diff --git a/src/canvas/heatmapFeature.js b/src/canvas/heatmapFeature.js
index 1469eafe2b..498b9e0f04 100644
--- a/src/canvas/heatmapFeature.js
+++ b/src/canvas/heatmapFeature.js
@@ -394,7 +394,9 @@ var canvas_heatmapFeature = function (arg) {
    * @protected
    */
   this._setTransform = function () {
-    m_this.layer().canvas()[0].style.transform = m_heatMapTransform;
+    if (m_this.layer() && m_this.layer().canvas() && m_this.layer().canvas()[0]) {
+      m_this.layer().canvas()[0].style.transform = m_heatMapTransform;
+    }
   };
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/gl/quadFeature.js b/src/gl/quadFeature.js
index 660fb9fe4f..fe96fd34a6 100644
--- a/src/gl/quadFeature.js
+++ b/src/gl/quadFeature.js
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ var gl_quadFeature = function (arg) {
    * Build this feature.
    */
   this._build = function () {
-    var mapper, mat, prog, srctex, unicrop, geom;
+    var mapper, mat, prog, srctex, unicrop, geom, context;
 
     if (!m_this.position()) {
       return;
@@ -174,10 +174,11 @@ var gl_quadFeature = function (arg) {
       unicrop = new vgl.uniform(vgl.GL.FLOAT_VEC2, 'crop');
       unicrop.set([1.0, 1.0]);
       prog.addUniform(unicrop);
+      context = m_this.renderer()._glContext();
       prog.addShader(vgl.getCachedShader(
-          vgl.GL.VERTEX_SHADER, vgl.GL, vertexShaderImageSource));
+          vgl.GL.VERTEX_SHADER, context, vertexShaderImageSource));
       prog.addShader(vgl.getCachedShader(
-          vgl.GL.FRAGMENT_SHADER, vgl.GL, fragmentShaderImageSource));
+          vgl.GL.FRAGMENT_SHADER, context, fragmentShaderImageSource));
       mat.addAttribute(prog);
       mat.addAttribute(new vgl.blend());
       /* This is similar to vgl.planeSource */
@@ -214,9 +215,10 @@ var gl_quadFeature = function (arg) {
       prog.addUniform(new vgl.projectionUniform('projectionMatrix'));
       prog.addUniform(new vgl.floatUniform('opacity', 1.0));
       prog.addUniform(new vgl.uniform(vgl.GL.FLOAT_VEC3, 'vertexColor'));
+      context = m_this.renderer()._glContext();
       prog.addShader(vgl.getCachedShader(
-          vgl.GL.VERTEX_SHADER, vgl.GL, vertexShaderColorSource));
-      prog.addShader(vgl.utils.createFragmentShader(vgl.GL));
+          vgl.GL.VERTEX_SHADER, context, vertexShaderColorSource));
+      prog.addShader(vgl.utils.createFragmentShader(context));
       mat.addAttribute(prog);
       mat.addAttribute(new vgl.blend());
       /* This is similar to vgl.planeSource */
diff --git a/src/gl/vglRenderer.js b/src/gl/vglRenderer.js
index 0cde8ace34..7e16f5eb85 100644
--- a/src/gl/vglRenderer.js
+++ b/src/gl/vglRenderer.js
@@ -169,19 +169,46 @@ var vglRenderer = function (arg) {
    * This clears the render timer and actually renders.
    */
   this._renderFrame = function () {
-    if (m_updateCamera) {
-      m_updateCamera = false;
-      m_this._updateRendererCamera();
+    if (m_viewer) {
+      if (m_updateCamera) {
+        m_updateCamera = false;
+        m_this._updateRendererCamera();
+      }
+      m_viewer.render();
     }
-    m_viewer.render();
+  };
+
+  /**
+   * Get the GL context for this renderer.
+   *
+   * @returns {WebGLRenderingContext} The current context.  If unavailable,
+   *    falls back to the vgl generic context.
+   */
+  this._glContext = function () {
+    if (m_viewer && m_viewer.renderWindow()) {
+      return m_viewer.renderWindow().context();
+    }
+    return vgl.GL;
   };
 
   /**
    * Exit.
    */
   this._exit = function () {
+    m_this.layer().map().scheduleAnimationFrame(this._renderFrame, 'remove');
     m_this.canvas().remove();
-    m_viewer.exit();
+    if (m_viewer) {
+      var renderState = new vgl.renderState();
+      renderState.m_renderer = m_viewer;
+      renderState.m_context = this._glContext();
+      m_viewer.exit(renderState);
+      if (this._glContext() !== vgl.GL && this._glContext().getExtension('WEBGL_lose_context') && this._glContext().getExtension('WEBGL_lose_context').loseContext) {
+        this._glContext().getExtension('WEBGL_lose_context').loseContext();
+      }
+    }
+    // make sure we clear shaders associated with the generate context, too
+    vgl.clearCachedShaders(vgl.GL);
+    m_viewer = null;
     s_exit();
   };
 
diff --git a/src/map.js b/src/map.js
index c56de83b9c..edeb3b4809 100644
--- a/src/map.js
+++ b/src/map.js
@@ -1482,7 +1482,9 @@ var map = function (arg) {
       if (m_discreteZoom) {
         m_this.zoom(Math.round(m_this.zoom()));
       }
-      m_this.interactor().options({discreteZoom: m_discreteZoom});
+      if (m_this.interactor()) {
+        m_this.interactor().options({discreteZoom: m_discreteZoom});
+      }
     }
     return m_this;
   };
diff --git a/src/sceneObject.js b/src/sceneObject.js
index cf024a0e38..b62562a71f 100644
--- a/src/sceneObject.js
+++ b/src/sceneObject.js
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ var sceneObject = function (arg) {
    * Free all resources and destroy the object.
    */
   this._exit = function () {
-    m_this.children = [];
+    m_children = [];
     delete m_this.parent;
     s_exit();
   };
diff --git a/src/ui/sliderWidget.js b/src/ui/sliderWidget.js
index 7a90152ce7..30a9ee9720 100644
--- a/src/ui/sliderWidget.js
+++ b/src/ui/sliderWidget.js
@@ -286,9 +286,7 @@ var sliderWidget = function (arg) {
       .on('mouseout', mouseOut);
 
     // Update the nub position on zoom
-    m_this.layer().geoOn(geo_event.zoom, function () {
-      m_this._update();
-    });
+    m_this.geoOn(geo_event.zoom, m_this._update);
 
     mouseOut();
     m_this._update();
@@ -302,8 +300,8 @@ var sliderWidget = function (arg) {
    * @private
    */
   this._exit = function () {
+    m_this.geoOff(geo_event.zoom, m_this._update);
     m_group.remove();
-    m_this.layer().geoOff(geo_event.zoom);
     s_exit();
   };
 
diff --git a/src/ui/widget.js b/src/ui/widget.js
index 505db899f2..e89dad4371 100644
--- a/src/ui/widget.js
+++ b/src/ui/widget.js
@@ -16,9 +16,14 @@ var sceneObject = require('../sceneObject');
  */
 
 /**
- * Create a new instance of class widget
+ * Create a new instance of class widget.
  *
- * @class geo.gui.widget
+ * @class
+ * @alias geo.gui.widget
+ * @param {object} [arg] Options for the widget.
+ * @param {geo.layer} [arg.layer] Layer associated with the widget.
+ * @param {geo.gui.widget.position} [arg.position] Location of the widget.
+ * @param {geo.gui.widget} [arg.parent] Optional parent widget.
  * @extends {geo.sceneObject}
  * @returns {geo.gui.widget}
  */
@@ -35,18 +40,27 @@ var widget = function (arg) {
   var m_this = this,
       s_exit = this._exit,
       m_layer = arg.layer,
-      m_canvas = null;
-
-  arg.position = arg.position === undefined ? { left: 0, top: 0 } : arg.position;
+      m_canvas = null,
+      m_position = arg.position === undefined ? { left: 0, top: 0 } : arg.position;
 
   if (arg.parent !== undefined && !(arg.parent instanceof widget)) {
     throw new Error('Parent must be of type geo.gui.widget');
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Initialize the widget.
+   *
+   * @returns {this}
+   */
   this._init = function () {
     m_this.modified();
+    return m_this;
   };
 
+  /**
+   * Clean up the widget.
+   *
+   */
   this._exit = function () {
     m_this.children().forEach(function (child) {
       m_this._deleteFeature(child);
@@ -58,9 +72,11 @@ var widget = function (arg) {
   };
 
   /**
-   * Create feature give a name
+   * Create a new feature.
    *
-   * @returns {geo.Feature} Will return a new feature
+   * @param {string} featureName Name of the feature to create.
+   * @param {object} arg Options for the new feature.
+   * @returns {geo.feature} The new feature.
    */
   this._createFeature = function (featureName, arg) {
 
@@ -73,7 +89,10 @@ var widget = function (arg) {
   };
 
   /**
-   * Delete feature
+   * Delete feature.
+   *
+   * @param {geo.feature} feature The feature to delete.
+   * @returns {this}
    */
   this._deleteFeature = function (feature) {
     m_this.removeChild(feature);
@@ -83,6 +102,8 @@ var widget = function (arg) {
 
   /**
    * Return the layer associated with this widget.
+   *
+   * @returns {geo.layer}
    */
   this.layer = function () {
     return m_layer;
@@ -96,54 +117,67 @@ var widget = function (arg) {
   };
 
   /**
-   * Get/Set the canvas for the widget
+   * Get/Set the canvas for the widget.
+   *
+   * @param {HTMLElement} [val] If specified, set the canvas, otherwise get
+   *    the canvas.
+   * @returns {HTMLElement|this} If getting the canvas, return the current
+   *    value; otherwise, return this widget.
    */
   this.canvas = function (val) {
     if (val === undefined) {
       return m_canvas;
-    } else {
-      m_canvas = val;
     }
+    m_canvas = val;
+    return m_this;
   };
 
