diff --git a/tests/utests/chameleon/protoc_plugins/test_utils.py b/tests/utests/chameleon/protoc_plugins/test_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6b59f1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/utests/chameleon/protoc_plugins/test_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+#
+# Copyright 2016 the original author or authors.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+#
+import base64
+import json
+import os
+import sys
+from commands import getstatusoutput
+from google.protobuf.compiler.plugin_pb2 import CodeGeneratorRequest
+
+from chameleon.protoc_plugins.swagger_template import \
+    ProtobufCompilationFailedError
+from chameleon.protos import third_party
+
+this_dir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
+third_party_dir = os.path.dirname(third_party.__file__)
+
+
+def unindent(str):
+    """eat leading space in front of lines based on the smallest one"""
+    min_leading_spaces = len(str)
+    lines = str.splitlines()
+    for line in lines:
+        if line:
+            min_leading_spaces = min(len(line) - len(line.lstrip(' ')),
+                                     min_leading_spaces)
+    return '\n'.join(l[min_leading_spaces:] for l in lines)
+
+
+def mkdir(path):
+    """equivalent of command line mkdir -p <path>"""
+    if os.path.exists(path):
+        assert os.path.isdir(path)
+        return
+    head, tail = os.path.split(os.path.abspath(path))
+    if not os.path.exists(head):
+        mkdir(path)
+    assert os.path.isdir(head)
+    os.mkdir(path)
+
+
+def save_file(path, content, mode=0644):
+    """save content into file of path"""
+    with file(path, 'w') as f:
+        f.write(content)
+    os.chmod(path, mode)
+
+
+def load_file(path, read_mode='r'):
+    """load content from file of path"""
+    with file(path, read_mode) as f:
+        content = f.read()
+    return content
+
+
+def generate_plugin_request(proto):
+    """save proto file and run protoc to generate a plugin request protobuf"""
+
+    workdir = '/tmp/chameleon_tests'
+
+    mkdir(workdir)
+    save_file(os.path.join(workdir, 'test.proto'), proto)
+    cmd = (
+        'cd {this_dir} && '
+        'env PATH={extended_path} '
+        'python -m grpc.tools.protoc '
+        '-I{workdir} '
+        '-I{third_party_dir} '
+        '-I{this_dir} '
+        '--plugin=protoc-gen-null=null_plugin.py '
+        '--null_out={workdir} '
+        '{workdir}/test.proto'
+            .format(
+            extended_path=os.path.dirname(sys.executable),
+            python=sys.executable,
+            this_dir=this_dir,
+            workdir=workdir,
+            third_party_dir=third_party_dir
+        ))
+
+    code, output = getstatusoutput(cmd)
+    if code != 0:
+        raise ProtobufCompilationFailedError(output)
+
+    content = base64.decodestring(
+        load_file(os.path.join(workdir, 'protoc.request'), 'rb'))
+    request = CodeGeneratorRequest()
+    request.ParseFromString(content)
+
+    return request
+
+
+def json_rt(data):
+    """
+    JSON round-trip is to simply get rid of OrderedDict, to allow cleaner
+    testing.
+    """
+    return json.loads(json.dumps(data))