
@@ -191,11 +202,7 @@ xdg_surface_commit_solid(struct xdg_surface_data *xdg_surface,
 	wl_surface_damage_buffer(xdg_surface->surface->wl_surface,
 				 0, 0, width, height);
 
-	if (xdg_surface->configure.serial > 0) {
-		xdg_surface_ack_configure(xdg_surface->xdg_surface,
-					  xdg_surface->configure.serial);
-		xdg_surface->configure.serial = 0;
-	}
+	xdg_surface_maybe_ack_configure(xdg_surface);
 
 	xdg_surface->surface->width = width;
 	xdg_surface->surface->height = height;
diff --git a/tests/xdg-client-helper.h b/tests/xdg-client-helper.h
index 363830a0d..4721e5c10 100644
--- a/tests/xdg-client-helper.h
+++ b/tests/xdg-client-helper.h
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ xdg_surface_make_toplevel(struct xdg_surface_data *xdg_surface,
 void
 xdg_surface_wait_configure(struct xdg_surface_data *xdg_surface);
 
+void
+xdg_surface_maybe_ack_configure(struct xdg_surface_data *xdg_surface);
+
 struct xdg_surface_data *
 create_xdg_surface(struct xdg_client *xdg_client);