diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index b7107c5..c372127 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ if(ENABLE_CJSON_TEST)
         parse_value
     )
 
+    add_library(test-common common.c)
+
     option(ENABLE_VALGRIND OFF "Enable the valgrind memory checker for the tests.")
     if (ENABLE_VALGRIND)
         find_program(MEMORYCHECK_COMMAND valgrind)
@@ -29,7 +31,7 @@ if(ENABLE_CJSON_TEST)
 
     foreach(unity_test ${unity_tests})
         add_executable("${unity_test}" "${unity_test}.c")
-        target_link_libraries("${unity_test}" "${CJSON_LIB}" unity)
+        target_link_libraries("${unity_test}" "${CJSON_LIB}" unity test-common)
         if(MEMORYCHECK_COMMAND)
             add_test(NAME "${unity_test}"
                 COMMAND "${MEMORYCHECK_COMMAND}" ${MEMORYCHECK_COMMAND_OPTIONS} "./${unity_test}")
diff --git a/tests/common.c b/tests/common.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..65ef97c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/common.c
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+/*
+  Copyright (c) 2009-2017 Dave Gamble and cJSON contributors
+
+  Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+  of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+  in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+  to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+  copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+  furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+  The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
+  all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+  THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+  IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+  FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+  AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+  LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+  OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
+  THE SOFTWARE.
+*/
+
+#include "common.h"
+
+extern void reset(cJSON *item)
+{
+    if ((item != NULL) && (item->child != NULL))
+    {
+        cJSON_Delete(item->child);
+    }
+    if ((item->valuestring != NULL) && !(item->type & cJSON_IsReference))
+    {
+        cJSON_free(item->valuestring);
+    }
+    if ((item->string != NULL) && !(item->type & cJSON_StringIsConst))
+    {
+        cJSON_free(item->string);
+    }
+
+    memset(item, 0, sizeof(cJSON));
+}
+
+extern char *read_file(const char *filename)
+{
+    FILE *file = NULL;
+    long length = 0;
+    char *content = NULL;
+    size_t read_chars = 0;
+
+    /* open in read binary mode */
+    file = fopen(filename, "rb");
+    if (file == NULL)
+    {
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+
+    /* get the length */
+    if (fseek(file, 0, SEEK_END) != 0)
+    {
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+    length = ftell(file);
+    if (length < 0)
+    {
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+    if (fseek(file, 0, SEEK_SET) != 0)
+    {
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+
+    /* allocate content buffer */
+    content = (char*)malloc((size_t)length + sizeof('\0'));
+    if (content == NULL)
+    {
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+
+    /* read the file into memory */
+    read_chars = fread(content, sizeof(char), (size_t)length, file);
+    if ((long)read_chars != length)
+    {
+        free(content);
+        content = NULL;
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+    content[read_chars] = '\0';
+
+
+cleanup:
+    if (file != NULL)
+    {
+        fclose(file);
+    }
+
+    return content;
+}
diff --git a/tests/common.h b/tests/common.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ea87a57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/common.h
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/*
+  Copyright (c) 2009-2017 Dave Gamble and cJSON contributors
+
+  Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+  of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+  in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+  to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+  copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+  furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+  The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
+  all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+  THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+  IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+  FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+  AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+  LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+  OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
+  THE SOFTWARE.
+*/
+
+#ifndef CJSON_TESTS_COMMON_H
+#define CJSON_TESTS_COMMON_H
+
+#include "../cJSON.c"
+
+extern void reset(cJSON *item);
+extern char *read_file(const char *filename);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/tests/parse_array.c b/tests/parse_array.c
index 306964c..e8638f5 100644
--- a/tests/parse_array.c
+++ b/tests/parse_array.c
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 
 #include "unity/examples/unity_config.h"
 #include "unity/src/unity.h"
-#include "../cJSON.c"
+#include "common.h"
 
 static cJSON item[1];
 
@@ -56,15 +56,6 @@ static void assert_parse_array(const char *json)
     assert_is_array(item);
 }
 