   /**
-   * Appends a child to the widget
-   * The widget determines how to append itself to a parent, the parent can either
-   * be another widget, or the UI Layer.
+   * Appends a child to the widget.
+   * The widget determines how to append itself to a parent, the parent can
+   * either be another widget, or the UI Layer.
    */
   this._appendChild = function () {
     m_this.parentCanvas().appendChild(m_this.canvas());
   };
 
   /**
-   * Get the parent canvas (top level widgets define their layer as their parent canvas)
+   * Get the parent canvas (top level widgets define their layer as their
+   * parent canvas).
+   *
+   * @returns {HTMLElement} The canvas of the widget's parent.
    */
   this.parentCanvas = function () {
     if (m_this.parent === undefined) {
       return m_this.layer().canvas();
-    } else {
-      return m_this.parent().canvas();
     }
+    return m_this.parent().canvas();
   };
 
   /**
-   * Gets the CSS positioning that a widget should be placed at.
-   * { top: 0, left: 0 } by default.
+   * Get or set the CSS positioning that a widget should be placed at.
+   *
+   * @param {geo.gui.widget.position} [pos] If unspecified, return the current
+   *    position.  Otherwise, set the current position.
+   * @param {boolean} [actualValue] If getting the position, if this is truthy,
+   *    always return the stored value, not a value adjusted for display.
+   * @returns {geo.gui.widget.position|this} Either the position or the widget
+   *    instance.  If this is the position and `actualValue` is falsy,
+   *    positions that specify an explicit `x` and `y` parameter will be
+   *    converted to a value that can be used by the display css.
    */
-  this.position = function (pos) {
+  this.position = function (pos, actualValue) {
     if (pos !== undefined) {
-      arg.position = pos;
+      this.layer().geoOff(geo_event.pan, m_this.repositionEvent);
+      m_position = pos;
+      if (m_position.hasOwnProperty('x') && m_position.hasOwnProperty('y')) {
+        this.layer().geoOn(geo_event.pan, m_this.repositionEvent);
+      }
       this.reposition();
       return this;
     }
-    var position;
-
-    if (arg &&
-        arg.hasOwnProperty('position') &&
-        arg.position.hasOwnProperty('x') &&
-        arg.position.hasOwnProperty('y')) {
-
-      position = m_this.layer().map().gcsToDisplay(arg.position);
+    if (m_position.hasOwnProperty('x') && m_position.hasOwnProperty('y') && !actualValue) {
+      var position = m_this.layer().map().gcsToDisplay(m_position);
 
       return {
         left: position.x,
@@ -153,14 +187,15 @@ var widget = function (arg) {
       };
     }
 
-    return arg.position;
+    return m_position;
   };
 
   /**
-   * Repositions a widget based on the argument passed, or calling position on
-   * the widget itself.
-   * @param {object} position A position with the form:
-   * { top: m, left: n }
+   * Repositions a widget.
+   *
+   * @param {geo.gui.widget.position} [position] The new position for the
+   *    widget.  `undefined` uses the stored position value.
+   * @returns {this}
    */
   this.reposition = function (position) {
     position = position || m_this.position();
@@ -171,21 +206,30 @@ var widget = function (arg) {
         // if the property is a number, add px to it, otherwise set it to the
         // specified value.  Setting a property to null clears it.  Setting to
         // undefined doesn't alter it.
-        if (/^\s*(\-|\+)?(\d+(\.\d*)?|\d*\.\d+)([eE](\-|\+)?\d+)?\s*$/.test(position[cssAttr])) {
+        if (/^\s*(-|\+)?(\d+(\.\d*)?|\d*\.\d+)([eE](-|\+)?\d+)?\s*$/.test(position[cssAttr])) {
           m_this.canvas().style[cssAttr] = ('' + position[cssAttr]).trim() + 'px';
         } else {
           m_this.canvas().style[cssAttr] = position[cssAttr];
         }
       }
     }
+    return m_this;
   };
 
+  /**
+   * If the position is based on map coordinates, this gets called when the
+   * map is panned to resposition the widget.
+   *
+   * @returns {this}
+   */
   this.repositionEvent = function () {
     return m_this.reposition();
   };
 
   /**
-   * Determines whether or not the widget is completely within the viewport.
+   * Report if the widget is completely within the viewport.
+   *
+   * @returns {boolean} True if the widget is completely within the viewport.
    */
   this.isInViewport = function () {
     var position = m_this.position();
@@ -195,10 +239,7 @@ var widget = function (arg) {
             (position.left <= layer.width() && position.top <= layer.height()));
   };
 
-  if (arg &&
-      arg.hasOwnProperty('position') &&
-      arg.position.hasOwnProperty('x') &&
-      arg.position.hasOwnProperty('y')) {
+  if (m_position.hasOwnProperty('x') && m_position.hasOwnProperty('y')) {
     this.layer().geoOn(geo_event.pan, m_this.repositionEvent);
   }
 };
diff --git a/src/util/mockVGL.js b/src/util/mockVGL.js
index a9baf261ad..5d610aa432 100644
--- a/src/util/mockVGL.js
+++ b/src/util/mockVGL.js
@@ -185,7 +185,6 @@ module.exports.restoreVGLRenderer = function () {
     vgl.renderWindow = _renderWindow;
     vglRenderer.supported = _supported;
     delete vgl._mocked;
-    // delete vgl._mockedRenderWindow;
     delete vgl.mockCounts;
   }
 };
diff --git a/tests/cases/annotation.js b/tests/cases/annotation.js
index 17be841466..3407f681ca 100644
--- a/tests/cases/annotation.js
+++ b/tests/cases/annotation.js
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ describe('geo.annotation', function () {
 
   var $ = require('jquery');
   var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
+  var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
+  var destroyMap = require('../test-utils').destroyMap;
   var mockVGLRenderer = geo.util.mockVGLRenderer;
   var restoreVGLRenderer = geo.util.restoreVGLRenderer;
 
@@ -13,18 +15,10 @@ describe('geo.annotation', function () {
   });
 
   afterEach(function () {
+    destroyMap();
     restoreVGLRenderer();
   });
 
-  function create_map(opts) {
-    var node = $('<div id="map"/>').css({width: '640px', height: '360px'});
-    $('#map').remove();
-    $('body').append(node);
-    opts = $.extend({}, opts);
-    opts.node = node;
-    return geo.map(opts);
-  }
-
   describe('geo.annotation.annotation', function () {
     var map, layer, stateEvent = 0, lastStateEvent;
     it('create', function () {
@@ -47,7 +41,7 @@ describe('geo.annotation', function () {
       expect(ann.mouseMove()).toBe(undefined);
       expect(ann._coordinates()).toEqual([]);
       expect(ann.geojson()).toBe(undefined);
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('annotation', {
         annotations: geo.listAnnotations()
       });
@@ -328,7 +322,7 @@ describe('geo.annotation', function () {
       expect(actions.length).toBe(0);
     });
     it('processAction', function () {
-      var map = create_map();
+      var map = createMap();
       var layer = map.createLayer('annotation', {
         annotations: ['rectangle']
       });
@@ -379,7 +373,7 @@ describe('geo.annotation', function () {
       expect(geojson.geometry.coordinates[0][2][1]).toBeCloseTo(1);
     });
     it('mouseMove', function () {
-      var map = create_map();
+      var map = createMap();
       var layer = map.createLayer('annotation', {
         annotations: ['rectangle']
       });
@@ -391,7 +385,7 @@ describe('geo.annotation', function () {
       expect(ann.options('corners')).not.toEqual(corners);
     });
     it('mouseClick', function () {
-      var map = create_map();
+      var map = createMap();
       var layer = map.createLayer('annotation', {
         annotations: ['rectangle']
       });
@@ -504,7 +498,7 @@ describe('geo.annotation', function () {
       expect(ann.options('vertices')).not.toEqual(vertices);
     });
     it('mouseClick', function () {
-      var map = create_map();
+      var map = createMap();
       var layer = map.createLayer('annotation', {
         annotations: ['polygon']
       });
@@ -637,7 +631,7 @@ describe('geo.annotation', function () {
       expect(ann.state()).toBe(geo.annotation.state.done);
     });
     it('scaled radius', function () {
-      var map = create_map();
+      var map = createMap();
       var layer = map.createLayer('annotation', {
         annotations: ['point']
       });
@@ -726,7 +720,7 @@ describe('geo.annotation', function () {
       expect(ann.options('vertices')).not.toEqual(vertices);
     });
     it('mouseClick', function () {
-      var map = create_map();
+      var map = createMap();
       var layer = map.createLayer('annotation', {
         annotations: ['line']
       });
@@ -826,7 +820,7 @@ describe('geo.annotation', function () {
       expect(actions.length).toBe(0);
     });
     it('processAction', function () {
-      var map = create_map();
+      var map = createMap();
       var layer = map.createLayer('annotation', {
         annotations: ['line']
       });
diff --git a/tests/cases/annotationLayer.js b/tests/cases/annotationLayer.js
index fc7d129ecf..27cfa76fe8 100644
--- a/tests/cases/annotationLayer.js
+++ b/tests/cases/annotationLayer.js
@@ -3,37 +3,30 @@
 describe('geo.annotationLayer', function () {
   'use strict';
 
-  var $ = require('jquery');
   var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
+  var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
+  var destroyMap = require('../test-utils').destroyMap;
   var mockVGLRenderer = geo.util.mockVGLRenderer;
   var restoreVGLRenderer = geo.util.restoreVGLRenderer;
 
-  beforeEach(function () {
+  beforeAll(function () {
     mockVGLRenderer();
   });
 
-  afterEach(function () {
+  afterAll(function () {
+    destroyMap();
     restoreVGLRenderer();
   });
 
