diff --git a/spec/controllers/projects/board_lists_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/projects/board_lists_controller_spec.rb
index aa9eb958d26..41d0432e14f 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/projects/board_lists_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/projects/board_lists_controller_spec.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe Projects::BoardListsController do
   let(:project) { create(:project_with_board) }
+  let(:board)   { project.board }
   let(:user)    { create(:user) }
 
   before do
@@ -14,19 +15,13 @@ describe Projects::BoardListsController do
       let(:label) { create(:label, project: project, name: 'Development') }
 
       it 'returns a successful 200 response' do
-        post :create, namespace_id: project.namespace.to_param,
-                      project_id: project.to_param,
-                      list: { label_id: label.id },
-                      format: :json
+        create_board_list label_id: label.id
 
         expect(response).to have_http_status(200)
       end
 
       it 'returns the created list' do
-        post :create, namespace_id: project.namespace.to_param,
-                      project_id: project.to_param,
-                      list: { label_id: label.id },
-                      format: :json
+        create_board_list label_id: label.id
 
         expect(response).to match_response_schema('list')
       end
@@ -34,10 +29,7 @@ describe Projects::BoardListsController do
 
     context 'with invalid params' do
       it 'returns an error' do
-        post :create, namespace_id: project.namespace.to_param,
-                      project_id: project.to_param,
-                      list: { label_id: nil },
-                      format: :json
+        create_board_list label_id: nil
 
         parsed_response = JSON.parse(response.body)
 
@@ -45,29 +37,28 @@ describe Projects::BoardListsController do
         expect(response).to have_http_status(422)
       end
     end
+
+    def create_board_list(label_id:)
+      post :create, namespace_id: project.namespace.to_param,
+                    project_id: project.to_param,
+                    list: { label_id: label_id },
+                    format: :json
+    end
   end
 
   describe 'PATCH #update' do
-    let!(:planning)    { create(:list, board: project.board, position: 1) }
-    let!(:development) { create(:list, board: project.board, position: 2) }
+    let!(:planning)    { create(:list, board: board, position: 1) }
+    let!(:development) { create(:list, board: board, position: 2) }
 
     context 'with valid position' do
       it 'returns a successful 200 response' do
-        patch :update, namespace_id: project.namespace.to_param,
-                       project_id: project.to_param,
-                       id: planning.to_param,
-                       list: { position: 2 },
-                       format: :json
+        move list: planning, position: 2
 
         expect(response).to have_http_status(200)
       end
 
       it 'moves the list to the desired position' do
-        patch :update, namespace_id: project.namespace.to_param,
-                       project_id: project.to_param,
-                       id: planning.to_param,
-                       list: { position: 2 },
-                       format: :json
+        move list: planning, position: 2
 
         expect(planning.reload.position).to eq 2
       end
@@ -75,11 +66,7 @@ describe Projects::BoardListsController do
 
     context 'with invalid position' do
       it 'returns a unprocessable entity 422 response' do
-        patch :update, namespace_id: project.namespace.to_param,
-                       project_id: project.to_param,
-                       id: planning.to_param,
-                       list: { position: 6 },
-                       format: :json
+        move list: planning, position: 6
 
         expect(response).to have_http_status(422)
       end
@@ -87,49 +74,49 @@ describe Projects::BoardListsController do
 
     context 'with invalid list id' do
       it 'returns a not found 404 response' do
-        patch :update, namespace_id: project.namespace.to_param,
-                       project_id: project.to_param,
-                       id: 999,
-                       list: { position: 2 },
-                       format: :json
+        move list: 999, position: 2
 
         expect(response).to have_http_status(404)
       end
     end
+
+    def move(list:, position:)
+      patch :update, namespace_id: project.namespace.to_param,
+                     project_id: project.to_param,
+                     id: list.to_param,
+                     list: { position: position },
+                     format: :json
+    end
   end
 
   describe 'DELETE #destroy' do
     context 'with valid list id' do
-      let!(:planning) { create(:list, board: project.board, position: 1) }
+      let!(:planning) { create(:list, board: board, position: 1) }
 
       it 'returns a successful 200 response' do
-        delete :destroy, namespace_id: project.namespace.to_param,
-                         project_id: project.to_param,
-                         id: planning.to_param,
-                         format: :json
+        remove_board_list list: planning
 
         expect(response).to have_http_status(200)
       end
 
       it 'removes list from board' do
-        expect do
-          delete :destroy, namespace_id: project.namespace.to_param,
-                           project_id: project.to_param,
-                           id: planning.to_param,
-                           format: :json
-        end.to change(project.board.lists, :size).by(-1)
+        expect { remove_board_list list: planning }.to change(board.lists, :size).by(-1)
       end
     end
 
     context 'with invalid list id' do
       it 'returns a not found 404 response' do
-        delete :destroy, namespace_id: project.namespace.to_param,
-                         project_id: project.to_param,
-                         id: 999,
-                         format: :json
+        remove_board_list list: 999
 
         expect(response).to have_http_status(404)
       end
     end
+
+    def remove_board_list(list)
+      delete :destroy, namespace_id: project.namespace.to_param,
+                       project_id: project.to_param,
+                       id: list.to_param,
+                       format: :json
+    end
   end
 end