-static void reset(void)
-{
-    if (item->child != NULL)
-    {
-        cJSON_Delete(item->child);
-    }
-    memset(item, 0, sizeof(cJSON));
-}
-
 static void parse_array_should_parse_empty_arrays(void)
 {
     assert_parse_array("[]");
@@ -80,24 +71,24 @@ static void parse_array_should_parse_arrays_with_one_element(void)
     assert_parse_array("[1]");
     TEST_ASSERT_NOT_NULL(item->child);
     TEST_ASSERT_BITS(0xFF, cJSON_Number, item->child->type);
-    reset();
+    reset(item);
 
     assert_parse_array("[\"hello!\"]");
     TEST_ASSERT_NOT_NULL(item->child);
     TEST_ASSERT_BITS(0xFF, cJSON_String, item->child->type);
     TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL_STRING("hello!", item->child->valuestring);
-    reset();
+    reset(item);
 
     assert_parse_array("[[]]");
     TEST_ASSERT_NOT_NULL(item->child);
     assert_is_array(item->child);
     TEST_ASSERT_NULL(item->child->child);
-    reset();
+    reset(item);
 
     assert_parse_array("[null]");
     TEST_ASSERT_NOT_NULL(item->child);
     TEST_ASSERT_BITS(0xFF, cJSON_NULL, item->child->type);
-    reset();
+    reset(item);
 }
 
 static void parse_array_should_parse_arrays_with_multiple_elements(void)
@@ -110,7 +101,7 @@ static void parse_array_should_parse_arrays_with_multiple_elements(void)
     TEST_ASSERT_BITS(0xFF, cJSON_Number, item->child->type);
     TEST_ASSERT_BITS(0xFF, cJSON_Number, item->child->next->type);
     TEST_ASSERT_BITS(0xFF, cJSON_Number, item->child->next->next->type);
-    reset();
+    reset(item);
 
     {
         size_t i = 0;
@@ -137,7 +128,7 @@ static void parse_array_should_parse_arrays_with_multiple_elements(void)
             TEST_ASSERT_BITS(0xFF, expected_types[i], node->type);
         }
         TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL_INT(i, 7);
-        reset();
+        reset(item);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/parse_examples.c b/tests/parse_examples.c
index 8232e8a..7562c45 100644
--- a/tests/parse_examples.c
+++ b/tests/parse_examples.c
@@ -26,63 +26,7 @@
 
 #include "unity/examples/unity_config.h"
 #include "unity/src/unity.h"
-#include "../cJSON.h"
-
-static char *read_file(const char *filename)
-{
-    FILE *file = NULL;
-    long length = 0;
-    char *content = NULL;
-    size_t read_chars = 0;
-
-    /* open in read binary mode */
-    file = fopen(filename, "rb");
-    if (file == NULL)
-    {
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-
-    /* get the length */
-    if (fseek(file, 0, SEEK_END) != 0)
-    {
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-    length = ftell(file);
-    if (length < 0)
-    {
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-    if (fseek(file, 0, SEEK_SET) != 0)
-    {
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-
-    /* allocate content buffer */
-    content = (char*)malloc((size_t)length + sizeof('\0'));
-    if (content == NULL)
-    {
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-
-    /* read the file into memory */
-    read_chars = fread(content, sizeof(char), (size_t)length, file);
-    if ((long)read_chars != length)
-    {
-        free(content);
-        content = NULL;
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-    content[read_chars] = '\0';
-
-
-cleanup:
-    if (file != NULL)
-    {
-        fclose(file);
-    }
-
-    return content;
-}
+#include "common.h"
 
 static cJSON *parse_file(const char *filename)
 {
diff --git a/tests/parse_hex4.c b/tests/parse_hex4.c
index 286157f..59b07ee 100644
--- a/tests/parse_hex4.c
+++ b/tests/parse_hex4.c
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 
 #include "unity/examples/unity_config.h"
 #include "unity/src/unity.h"
-#include "../cJSON.c"
+#include "common.h"
 
 static void parse_hex4_should_parse_all_combinations(void)
 {
diff --git a/tests/parse_number.c b/tests/parse_number.c
index bfd0914..4419d40 100644
--- a/tests/parse_number.c
+++ b/tests/parse_number.c
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 
 #include "unity/examples/unity_config.h"
 #include "unity/src/unity.h"
-#include "../cJSON.c"
+#include "common.h"
 
 static cJSON item[1];
 
diff --git a/tests/parse_object.c b/tests/parse_object.c
index 3031851..93b543c 100644
--- a/tests/parse_object.c
+++ b/tests/parse_object.c
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 
 #include "unity/examples/unity_config.h"
 #include "unity/src/unity.h"
-#include "../cJSON.c"
+#include "common.h"
 
 static cJSON item[1];
 