-  function create_map(opts) {
-    var node = $('<div id="map"/>').css({width: '640px', height: '360px'});
-    $('#map').remove();
-    $('body').append(node);
-    opts = $.extend({}, opts);
-    opts.node = node;
-    return geo.map(opts);
-  }
-
   it('Test initialization.', function () {
-    var map = create_map();
+    var map = createMap();
     var layer = map.createLayer('annotation', {
       features: ['polygon', 'line', 'point']
     });
     expect(layer instanceof geo.annotationLayer).toBe(true);
   });
   it('Test initialization without interactor.', function () {
-    var map = create_map({interactor: null});
+    var map = createMap({interactor: null});
     var layer = map.createLayer('annotation', {
       features: ['polygon', 'line', 'point']
     });
@@ -43,7 +36,7 @@ describe('geo.annotationLayer', function () {
   describe('Check class accessors', function () {
     var map, layer, modeEvent = 0, lastModeEvent;
     it('options', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('annotation', {
         features: ['polygon', 'line', 'point']
       });
@@ -116,7 +109,7 @@ describe('geo.annotationLayer', function () {
         removeAnnotationEvent = 0, lastRemoveAnnotationEvent,
         poly, rect;
     it('addAnnotation', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('annotation', {
         features: ['polygon', 'line', 'point']
       });
@@ -334,7 +327,7 @@ describe('geo.annotationLayer', function () {
     it('_update', function () {
       /* Most of update is covered as a side effect of other code.  This tests
        * some edge conditions */
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('annotation', {
         renderer: 'd3'
       });
@@ -675,7 +668,7 @@ describe('geo.annotationLayer', function () {
     });
   });
   it('Test destroy layer.', function () {
-    var map = create_map();
+    var map = createMap();
     var layer = map.createLayer('annotation', {
       features: ['polygon', 'line', 'point']
     });
diff --git a/tests/cases/choroplethFeature.js b/tests/cases/choroplethFeature.js
index 3130f004cf..2b1fae74fc 100644
--- a/tests/cases/choroplethFeature.js
+++ b/tests/cases/choroplethFeature.js
@@ -1,22 +1,14 @@
 // Test geo.choroplethFeature and geo.gl.choroplethFeature
 
-var $ = require('jquery');
 var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
+var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
+var destroyMap = require('../test-utils').destroyMap;
 var mockVGLRenderer = geo.util.mockVGLRenderer;
 var restoreVGLRenderer = geo.util.restoreVGLRenderer;
 
 describe('geo.choroplethFeature', function () {
   'use strict';
 
-  function create_map(opts) {
-    var node = $('<div id="map"/>').css({width: '640px', height: '360px'});
-    $('#map').remove();
-    $('body').append(node);
-    opts = $.extend({}, opts);
-    opts.node = node;
-    return geo.map(opts);
-  }
-
   var mpdata = [{
     'type': 'Feature',
     'geometry': {
@@ -90,50 +82,51 @@ describe('geo.choroplethFeature', function () {
     }
   }];
 
-  describe('create', function () {
-    it('create function', function () {
-      mockVGLRenderer();
-      var map, layer, choropleth;
-      map = create_map();
-      layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'vgl'});
-      choropleth = layer.createFeature('choropleth');
-      expect(choropleth instanceof geo.choroplethFeature).toBe(true);
-      restoreVGLRenderer();
-    });
+  beforeEach(function () {
+    mockVGLRenderer();
+  });
+
+  afterEach(function () {
+    destroyMap();
+    restoreVGLRenderer();
+  });
 
-    it('direct creation', function () {
-      mockVGLRenderer();
-      var map, layer, choropleth;
-      map = create_map();
-      layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'vgl'});
-      choropleth = geo.choroplethFeature({layer: layer});
-      expect(choropleth instanceof geo.choroplethFeature).toBe(true);
-      restoreVGLRenderer();
-    });
+  it('create function', function () {
+    var map, layer, choropleth;
+    map = createMap();
+    layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'vgl'});
+    choropleth = layer.createFeature('choropleth');
+    expect(choropleth instanceof geo.choroplethFeature).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('direct creation', function () {
+    var map, layer, choropleth;
+    map = createMap();
+    layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'vgl'});
+    choropleth = geo.choroplethFeature({layer: layer});
+    expect(choropleth instanceof geo.choroplethFeature).toBe(true);
+  });
 
-    it('multipolygon', function () {
-      mockVGLRenderer();
-      var map, layer, choropleth, scalarData = [
-            {'id': 0, 'value': 10}
-          ];
+  it('multipolygon', function () {
+    var map, layer, choropleth, scalarData = [
+          {'id': 0, 'value': 10}
+        ];
 
-      map = create_map();
-      layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'vgl'});
+    map = createMap();
+    layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'vgl'});
 
-      choropleth = layer.createFeature('choropleth')
-                     .data(mpdata)
-                     .scalar(scalarData);
-      choropleth.choropleth('name', 'multipolygon');
-      expect(choropleth instanceof geo.choroplethFeature).toBe(true);
-      expect(choropleth.choropleth('name')).toBe('multipolygon');
-      expect(choropleth.choropleth.get('accessors')()
-        .scalarValue(scalarData[0])).toBe(10);
-      expect(choropleth.choropleth.get('accessors')()
-        .geoId(mpdata[0])).toBe(0);
-      expect(Object.keys(choropleth.choropleth.get())).toEqual([
-        'colorRange', 'scale', 'accessors', 'scalar',
-        'scalarAggregator', 'name']);
-      restoreVGLRenderer();
-    });
+    choropleth = layer.createFeature('choropleth')
+                   .data(mpdata)
+                   .scalar(scalarData);
+    choropleth.choropleth('name', 'multipolygon');
+    expect(choropleth instanceof geo.choroplethFeature).toBe(true);
+    expect(choropleth.choropleth('name')).toBe('multipolygon');
+    expect(choropleth.choropleth.get('accessors')()
+      .scalarValue(scalarData[0])).toBe(10);
+    expect(choropleth.choropleth.get('accessors')()
+      .geoId(mpdata[0])).toBe(0);
+    expect(Object.keys(choropleth.choropleth.get())).toEqual([
+      'colorRange', 'scale', 'accessors', 'scalar',
+      'scalarAggregator', 'name']);
   });
 });
diff --git a/tests/cases/colorLegend.js b/tests/cases/colorLegend.js
index 310006a63c..9895d44c09 100644
--- a/tests/cases/colorLegend.js
+++ b/tests/cases/colorLegend.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 var $ = require('jquery');
+var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
 var colorbrewer = require('colorbrewer');
-var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
 
 describe('color legend', function () {
   'use strict';
@@ -71,16 +71,8 @@ describe('color legend', function () {
   ];
 
   beforeEach(function () {
-    container = $('<div/>')
-      .css({ width: '500px', height: '400px' }).appendTo('body');
-    map = geo.map({
-      'node': container,
-      'center': [0, 0],
-      'zoom': 2,
-      'clampZoom': false,
-      'clampBoundsX': false,
-      'clampBoundsY': false
-    });
+    map = createMap();
+    container = map.node();
     uiLayer = map.createLayer('ui');
     legendWidget = uiLayer.createWidget('colorLegend', {
       categories: [allCategories[0]]
@@ -88,11 +80,6 @@ describe('color legend', function () {
     map.draw();
   });
 
-  afterEach(function () {
-    map.exit();
-    container.remove();
-  });
-
   it('Create basic color legend widget', function () {
     expect($(container).find('.legend').length).toBe(1);
   });
diff --git a/tests/cases/contourWrap.js b/tests/cases/contourWrap.js
index 92bc9d950b..ae0f31546e 100644
--- a/tests/cases/contourWrap.js
+++ b/tests/cases/contourWrap.js
@@ -1,35 +1,35 @@
-var $ = require('jquery');
-
 describe('Contour Feature', function () {
   'use strict';
 
   var map, layer;
   var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
+  var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
+  var destroyMap = require('../test-utils').destroyMap;
   var mockVGLRenderer = geo.util.mockVGLRenderer;
   var restoreVGLRenderer = geo.util.restoreVGLRenderer;
 
   beforeEach(function () {
-    $('<div id="map-contour-wrap"/>')
-      .css({width: '500px', height: '300px'}).appendTo('body');
-
     mockVGLRenderer();
-    map = geo.map({
-      'node': '#map-contour-wrap',
+    map = createMap({
       'center': [0, 0],
       'zoom': 3
-    });
+    }, {width: '500px', height: '300px'});
     layer = map.createLayer('feature', {'renderer': 'vgl'});
   });
 
   afterEach(function () {
-    map.exit();
-    $('#map-contour-wrap').remove();
+    destroyMap();
     restoreVGLRenderer();
   });
 
   it('Create a contour', function () {
     var contour1 = {
-      gridWidth: 7, gridHeight: 2, x0: -30, y0: -30, dx: 6, dy: 6,
+      gridWidth: 7,
+      gridHeight: 2,
+      x0: -30,
+      y0: -30,
+      dx: 6,
+      dy: 6,
       values: [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13]
     };
     var contour = layer.createFeature('contour').data(
@@ -44,7 +44,12 @@ describe('Contour Feature', function () {
 
   it('Create a contour that will wrap and close', function () {
     var contour1 = {
-      gridWidth: 6, gridHeight: 2, x0: 30, y0: -30, dx: 60, dy: 60,
+      gridWidth: 6,
+      gridHeight: 2,
+      x0: 30,
+      y0: -30,
+      dx: 60,
+      dy: 60,
       values: [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]
     };
     var contour = layer.createFeature('contour').data(
@@ -59,7 +64,12 @@ describe('Contour Feature', function () {
 
   it('Create a contour and ask it to not wrap', function () {
     var contour1 = {
-      gridWidth: 6, gridHeight: 2, x0: 30, y0: -30, dx: 60, dy: 60,
+      gridWidth: 6,
+      gridHeight: 2,
+      x0: 30,
+      y0: -30,
+      dx: 60,
+      dy: 60,
       values: [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11],
       wrapLongitude: false
     };
@@ -74,7 +84,12 @@ describe('Contour Feature', function () {
 
   it('Create a contour that will wrap but not close', function () {
     var contour1 = {
-      gridWidth: 6, gridHeight: 2, x0: 55, y0: -25, dx: 50, dy: 50,
+      gridWidth: 6,
+      gridHeight: 2,
+      x0: 55,
+      y0: -25,
+      dx: 50,
+      dy: 50,
       values: [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]
     };
     var contour = layer.createFeature('contour').data(
diff --git a/tests/cases/d3GraphFeature.js b/tests/cases/d3GraphFeature.js
index 104b25392b..78b1135bb1 100644
--- a/tests/cases/d3GraphFeature.js
+++ b/tests/cases/d3GraphFeature.js
@@ -1,19 +1,9 @@
 describe('d3 graph feature', function () {
-  var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
-  var $ = require('jquery');
+  var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
   var mockAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').mockAnimationFrame;
   var stepAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').stepAnimationFrame;
   var unmockAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').unmockAnimationFrame;
 
