diff --git a/tests/blendfile_templates.py b/tests/blendfile_templates.py
index 9e0677e..45f355e 100644
--- a/tests/blendfile_templates.py
+++ b/tests/blendfile_templates.py
@@ -39,6 +39,27 @@ def create_image_single(deps):
     image.save()
 
 
+def create_from_files(deps):
+    """Create a blend file which users all sub-directories.
+    (currently images only)
+    """
+    import os
+    import bpy
+
+    def iter_files_blend(path):
+        for dirpath, dirnames, filenames in os.walk(path):
+            for filename in filenames:
+                filepath = os.path.join(dirpath, filename)
+                yield filepath
+
+    dirname = os.path.dirname(bpy.data.filepath)
+    for f_abs in iter_files_blend(dirname):
+        if f_abs.endswith(".png"):
+            f_rel = bpy.path.relpath(f_abs)
+            image = bpy.data.images.load(f)
+            image.use_fake_user = True
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     import sys
     blendfile, blendfile_deps_json, create_id, returncode = sys.argv[-4:]
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index 10784dc..9980543 100755
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -518,8 +518,21 @@ class BamSessionTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def init_repo(self):
         url_full, user_name, url = self.get_url()
-        bam_run(["init", url_full], self.path_local_store)
+        stdout, stderr = bam_run(["init", url_full], self.path_local_store)
+        self.assertEqual("", stderr)
+        proj_path = os.path.join(self.path_local_store, self.proj_name)
+        return proj_path
 
+    def init_session(self, session_name):
+        """ Initialize the project and create a new session.
+        """
+
+        proj_path = self.init_repo()
+        session_path = os.path.join(proj_path, session_name)
+
+        stdout, stderr = bam_run(["create", session_name], proj_path)
+        self.assertEqual("", stderr)
+        return proj_path, session_path
 
 class BamInitTest(BamSessionTestCase):
     """Test the `bam init user@http://bamserver/projectname` command.
@@ -551,11 +564,9 @@ class BamListTest(BamSessionTestCase):
         super().__init__(*args)
 
     def test_ls(self):
-        self.init_repo()
+        proj_path = self.init_repo()
 
-        d = os.path.join(self.path_local_store, self.proj_name)
-
-        stdout, stderr = bam_run(["ls", "--json"], d)
+        stdout, stderr = bam_run(["ls", "--json"], proj_path)
 
         self.assertEqual("", stderr)
 
@@ -573,16 +584,11 @@ class BamCommitTest(BamSessionTestCase):
         super().__init__(*args)
 
     def test_commit(self):
-        self.init_repo()
+        session_name = "mysession"
         file_name = "testfile.txt"
         file_data = b"hello world!\n"
 
-        proj_path = os.path.join(self.path_local_store, self.proj_name)
-        co_id = "mysession"
-        session_path = os.path.join(proj_path, co_id)
-
-        stdout, stderr = bam_run(["create", co_id], proj_path)
-        self.assertEqual("", stderr)
+        proj_path, session_path = self.init_session(session_name)
 
         # check an empty commit fails gracefully
         stdout, stderr = bam_run(["commit", "-m", "test message"], session_path)
@@ -595,16 +601,11 @@ class BamCommitTest(BamSessionTestCase):
         self.assertEqual("", stderr)
 
     def test_checkout(self):
-        self.init_repo()
-        file_data = b"yo world!\n"
+        session_name = "mysession"
         file_name = "other_file.txt"
+        file_data = b"yo world!\n"
 
-        proj_path = os.path.join(self.path_local_store, self.proj_name)
-        co_id = "mysession"
-        session_path = os.path.join(proj_path, co_id)
-
-        stdout, stderr = bam_run(["create", co_id], proj_path)
-        self.assertEqual("", stderr)
+        proj_path, session_path = self.init_session(session_name)
 
         # now do a real commit
         file_quick_write(session_path, file_name, file_data)
@@ -686,16 +687,10 @@ class BamDeleteTest(BamSessionTestCase):
         super().__init__(*args)
 
     def test_delete(self):
-        self.init_repo()
+        session_name = "mysession"
         file_name = "testfile.blend"
         file_data = b"hello world!\n"
-
-        proj_path = os.path.join(self.path_local_store, self.proj_name)
-        co_id = "mysession"
-        session_path = os.path.join(proj_path, co_id)
-
-        stdout, stderr = bam_run(["create", co_id], proj_path)
-        self.assertEqual("", stderr)
+        proj_path, session_path = self.init_session(session_name)
 
         # now do a real commit
         blendfile = os.path.join(session_path, file_name)