diff --git a/test/jasmine-extensions.js b/test/jasmine-extensions.js
index 4649130908..93fe89f152 100644
--- a/test/jasmine-extensions.js
+++ b/test/jasmine-extensions.js
@@ -1,11 +1,77 @@
 beforeEach(function() {
-    var parent = this.getMatchersClass_();
-    this.addMatchers({
-        toBeA: function(type) {
-            return this.actual instanceof type;
-        },
-        toRoughlyEqual: function(other, tol) {
-            return Math.abs(this.actual - other) <= tol;
-        }
-    });
+  var parent = this.getMatchersClass_();
+  this.addMatchers({
+    toBeA: function(type) {
+      return this.actual instanceof type;
+    },
+    toRoughlyEqual: function(other, tol) {
+      return Math.abs(this.actual - other) <= tol;
+    }
+  });
 });
+
+// helper functions for async testing
+(function(global) {
+
+  function afterLoad(type, path, next) {
+    var done, error, data;
+    runs(function() {
+      goog.net.XhrIo.send(path, function(event) {
+        var xhr = event.target;
+        if (xhr.isSuccess()) {
+          if (type === 'xml') {
+            data = xhr.getResponseXml();
+          } else if (type === 'json') {
+            data = xhr.getResponseJson();
+          } else {
+            data = xhr.getResponseText();
+          }
+        } else {
+          error = new Error(path + ' loading failed: ' + xhr.getStatus());
+        }
+        done = true;
+      });
+    });
+    waitsFor(function() {
+      return done;
+    });
+    runs(function() {
+      if (error) {
+        throw error;
+      }
+      next(data);
+    });
+  }
+
+
+  /**
+   * @param {string} path Relative path to file (e.g. 'spec/ol/foo.json').
+   * @param {function(Object)} next Function to call with response object on
+   *     success.  On failure, an error is thrown with the reason.
+   */
+  global.afterLoadJson = function(path, next) {
+    afterLoad('json', path, next);
+  };
+
+
+  /**
+   * @param {string} path Relative path to file (e.g. 'spec/ol/foo.txt').
+   * @param {function(string)} next Function to call with response text on
+   *     success.  On failure, an error is thrown with the reason.
+   */
+  global.afterLoadText = function(path, next) {
+    afterLoad('text', path, next);
+  };
+
+
+  /**
+   * @param {string} path Relative path to file (e.g. 'spec/ol/foo.xml').
+   * @param {function(Document)} next Function to call with response xml on
+   *     success.  On failure, an error is thrown with the reason.
+   */
+  global.afterLoadXml = function(path, next) {
+    afterLoad('xml', path, next);
+  };
+
+})(this);
+