-  beforeEach(function () {
-    $('<div id="map-d3-graph-feature"/>')
-      .css({width: '500px', height: '400px'}).appendTo('body');
-  });
-
-  afterEach(function () {
-    $('#map-d3-graph-feature').remove();
-  });
-
   describe('d3 graph feature', function () {
     'use strict';
 
@@ -21,7 +11,7 @@ describe('d3 graph feature', function () {
 
     it('Setup map', function () {
       mockAnimationFrame();
-      map = geo.map({node: '#map-d3-graph-feature', center: [0, 0], zoom: 3});
+      map = createMap({center: [0, 0], zoom: 3});
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {'renderer': 'd3'});
     });
 
diff --git a/tests/cases/d3PointFeature.js b/tests/cases/d3PointFeature.js
index cb778ac0a1..f8dcb7c98e 100644
--- a/tests/cases/d3PointFeature.js
+++ b/tests/cases/d3PointFeature.js
@@ -1,30 +1,18 @@
 describe('d3 point feature', function () {
-  var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
-  var $ = require('jquery');
+  var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
   var mockAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').mockAnimationFrame;
   var stepAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').stepAnimationFrame;
   var unmockAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').unmockAnimationFrame;
 
-  beforeEach(function () {
-    $('<div id="map-d3-point-feature"/>')
-      .css({width: '500px', height: '400px'}).appendTo('body');
-  });
-
-  afterEach(function () {
-    $('#map-d3-point-feature').remove();
-  });
-
   describe('d3 point feature', function () {
     'use strict';
 
-    var map, width = 800, height = 600, layer, feature1, feature2;
+    var map, layer, feature1, feature2;
 
     it('Setup map', function () {
       mockAnimationFrame();
-      map = geo.map({node: '#map-d3-point-feature', center: [0, 0], zoom: 3});
+      map = createMap({center: [0, 0], zoom: 3}, {width: '800px', height: '600px'});
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {'renderer': 'd3'});
-
-      map.size({width: width, height: height});
     });
 
     it('Add features to a layer', function () {
diff --git a/tests/cases/d3VectorFeature.js b/tests/cases/d3VectorFeature.js
index 357bf25cc5..fce3fcacf5 100644
--- a/tests/cases/d3VectorFeature.js
+++ b/tests/cases/d3VectorFeature.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
+var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
 var d3 = require('d3');
 var mockAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').mockAnimationFrame;
 var stepAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').stepAnimationFrame;
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@ describe('d3 vector feature', function () {
 
   it('Create a map with a d3 feature layer', function () {
     mockAnimationFrame();
-    d3.select('body').append('div').attr('id', 'map-d3-vector');
-    map = geo.map({node: '#map-d3-vector',
+    map = createMap({
       center: [0, 0],
       zoom: 3,
       width: 100,
@@ -60,7 +59,7 @@ describe('d3 vector feature', function () {
     .draw();
     stepAnimationFrame();
 
-    vectorLines = d3.select('#map-d3-vector svg').selectAll('line');
+    vectorLines = d3.select('#map').selectAll('line');
     expect(vectorLines.size()).toBe(3);
 
     featureGroup = d3.selectAll('g#' + feature1._d3id());
@@ -84,7 +83,7 @@ describe('d3 vector feature', function () {
     layer.deleteFeature(feature1).draw();
     stepAnimationFrame();
 
-    selection = d3.select('#map-d3-vector svg').selectAll('line');
+    selection = d3.select('#map').selectAll('line');
     expect(selection.size()).toBe(0);
 
     markers = d3.selectAll('markers');
@@ -119,7 +118,7 @@ describe('d3 vector feature', function () {
     .draw();
     stepAnimationFrame();
 
-    vectorLines = d3.select('#map-d3-vector svg').selectAll('line');
+    vectorLines = d3.select('#map').selectAll('line');
     expect(vectorLines.size()).toBe(3);
 
     vectorLines.each(function (v, i) {
@@ -138,9 +137,7 @@ describe('d3 vector feature', function () {
 
   });
 
-  it('Delete the map', function () {
-    map.exit();
-    d3.select('#map-d3-vector').remove();
+  it('Cleanup', function () {
     unmockAnimationFrame();
   });
 });
diff --git a/tests/cases/discreteZoom.js b/tests/cases/discreteZoom.js
index b2b07090a6..6f1155b947 100644
--- a/tests/cases/discreteZoom.js
+++ b/tests/cases/discreteZoom.js
@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
-var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
-var $ = require('jquery');
+var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
 
 describe('DiscreteZoom and ParallelProjection', function () {
   'use strict';
 
   function makeMap() {
-    var map = geo.map({
-      'node': '#map-discrete-zoom',
+    var map = createMap({
       'center': [0, 0],
       'zoom': 3,
       discreteZoom: true
@@ -15,15 +13,6 @@ describe('DiscreteZoom and ParallelProjection', function () {
     return map;
   }
 
-  beforeEach(function () {
-    $('<div id="map-discrete-zoom"/>')
-      .css({width: '800px', height: '800px'}).appendTo('body');
-  });
-
-  afterEach(function () {
-    $('#map-discrete-zoom').remove();
-  });
-
   it('Zoom to a non-integer value', function () {
     var map = makeMap();
     expect(map.discreteZoom()).toBe(true);
diff --git a/tests/cases/feature.js b/tests/cases/feature.js
index 522610dae9..7c4cd79a72 100644
--- a/tests/cases/feature.js
+++ b/tests/cases/feature.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Test geo.feature
 
 var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
-var $ = require('jquery');
+var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
 
 describe('geo.feature', function () {
   'use strict';
@@ -13,19 +13,10 @@ describe('geo.feature', function () {
     console.warn.restore();
   });
 
-  function create_map(opts) {
-    var node = $('<div id="map"/>').css({width: '640px', height: '360px'});
-    $('#map').remove();
-    $('body').append(node);
-    opts = $.extend({}, opts);
-    opts.node = node;
-    return geo.map(opts);
-  }
-
   describe('create', function () {
     it('create function', function () {
       var map, layer, feat;
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'd3'});
 
       feat = geo.feature.create();
@@ -60,7 +51,7 @@ describe('geo.feature', function () {
     var map, layer, feat, points = {index: [], found: []}, box = [],
         events = {};
     it('_init', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
       expect(function () {
         geo.feature();
@@ -163,7 +154,7 @@ describe('geo.feature', function () {
   describe('Check public class methods', function () {
     var map, layer, feat;
     it('pointSearch', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'd3'});
       feat = geo.feature({layer: layer, renderer: layer.renderer()});
       expect(feat.pointSearch()).toEqual({index: [], found: []});
@@ -251,7 +242,7 @@ describe('geo.feature', function () {
   describe('Check class accessors', function () {
     var map, layer, feat;
     it('style', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'd3'});
       feat = geo.feature({layer: layer, renderer: layer.renderer()});
       expect(feat.style()).toEqual({opacity: 1});
diff --git a/tests/cases/featureLayer.js b/tests/cases/featureLayer.js
index 9dcfe3f239..808628cf8c 100644
--- a/tests/cases/featureLayer.js
+++ b/tests/cases/featureLayer.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Test geo.featureLayer
 
 var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
-var $ = require('jquery');
+var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
 
 describe('geo.featureLayer', function () {
   'use strict';
@@ -13,20 +13,11 @@ describe('geo.featureLayer', function () {
     console.log.restore();
   });
 
-  function create_map(opts) {
-    var node = $('<div id="map"/>').css({width: '640px', height: '360px'});
-    $('#map').remove();
-    $('body').append(node);
-    opts = $.extend({}, opts);
-    opts.node = node;
-    return geo.map(opts);
-  }
-
   describe('create', function () {
     it('create function', function () {
       var map, layer;
 