@@ -64,15 +64,6 @@ static void assert_parse_object(const char *json)
     assert_is_object(item);
 }
 
-static void reset(void)
-{
-    if (item->child != NULL)
-    {
-        cJSON_Delete(item->child);
-    }
-    memset(item, 0, sizeof(cJSON));
-}
-
 static void parse_object_should_parse_empty_objects(void)
 {
     assert_parse_object("{}");
@@ -86,19 +77,19 @@ static void parse_array_should_parse_arrays_with_one_element(void)
 
     assert_parse_object("{\"one\":1}");
     assert_is_child(item->child, "one", cJSON_Number);
-    reset();
+    reset(item);
 
     assert_parse_object("{\"hello\":\"world!\"}");
     assert_is_child(item->child, "hello", cJSON_String);
-    reset();
+    reset(item);
 
     assert_parse_object("{\"array\":[]}");
     assert_is_child(item->child, "array", cJSON_Array);
-    reset();
+    reset(item);
 
     assert_parse_object("{\"null\":null}");
     assert_is_child(item->child, "null", cJSON_NULL);
-    reset();
+    reset(item);
 }
 
 static void parse_object_should_parse_objects_with_multiple_elements(void)
@@ -107,7 +98,7 @@ static void parse_object_should_parse_objects_with_multiple_elements(void)
     assert_is_child(item->child, "one", cJSON_Number);
     assert_is_child(item->child->next, "two", cJSON_Number);
     assert_is_child(item->child->next->next, "three", cJSON_Number);
-    reset();
+    reset(item);
 
     {
         size_t i = 0;
@@ -144,7 +135,7 @@ static void parse_object_should_parse_objects_with_multiple_elements(void)
             assert_is_child(node, expected_names[i], expected_types[i]);
         }
         TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL_INT(i, 7);
-        reset();
+        reset(item);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/parse_string.c b/tests/parse_string.c
index b121eff..8fd6920 100644
--- a/tests/parse_string.c
+++ b/tests/parse_string.c
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 
 #include "unity/examples/unity_config.h"
 #include "unity/src/unity.h"
-#include "../cJSON.c"
+#include "common.h"
 
 static cJSON item[1];
 
diff --git a/tests/parse_value.c b/tests/parse_value.c
index f0c8b66..7528df7 100644
--- a/tests/parse_value.c
+++ b/tests/parse_value.c
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 
 #include "unity/examples/unity_config.h"
 #include "unity/src/unity.h"
-#include "../cJSON.c"
+#include "common.h"
 
 static cJSON item[1];
 const unsigned char *error_pointer = NULL;
@@ -49,61 +49,48 @@ static void assert_parse_value(const char *string, int type)
     assert_is_value(item, type);
 }
 
-static void reset(void)
-{
-    if (item->child != NULL)
-    {
-        cJSON_Delete(item->child);
-    }
-    if (item->valuestring != NULL)
-    {
-        cJSON_free(item->valuestring);
-    }
-    memset(item, 0, sizeof(cJSON));
-}
-
 static void parse_value_should_parse_null(void)
 {
     assert_parse_value("null", cJSON_NULL);
-    reset();
+    reset(item);
 }
 
 static void parse_value_should_parse_true(void)
 {
     assert_parse_value("true", cJSON_True);
-    reset();
+    reset(item);
 }
 
 static void parse_value_should_parse_false(void)
 {
     assert_parse_value("false", cJSON_False);
-    reset();
+    reset(item);
 }
 
 static void parse_value_should_parse_number(void)
 {
     assert_parse_value("1.5", cJSON_Number);
-    reset();
+    reset(item);
 }
 
 static void parse_value_should_parse_string(void)
 {
     assert_parse_value("\"\"", cJSON_String);
-    reset();
+    reset(item);
     assert_parse_value("\"hello\"", cJSON_String);
-    reset();
+    reset(item);
 }
 
 static void parse_value_should_parse_array(void)
 {
     assert_parse_value("[]", cJSON_Array);
-    reset();
+    reset(item);
 }
 
 static void parse_value_should_parse_object(void)
 {
     assert_parse_value("{}", cJSON_Object);
-    reset();
+    reset(item);
 }
 
 int main(void)