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = geo.featureLayer({map: map});
       expect(layer instanceof geo.featureLayer).toBe(true);
       expect(layer.initialized()).toBe(false);
@@ -39,7 +30,7 @@ describe('geo.featureLayer', function () {
   describe('Check private class methods', function () {
     var map, layer;
     it('_init', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = geo.featureLayer({map: map});
       expect(layer.initialized()).toBe(false);
       layer._init();
@@ -68,7 +59,7 @@ describe('geo.featureLayer', function () {
   describe('Check public class methods', function () {
     var map, layer, feat1, feat2, feat3;
     it('createFeature', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'd3'});
 
       feat1 = layer.createFeature('point');
diff --git a/tests/cases/geojsonReader.js b/tests/cases/geojsonReader.js
index c653859336..f586f821ba 100644
--- a/tests/cases/geojsonReader.js
+++ b/tests/cases/geojsonReader.js
@@ -1,15 +1,6 @@
 describe('geojsonReader', function () {
   var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
-  var $ = require('jquery');
-
-  beforeEach(function () {
-    $('<div id="map-geojson-reader"/>')
-      .css({width: '800px', height: '600px'}).appendTo('body');
-  });
-
-  afterEach(function () {
-    $('#map-geojson-reader').remove();
-  });
+  var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
 
   describe('geojsonReader', function () {
     'use strict';
@@ -20,14 +11,13 @@ describe('geojsonReader', function () {
       var reader;
 
       beforeEach(function () {
-        map = geo.map({node: '#map-geojson-reader', center: [0, 0], zoom: 3});
+        map = createMap({center: [0, 0], zoom: 3});
         layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'd3'});
         sinon.stub(layer, 'createFeature');
         reader = geo.createFileReader('jsonReader', {'layer': layer});
       });
       afterEach(function () {
         layer.createFeature.restore();
-        map.exit();
       });
 
       describe('bare geometry', function () {
@@ -277,7 +267,7 @@ describe('geojsonReader', function () {
     });
 
     it('Setup map', function () {
-      map = geo.map({node: '#map-geojson-reader', center: [0, 0], zoom: 3});
+      map = createMap({center: [0, 0], zoom: 3});
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'd3'});
 
       obj = {
diff --git a/tests/cases/heatmap.js b/tests/cases/heatmap.js
index e1026a9066..4638d77418 100644
--- a/tests/cases/heatmap.js
+++ b/tests/cases/heatmap.js
@@ -1,16 +1,6 @@
 // Test geo.core.heatmap
 describe('canvas heatmap', function () {
-  var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
-  var $ = require('jquery');
-
-  beforeEach(function () {
-    $('<div id="map-canvas-heatmap-feature"/>')
-      .css({width: '500px', height: '400px'}).appendTo('body');
-  });
-
-  afterEach(function () {
-    $('#map-canvas-heatmap-feature').remove();
-  });
+  var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
 
   describe('canvas heatmap feature', function () {
     'use strict';
@@ -19,7 +9,7 @@ describe('canvas heatmap', function () {
     var stepAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').stepAnimationFrame;
     var unmockAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').unmockAnimationFrame;
 
-    var map, width = 800, height = 600, layer, feature1,
+    var map, layer, feature1,
         testData = [[0.6, 42.8584, -70.9301],
                     [0.233, 42.2776, -83.7409],
                     [0.2, 42.2776, -83.7409]];
@@ -33,9 +23,8 @@ describe('canvas heatmap', function () {
 
     it('Setup map', function () {
       mockAnimationFrame();
-      map = geo.map({node: '#map-canvas-heatmap-feature', center: [0, 0], zoom: 3});
+      map = createMap({center: [0, 0], zoom: 3}, {width: '800px', height: '600px'});
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {'renderer': 'canvas'});
-      map.size({width: width, height: height});
     });
 
     it('Add feature to a layer', function () {
@@ -77,11 +66,12 @@ describe('canvas heatmap', function () {
     });
 
     it('Compute gradient', function () {
-      feature1.style('color', {0:    {r: 0, g: 0, b: 0.0, a: 0.0},
-                               0.25: {r: 0, g: 0, b: 1, a: 0.5},
-                               0.5:  {r: 0, g: 1, b: 1, a: 0.6},
-                               0.75: {r: 1, g: 1, b: 0, a: 0.7},
-                               1:    {r: 1, g: 0, b: 0, a: 0.1}});
+      feature1.style('color', {
+        0:    {r: 0, g: 0, b: 0.0, a: 0.0},
+        0.25: {r: 0, g: 0, b: 1, a: 0.5},
+        0.5:  {r: 0, g: 1, b: 1, a: 0.6},
+        0.75: {r: 1, g: 1, b: 0, a: 0.7},
+        1:    {r: 1, g: 0, b: 0, a: 0.1}});
       feature1._computeGradient();
       expect(layer.node()[0].children[0].getContext('2d')
         .getImageData(1, 0, 1, 1).data.length).toBe(4);
@@ -187,7 +177,7 @@ describe('canvas heatmap', function () {
     var data = [];
 
     it('Setup map', function () {
-      map = geo.map({node: '#map-canvas-heatmap-feature', center: [0, 0], zoom: 3});
+      map = createMap({center: [0, 0], zoom: 3});
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {'renderer': 'canvas'});
       for (var i = 0; i < 100; i += 1) {
         data.push({a: i % 10, b: i % 9, c: i % 8});
@@ -247,9 +237,11 @@ describe('canvas heatmap', function () {
         })).toBe(heatmap);
         expect(heatmap.position()(data[0])).toEqual({x: 0, y: 0});
         expect(heatmap.position()(data[84])).toEqual({x: 4, y: 3});
-        heatmap = heatmapFeature({layer: layer, position: function (d) {
-          return {x: d.b, y: d.c};
-        }});
+        heatmap = heatmapFeature({
+          layer: layer,
+          position: function (d) {
+            return {x: d.b, y: d.c};
+          }});
         expect(heatmap.position()(data[0])).toEqual({x: 0, y: 0});
         expect(heatmap.position()(data[87])).toEqual({x: 6, y: 7});
       });
@@ -261,20 +253,25 @@ describe('canvas heatmap', function () {
         })).toBe(heatmap);
         expect(heatmap.intensity()(data[0])).toEqual(0);
         expect(heatmap.intensity()(data[67])).toEqual(3);
-        heatmap = heatmapFeature({layer: layer, intensity: function (d) {
-          return d.a;
-        }});
+        heatmap = heatmapFeature({
+          layer: layer,
+          intensity: function (d) {
+            return d.a;
+          }});
         expect(heatmap.intensity()(data[0])).toEqual(0);
         expect(heatmap.intensity()(data[67])).toEqual(7);
       });
     });
     describe('_build', function () {
       it('intensity ranges', function () {
-        var heatmap = heatmapFeature({layer: layer, position: function (d) {
-          return {x: d.a, y: d.b};
-        }, intensity: function (d) {
-          return d.c;
-        }}).data(data);
+        var heatmap = heatmapFeature({
+          layer: layer,
+          position: function (d) {
+            return {x: d.a, y: d.b};
+          },
+          intensity: function (d) {
+            return d.c;
+          }}).data(data);
         heatmap.gcs('EPSG:3857');
         heatmap._build();
         expect(heatmap.minIntensity()).toBe(0);
@@ -286,9 +283,11 @@ describe('canvas heatmap', function () {
         expect(heatmap.maxIntensity()).toBe(2);
       });
       it('gcsPosition', function () {
-        var heatmap = heatmapFeature({layer: layer, position: function (d) {
-          return {x: d.a, y: d.b};
-        }}).data(data);
+        var heatmap = heatmapFeature({
+          layer: layer,
+          position: function (d) {
+            return {x: d.a, y: d.b};
+          }}).data(data);
         heatmap.gcs('EPSG:3857');
         // we have to call build since we didn't attach this to the layer in the
         // normal way
diff --git a/tests/cases/layerReorder.js b/tests/cases/layerReorder.js
index f002d5472f..526ca9b64e 100644
--- a/tests/cases/layerReorder.js
+++ b/tests/cases/layerReorder.js
@@ -1,34 +1,4 @@
-var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
-
-// Generate a new empty map
-function createMap() {
-  'use strict';
-
-  var $ = require('jquery');
-  var node = $('<div id=map/>').css({
-    width: '100px',
-    height: '100px'
-  });
-
-  $('#map').remove();
-  $('body').append(node);
-  var map = geo.map({node: '#map', width: 100, height: 100}),
-      cl = map.createLayer;
-  // inject d3 renderer to let this work in phantom
-  map.createLayer = function (type, opts) {
-    opts = opts || {};
-    opts.renderer = 'd3';
-    return cl.call(map, type, opts);
-  };
-  // over-ride map.displayToGcs to work with no base layer
-  map.displayToGcs = function (pt) {
-    return pt;
-  };
-  map.gcsToDisplay = function (pt) {
-    return pt;
-  };
-  return map;
-}
+var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
 
 describe('Test the zIndex property of layers', function () {
   'use strict';
diff --git a/tests/cases/lineFeature.js b/tests/cases/lineFeature.js
index 431a9189e4..08c22fd22d 100644
--- a/tests/cases/lineFeature.js
+++ b/tests/cases/lineFeature.js
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ var mockAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').mockAnimationFrame;
 var stepAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').stepAnimationFrame;
 var unmockAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').unmockAnimationFrame;
 var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
+var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
+var destroyMap = require('../test-utils').destroyMap;
 var mockVGLRenderer = geo.util.mockVGLRenderer;
 var restoreVGLRenderer = geo.util.restoreVGLRenderer;
 var vgl = require('vgl');
@@ -41,19 +43,10 @@ describe('geo.lineFeature', function () {
     }
   ];
 
-  function create_map(opts) {
-    var node = $('<div id="map"/>').css({width: '640px', height: '360px'});
-    $('#map').remove();
-    $('body').append(node);
-    opts = $.extend({}, opts);
-    opts.node = node;
-    return geo.map(opts);
-  }
-
   describe('create', function () {
     it('create function', function () {
       var map, layer, line;
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'd3'});
       line = geo.lineFeature.create(layer);
       expect(line instanceof geo.lineFeature).toBe(true);
@@ -64,7 +57,7 @@ describe('geo.lineFeature', function () {
     var map, layer, line;
     var pos = [[[0, 0], [10, 5], [5, 10]]];
     it('position', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
       line = geo.lineFeature({layer: layer});
       expect(line.position()('a')).toBe('a');
@@ -78,7 +71,7 @@ describe('geo.lineFeature', function () {
     });
 
     it('line', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
       line = geo.lineFeature({layer: layer});
       expect(line.line()('a')).toBe('a');
@@ -95,7 +88,7 @@ describe('geo.lineFeature', function () {
   describe('Public utility methods', function () {
     it('pointSearch', function () {
       var map, layer, line, pt, p, data = testLines;
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'd3'});
       line = layer.createFeature('line', {selectionAPI: true});
       line.data(data)
@@ -171,7 +164,7 @@ describe('geo.lineFeature', function () {
     });
     it('boxSearch', function () {
       var map, layer, line, idx, data = testLines;
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'd3'});
       line = layer.createFeature('line', {selectionAPI: true});
       line.data(data)
@@ -201,7 +194,7 @@ describe('geo.lineFeature', function () {
     var map, layer, line;
     it('basic usage', function () {
       mockAnimationFrame();
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'd3'});
       line = layer.createFeature('line', {
         line: function (item) {
@@ -244,7 +237,7 @@ describe('geo.lineFeature', function () {
     it('basic usage', function () {
       mockAnimationFrame();
       logCanvas2D();
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'canvas'});
       line = layer.createFeature('line', {
         line: function (item) {
@@ -283,7 +276,7 @@ describe('geo.lineFeature', function () {
     it('basic usage', function () {
 
       mockVGLRenderer();
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'vgl'});
       line = layer.createFeature('line', {
         line: function (item) {
@@ -321,6 +314,7 @@ describe('geo.lineFeature', function () {
       expect(line.actors().length).toBe(0);
       line.data(testLines);
       map.draw();
+      destroyMap();
       restoreVGLRenderer();
     });
   });
diff --git a/tests/cases/map.js b/tests/cases/map.js
index 08d330ecb9..f137cb2026 100644
--- a/tests/cases/map.js
+++ b/tests/cases/map.js
@@ -5,38 +5,30 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
 
   var $ = require('jquery');
   var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
+  var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
   var closeToEqual = require('../test-utils').closeToEqual;
   var mockAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').mockAnimationFrame;
   var stepAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').stepAnimationFrame;
   var unmockAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').unmockAnimationFrame;
 
-  function create_map(opts) {
-    var node = $('<div id="map-create-map"/>').css({width: '500px', height: '500px'});
-    $('#map-create-map').remove();
-    $('body').append(node);
-    opts = $.extend({}, opts);
-    opts.node = node;
-    return geo.map(opts);
-  }
-
   afterEach(function () {
-    $('#map-create-map').remove();
+    $('#map').remove();
     $(window).off('resize');
   });
 
   describe('create function', function () {
     it('basic create', function () {
       var map;
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       expect(map instanceof geo.map).toBe(true);
-      expect(map.node().attr('id')).toBe('map-create-map');
+      expect(map.node().attr('id')).toBe('map');
       expect(map.gcs()).toBe('EPSG:3857');
       expect(map.ingcs()).toBe('EPSG:4326');
       expect(map.zoom()).toBe(4);
       expect(closeToEqual(map.center(), {x: 0, y: 0, z: 0})).toBe(true);
       expect(map.rotation()).toBe(0);
       expect(map.maxBounds().left).toBeLessThan(-179);
-      expect(map.size().width).toBe(500);
+      expect(map.size().width).toBe(640);
       expect(map.zoomRange().max).toEqual(16);
       expect(map.zoomRange().origMin).toEqual(0);
       expect(map.discreteZoom()).toBe(false);
@@ -50,7 +42,7 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
     });
     it('create with options', function () {
       var map;
-      map = create_map({
+      map = createMap({
         ingcs: '+proj=longlat +axis=esu',
         gcs: '+proj=longlat +axis=enu',
         zoom: 6,
@@ -67,7 +59,7 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
         clampZoom: false
       });
       expect(map instanceof geo.map).toBe(true);
-      expect(map.node().attr('id')).toBe('map-create-map');
+      expect(map.node().attr('id')).toBe('map');
       expect(map.gcs()).toBe('+proj=longlat +axis=enu');
       expect(map.ingcs()).toBe('+proj=longlat +axis=esu');
       expect(map.zoom()).toBe(6);
@@ -75,7 +67,7 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
       expect(map.rotation()).toBe(1);
       expect(map.maxBounds().left).toBe(0);
       expect(map.maxBounds().right).toBe(50000);
-      expect(map.size().width).toBe(500);
+      expect(map.size().width).toBe(640);
       expect(map.zoomRange().max).toEqual(9);
       expect(map.zoomRange().origMin).toEqual(3);
       expect(map.discreteZoom()).toBe(true);
@@ -89,7 +81,7 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
 
   describe('Check class accessors', function () {
     it('clampBounds', function () {
-      var m = create_map();
+      var m = createMap();
       var axes = {'X': false, 'Y': true};
       $.each(axes, function (axis, defaultSetting) {
         var func = m['clampBounds' + axis];
@@ -103,10 +95,10 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
       });
     });
     it('clampZoom and zoomRange', function () {
-      var m = create_map(), zr;
+      var m = createMap(), zr;
       expect(m.clampZoom()).toBe(true);
       zr = m.zoomRange();
-      expect(zr.min).toBeCloseTo(Math.log2(500 / 256), 2);
+      expect(zr.min).toBeCloseTo(Math.log2(360 / 256), 2);
       expect(zr.origMin).toBe(0);
       expect(zr.max).toBe(16);
       m.clampZoom(false);
@@ -114,7 +106,7 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
       expect(m.zoomRange().min).toBe(0);
       m.clampZoom(true);
       expect(m.clampZoom()).toBe(true);
-      expect(zr.min).toBeCloseTo(Math.log2(500 / 256), 2);
+      expect(zr.min).toBeCloseTo(Math.log2(360 / 256), 2);
       m.zoomRange({min: 1, max: 2});
       zr = m.zoomRange();
       expect(zr.min).toBe(1);
@@ -122,12 +114,12 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
       expect(zr.max).toBe(2);
       m.zoomRange({min: 0});
       zr = m.zoomRange();
-      expect(zr.min).toBeCloseTo(Math.log2(500 / 256), 2);
+      expect(zr.min).toBeCloseTo(Math.log2(360 / 256), 2);
       expect(zr.origMin).toBe(0);
       expect(zr.max).toBe(2);
     });
     it('allowRotation', function () {
-      var m = create_map();
+      var m = createMap();
       expect(m.allowRotation()).toBe(true);
       m.rotation(0);
       expect(m.rotation()).toBe(0);
@@ -159,9 +151,9 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
       expect(m.rotation()).toBeCloseTo(17 * Math.PI / 180);
     });
     it('size and rotatedSize', function () {
-      var m = create_map();
-      expect(m.size()).toEqual({width: 500, height: 500});
-      expect(m.rotatedSize()).toEqual({width: 500, height: 500});
+      var m = createMap();
+      expect(m.size()).toEqual({width: 640, height: 360});
+      expect(m.rotatedSize()).toEqual({width: 640, height: 360});
       m.size({width: 400, height: 300});
       expect(m.size()).toEqual({width: 400, height: 300});
       expect(m.rotatedSize()).toEqual({width: 400, height: 300});
@@ -189,7 +181,7 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
       })).toBe(true);
     });
     it('unitsPerPixel', function () {
-      var m = create_map(), circEarth = 6378137 * Math.PI * 2;
+      var m = createMap(), circEarth = 6378137 * Math.PI * 2;
       m.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'd3'});
       expect(m.unitsPerPixel()).toBeCloseTo(circEarth / 256);
       expect(m.unitsPerPixel(0)).toBeCloseTo(circEarth / 256);
@@ -204,7 +196,7 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
     });
     it('animationQueue', function () {
       mockAnimationFrame();
-      var m = create_map(), queue = [], queue2 = [],
+      var m = createMap(), queue = [], queue2 = [],
           queue3 = [window.requestAnimationFrame(function () { })];
       expect(m.animationQueue()).toEqual([]);
       expect(m.animationQueue()).not.toBe(queue);
@@ -221,7 +213,7 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
       unmockAnimationFrame();
     });
     it('autoResize', function () {
-      var m = create_map();
+      var m = createMap();
       expect(m.autoResize()).toBe(true);
       expect(m.autoResize(false)).toBe(m);
       expect(m.autoResize()).toBe(false);
@@ -229,8 +221,10 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
       expect(m.autoResize()).toBe(true);
     });
     it('gcs and ingcs', function () {
-      var m = create_map(), units = m.unitsPerPixel(), bounds;
-      var error = console.error;
+      var m = createMap(undefined, {width: '500px', height: '500px'}),
+          units = m.unitsPerPixel(),
+          bounds,
+          error = console.error;
       expect(m.gcs()).toBe('EPSG:3857');
       expect(m.ingcs()).toBe('EPSG:4326');
       m.bounds({left: -180, top: 5, right: 180, bottom: -5});
@@ -316,7 +310,7 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
       console.error = error;
     });
     it('maxBounds', function () {
-      var m = create_map();
+      var m = createMap();
       expect(closeToEqual(m.maxBounds(), {
         left: -180, top: 85.05, right: 180, bottom: -85.05})).toBe(true);
       m.maxBounds({left: -90, right: 20, top: 40, bottom: -60});
@@ -324,7 +318,7 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
         left: -90, right: 20, top: 40, bottom: -60})).toBe(true);
     });
     it('zoom and discreteZoom', function () {
-      var m = create_map();
+      var m = createMap(undefined, {width: '500px', height: '500px'});
       expect(m.zoom()).toBe(4);
       expect(m.discreteZoom()).toBe(false);
       m.zoom(3.5);
@@ -359,7 +353,7 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
       expect(m.zoom()).toBe(2);
     });
     it('rotation', function () {
-      var m = create_map();
+      var m = createMap();
       expect(m.rotation()).toBe(0);
       m.rotation(1);
       expect(m.rotation()).toBe(1);
@@ -376,7 +370,7 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
       expect(m.rotation()).toBeCloseTo(17 - Math.PI * 4);
     });
     it('fileReader', function () {
-      var m = create_map();
+      var m = createMap();
       expect(m.fileReader()).toBe(null);
       var layerCount = m.layers().length;
       expect(m.fileReader('jsonReader')).toBe(m);
@@ -413,21 +407,21 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
     }
 
     it('exit', function () {
-      var m = create_map();
+      var m = createMap();
       m.updateAttribution('Sample');
       expect(count_events(m.node(), 'geo')).toBeGreaterThan(0);
       m.exit();
       expect(count_events(m.node(), 'geo')).toBe(0);
-      expect($('#map-create-map').children().length).toBe(0);
+      expect($('#map').children().length).toBe(0);
     });
     it('pan, clampBoundsX, and clampBoundsY', function () {
-      var m = create_map({
+      var m = createMap({
         unitsPerPixel: 16,
         gcs: '+proj=longlat +axis=enu',
         ingcs: '+proj=longlat +axis=esu',
         maxBounds: {left: -2048, right: 2048, top: -2048, bottom: 2048},
         max: 4
-      });
+      }, {width: '500px', height: '500px'});
       expect(closeToEqual(m.center(), {x: 0, y: 0, z: 0})).toBe(true);
       m.pan({x: -128, y: 0});
       expect(closeToEqual(m.center(), {x: 128, y: 0, z: 0})).toBe(true);
@@ -481,13 +475,13 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
     });
     it('zoomAndCenterFromBounds', function () {
       var zc;
-      var m = create_map({
+      var m = createMap({
         unitsPerPixel: 16,
         gcs: '+proj=longlat +axis=enu',
         ingcs: '+proj=longlat +axis=esu',
         maxBounds: {left: -2048, right: 2048, top: -2048, bottom: 2048},
         max: 4
-      });
+      }, {width: '500px', height: '500px'});
       zc = m.zoomAndCenterFromBounds({
         left: -250, top: -250, right: 250, bottom: 250});
       expect(zc.zoom).toBeCloseTo(4);
@@ -515,7 +509,7 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
     });
     it('transition', function () {
       mockAnimationFrame();
-      var m = create_map(), start, wasCalled;
+      var m = createMap(), start, wasCalled;
       expect(m.transition()).toBe(null);
       start = new Date().getTime();
       m.transition({
@@ -677,8 +671,8 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
       unmockAnimationFrame();
     });
     it('node class and data attribute', function () {
-      var selector = '#map-create-map';
-      var m = create_map();
+      var selector = '#map';
+      var m = createMap();
       expect($(selector).hasClass('geojs-map')).toBe(true);
       expect($(selector).data('data-geojs-map')).toBe(m);
       m.createLayer('feature');
@@ -696,7 +690,7 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
     var ss = {};
 
     it('basic', function (done) {
-      m = create_map({
+      m = createMap({
         width: 64, height: 48, zoom: 2, center: {x: 7.5, y: 7.5}});
       layer1 = m.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'canvas'});
       l1 = layer1.createFeature('line', {
@@ -849,15 +843,15 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
 
   describe('Internal methods', function () {
     it('resizeSelf', function () {
-      var m = create_map();
-      expect(m.size()).toEqual({width: 500, height: 500});
-      $('#map-create-map').css({width: '400px', height: '400px'});
-      expect(m.size()).toEqual({width: 500, height: 500});
+      var m = createMap();
+      expect(m.size()).toEqual({width: 640, height: 360});
+      $('#map').css({width: '400px', height: '400px'});
+      expect(m.size()).toEqual({width: 640, height: 360});
       $(window).trigger('resize');
       expect(m.size()).toEqual({width: 400, height: 400});
     });
     it('dragover', function () {
-      var m = create_map();
+      var m = createMap();
       var evt = $.Event('dragover');
       evt.originalEvent = new window.Event('dragover');
       evt.originalEvent.dataTransfer = {};
@@ -871,7 +865,7 @@ describe('geo.core.map', function () {
       expect(evt.originalEvent.dataTransfer.dropEffect).toBe('copy');
     });
     it('drop', function () {
-      var m = create_map();
+      var m = createMap();
       m.fileReader('jsonReader', {renderer: 'd3'});
       var evt = $.Event('drop');
       evt.originalEvent = new window.Event('drop');
diff --git a/tests/cases/mapAttribution.js b/tests/cases/mapAttribution.js
index 50b9e000d7..96ddcf3eb7 100644
--- a/tests/cases/mapAttribution.js
+++ b/tests/cases/mapAttribution.js
@@ -2,25 +2,11 @@ describe('Test adding and remove attribution via layers', function () {
   'use strict';
 
   var $ = require('jquery');
-  var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
-
-  beforeEach(function () {
-    $('<div id="map-attribution"/>')
-      .css({width: '500px', height: '400px'}).appendTo('body');
-  });
-
-  afterEach(function () {
-    $('#map-attribution').remove();
-  });
-
-  // Generate a new empty map
-  function createMap() {
-    return geo.map({node: '#map-attribution'});
-  }
+  var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
 
   // Return all attribution nodes
   function getAttribution() {
-    return $('#map-attribution > .geo-attribution > .geo-attribution-layer');
+    return $('#map > .geo-attribution > .geo-attribution-layer');
   }
 
   it('Attribution added via constructor argument', function () {
diff --git a/tests/cases/osmLayer.js b/tests/cases/osmLayer.js
index cf4b929a33..c80fe4fa93 100644
--- a/tests/cases/osmLayer.js
+++ b/tests/cases/osmLayer.js
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ describe('geo.core.osmLayer', function () {
   var submitNote = require('../test-utils').submitNote;
   // var logCanvas2D = require('../test-utils').logCanvas2D;
   var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
+  var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
+  var destroyMap = require('../test-utils').destroyMap;
   var mockVGLRenderer = geo.util.mockVGLRenderer;
   var restoreVGLRenderer = geo.util.restoreVGLRenderer;
   var vgl = require('vgl');
@@ -19,21 +21,11 @@ describe('geo.core.osmLayer', function () {
 
   function create_map(opts) {
     mockVGLRenderer();
-    var node = $('<div id="map-osm-layer"/>').css({width: '640px', height: '360px'});
-    $('#map-osm-layer').remove();
-    /* Prepend because we want the map to be the first item so that its
-     * position doesn't change when data is added to the html reporter div. */
-    $('body').prepend(node);
-    opts = $.extend({}, opts);
-    opts.node = node;
-    return geo.map(opts);
+    return createMap(opts);
   }
 
   function destroy_map() {
-    if (map) {
-      map.exit();
-    }
-    $('#map-osm-layer').remove();
+    destroyMap();
     restoreVGLRenderer();
   }
 
diff --git a/tests/cases/pixelmapFeature.js b/tests/cases/pixelmapFeature.js
index 14136bf95c..a7a316d8e7 100644
--- a/tests/cases/pixelmapFeature.js
+++ b/tests/cases/pixelmapFeature.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 /* globals Image */
 
 var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
+var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
 var $ = require('jquery');
 var waitForIt = require('../test-utils').waitForIt;
 var logCanvas2D = require('../test-utils').logCanvas2D;
@@ -28,19 +29,10 @@ describe('geo.pixelmapFeature', function () {
     }
   }
 
-  function create_map(opts) {
-    var node = $('<div id="map"/>').css({width: '640px', height: '360px'});
-    $('#map').remove();
-    $('body').append(node);
-    opts = $.extend({}, opts);
-    opts.node = node;
-    return geo.map(opts);
-  }
-
   describe('create', function () {
     var map, layer, pixelmap;
     it('create function', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'canvas'});
       pixelmap = geo.pixelmapFeature.create(layer);
       expect(pixelmap instanceof geo.pixelmapFeature).toBe(true);
@@ -56,7 +48,7 @@ describe('geo.pixelmapFeature', function () {
     describe('_init', function () {
       var map, layer, pixelmap;
       it('defaults', function () {
-        map = create_map();
+        map = createMap();
         layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
         pixelmap = geo.pixelmapFeature({layer: layer});
         pixelmap._init();
@@ -79,7 +71,7 @@ describe('geo.pixelmapFeature', function () {
     });
     it('_exit', function () {
       var map, layer, pixelmap;
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'canvas'});
       pixelmap = geo.pixelmapFeature({layer: layer});
       pixelmap._init({
@@ -93,7 +85,7 @@ describe('geo.pixelmapFeature', function () {
     });
     it('_preparePixelmap', function () {
       var map, layer, pixelmap;
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'canvas'});
       pixelmap = geo.pixelmapFeature({layer: layer});
       pixelmap._init({
@@ -117,7 +109,7 @@ describe('geo.pixelmapFeature', function () {
     it('_computePixelmap', function () {
       var map, layer, pixelmap, prepared = 0;
 
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'canvas'});
       pixelmap = geo.pixelmapFeature({layer: layer});
       pixelmap._init({
@@ -148,7 +140,7 @@ describe('geo.pixelmapFeature', function () {
       var map, layer, pixelmap, buildTime;
 
       it('loading image', function (done) {
-        map = create_map();
+        map = createMap();
         layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'canvas'});
         pixelmap = layer.createFeature('pixelmap', {
           position: position,
@@ -201,7 +193,7 @@ describe('geo.pixelmapFeature', function () {
       var map, layer, pixelmap, buildTime, updateTime;
 
       it('loading image', function (done) {
-        map = create_map();
+        map = createMap();
         layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'canvas'});
         pixelmap = layer.createFeature('pixelmap', {
           position: position,
@@ -233,7 +225,7 @@ describe('geo.pixelmapFeature', function () {
 
     it('position', function () {
       var pos = {lr: {x: 0, y: 0}, ul: {x: 10, y: 5}};
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'canvas'});
       pixelmap = layer.createFeature('pixelmap', {
         url: testImageSrc
@@ -272,7 +264,7 @@ describe('geo.pixelmapFeature', function () {
       it('basic usage', function () {
         var map, layer, pixelmap, pt;
 
-        map = create_map();
+        map = createMap();
         layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'canvas'});
         pixelmap = layer.createFeature('pixelmap', {
           position: position,
@@ -297,7 +289,7 @@ describe('geo.pixelmapFeature', function () {
   describe('geo.canvas.pixelmapFeature', function () {
     var map, layer, pixelmap, buildTime, counts;
     it('basic usage', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'canvas'});
       pixelmap = layer.createFeature('pixelmap', {
         position: position,
diff --git a/tests/cases/pointFeature.js b/tests/cases/pointFeature.js
index 3af2f8ef50..18267ba55f 100644
--- a/tests/cases/pointFeature.js
+++ b/tests/cases/pointFeature.js
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ var mockAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').mockAnimationFrame;
 var stepAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').stepAnimationFrame;
 var unmockAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').unmockAnimationFrame;
 var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
+var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
+var destroyMap = require('../test-utils').destroyMap;
 var mockVGLRenderer = geo.util.mockVGLRenderer;
 var restoreVGLRenderer = geo.util.restoreVGLRenderer;
 var vgl = require('vgl');
@@ -22,19 +24,10 @@ describe('geo.pointFeature', function () {
     {x: 50, y: 10}, {x: 50, y: 10}, {x: 60, y: 10}
   ];
 
-  function create_map(opts) {
-    var node = $('<div id="map"/>').css({width: '640px', height: '360px'});
-    $('#map').remove();
-    $('body').append(node);
-    opts = $.extend({}, opts);
-    opts.node = node;
-    return geo.map(opts);
-  }
-
   describe('create', function () {
     it('create function', function () {
       var map, layer, point;
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'd3'});
       point = geo.pointFeature.create(layer);
       expect(point instanceof geo.pointFeature).toBe(true);
@@ -45,7 +38,7 @@ describe('geo.pointFeature', function () {
     var map, layer, point;
     var pos = [[0, 0], [10, 5], [5, 10]];
     it('position', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
       point = geo.pointFeature({layer: layer});
       point._init();
@@ -63,7 +56,7 @@ describe('geo.pointFeature', function () {
     });
 
     it('data', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
       point = geo.pointFeature({layer: layer});
       point._init();
@@ -74,7 +67,7 @@ describe('geo.pointFeature', function () {
 
     it('clustering', function () {
       var count = 0;
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
       point = geo.pointFeature({layer: layer});
       point._init();
@@ -100,7 +93,7 @@ describe('geo.pointFeature', function () {
   describe('Public utility methods', function () {
     it('pointSearch', function () {
       var map, layer, point, pt, p, data = testPoints;
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'd3'});
       point = layer.createFeature('point', {selectionAPI: true});
       point.data(data)
@@ -152,7 +145,7 @@ describe('geo.pointFeature', function () {
     });
     it('boxSearch', function () {
       var map, layer, point, data = testPoints, idx;
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'd3'});
       point = layer.createFeature('point', {selectionAPI: true});
       point.data(data);
@@ -168,7 +161,7 @@ describe('geo.pointFeature', function () {
   describe('Private utility methods', function () {
     it('_clusterData', function () {
       var map, layer, point, data = testPoints, count = 0;
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'd3'});
       point = layer.createFeature('point');
       point.data(data);
@@ -190,7 +183,7 @@ describe('geo.pointFeature', function () {
     });
     it('_handleZoom', function () {
       var map, layer, point, data = testPoints;
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'd3'});
       point = layer.createFeature('point');
       point.data(data);
@@ -205,7 +198,7 @@ describe('geo.pointFeature', function () {
     });
     it('_updateRangeTree', function () {
       var map, layer, point, data = testPoints.slice();
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'd3'});
       point = layer.createFeature('point');
       point.data(data);
@@ -232,7 +225,7 @@ describe('geo.pointFeature', function () {
     var map, layer, point;
     it('basic usage', function () {
       mockAnimationFrame();
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'd3'});
       point = layer.createFeature('point', {
         style: {
@@ -265,7 +258,7 @@ describe('geo.pointFeature', function () {
     }
     it('basic usage', function () {
       mockVGLRenderer();
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'vgl'});
       point = layer.createFeature('point', {
         style: {
@@ -331,6 +324,7 @@ describe('geo.pointFeature', function () {
       expect(point.actors().length).toBe(0);
       point.data(testPoints);
       map.draw();
+      destroyMap();
       restoreVGLRenderer();
     });
   });
diff --git a/tests/cases/polygonFeature.js b/tests/cases/polygonFeature.js
index dc18a6233f..699252aeef 100644
--- a/tests/cases/polygonFeature.js
+++ b/tests/cases/polygonFeature.js
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 var $ = require('jquery');
 var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
+var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
+var destroyMap = require('../test-utils').destroyMap;
 var mockVGLRenderer = geo.util.mockVGLRenderer;
 var restoreVGLRenderer = geo.util.restoreVGLRenderer;
 var vgl = require('vgl');
@@ -58,23 +60,15 @@ describe('geo.polygonFeature', function () {
     }
   };
 
-  function create_map(opts) {
-    var node = $('<div id="map"/>').css({width: '640px', height: '360px'});
-    $('#map').remove();
-    $('body').append(node);
-    opts = $.extend({}, opts);
-    opts.node = node;
-    return geo.map(opts);
-  }
-
   describe('create', function () {
     it('create function', function () {
       mockVGLRenderer();
       var map, layer, polygon;
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'vgl'});
       polygon = geo.polygonFeature.create(layer);
       expect(polygon instanceof geo.polygonFeature).toBe(true);
+      destroyMap();
       restoreVGLRenderer();
     });
   });
@@ -83,7 +77,7 @@ describe('geo.polygonFeature', function () {
     var map, layer, polygon;
     var pos = [[[0, 0], [10, 5], [5, 10]]];
     it('position', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
       polygon = geo.polygonFeature({layer: layer});
       polygon._init();
@@ -99,7 +93,7 @@ describe('geo.polygonFeature', function () {
     });
 
     it('polygon', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
       polygon = geo.polygonFeature({layer: layer});
       polygon._init();
@@ -115,7 +109,7 @@ describe('geo.polygonFeature', function () {
     });
 
     it('data', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
       polygon = geo.polygonFeature({layer: layer});
       polygon._init();
@@ -130,7 +124,7 @@ describe('geo.polygonFeature', function () {
 
     it('style', function () {
       mockVGLRenderer();
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       // we have to use a valid renderer so that the stroke can be enabled.
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'vgl'});
       polygon = geo.polygonFeature({layer: layer});
@@ -144,6 +138,7 @@ describe('geo.polygonFeature', function () {
       expect(polygon.style().stroke).toBe(false);
       expect(polygon.dependentFeatures()).toEqual([]);
       map.deleteLayer(layer);
+      destroyMap();
       restoreVGLRenderer();
     });
   });
@@ -152,7 +147,7 @@ describe('geo.polygonFeature', function () {
     describe('pointSearch', function () {
       it('basic usage', function () {
         var map, layer, polygon, data, pt;
-        map = create_map();
+        map = createMap();
         layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
         polygon = geo.polygonFeature({layer: layer});
         polygon._init();
@@ -189,7 +184,7 @@ describe('geo.polygonFeature', function () {
       it('arg gets added to style', function () {
         var polygon;
 
-        map = create_map();
+        map = createMap();
         layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
         polygon = geo.polygonFeature({layer: layer});
         /* init is not automatically called on the geo.polygonFeature (it is on
@@ -208,7 +203,7 @@ describe('geo.polygonFeature', function () {
     it('basic usage', function () {
       stylesVisited.splice(0, stylesVisited.length);
       mockVGLRenderer();
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature');
       polygons = layer.createFeature('polygon', {style: testStyle, data: testPolygons});
       buildTime = polygons.buildTime().getMTime();
@@ -282,6 +277,7 @@ describe('geo.polygonFeature', function () {
       polygons.data(testPolygons);
       map.draw();
       expect(buildTime).toEqual(polygons.buildTime().getMTime());
+      destroyMap();
       restoreVGLRenderer();
     });
   });
diff --git a/tests/cases/quadFeature.js b/tests/cases/quadFeature.js
index 6e6e3e07f0..d2e8055185 100644
--- a/tests/cases/quadFeature.js
+++ b/tests/cases/quadFeature.js
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 
 var $ = require('jquery');
 var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
+var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
+var destroyMap = require('../test-utils').destroyMap;
 var mockVGLRenderer = geo.util.mockVGLRenderer;
 var restoreVGLRenderer = geo.util.restoreVGLRenderer;
 var vgl = require('vgl');
@@ -138,15 +140,6 @@ describe('geo.quadFeature', function () {
     }
   };
 
-  function create_map(opts) {
-    var node = $('<div id="map"/>').css({width: '640px', height: '360px'});
-    $('#map').remove();
-    $('body').append(node);
-    opts = $.extend({}, opts);
-    opts.node = node;
-    return geo.map(opts);
-  }
-
   function load_preview_image(done) {
     if (!previewImage.src) {
       previewImage.onload = function () {
@@ -162,10 +155,11 @@ describe('geo.quadFeature', function () {
     it('create function', function () {
       mockVGLRenderer();
       var map, layer, quad;
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'vgl'});
       quad = geo.quadFeature.create(layer);
       expect(quad instanceof geo.quadFeature).toBe(true);
+      destroyMap();
       restoreVGLRenderer();
     });
   });
@@ -175,7 +169,7 @@ describe('geo.quadFeature', function () {
     it('position', function () {
       var pos = {ll: {x: 0, y: 0}, ur: {x: 1, y: 1}}, quad;
 
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
       quad = geo.quadFeature({layer: layer});
       quad._init();
@@ -192,7 +186,7 @@ describe('geo.quadFeature', function () {
     describe('pointSearch', function () {
       it('basic usage', function () {
         var map, layer, quad, data, pt;
-        map = create_map();
+        map = createMap();
         layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
         quad = geo.quadFeature({layer: layer});
         quad._init();
@@ -230,7 +224,7 @@ describe('geo.quadFeature', function () {
     describe('cacheQuads and cacheUpdate', function () {
       it('cacheQuads unspecified', function () {
         var map, layer, quad, data;
-        map = create_map();
+        map = createMap();
         layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
         quad = geo.quadFeature({layer: layer});
         quad._init();
@@ -261,7 +255,7 @@ describe('geo.quadFeature', function () {
       });
       it('cacheQuads false', function () {
         var map, layer, quad, data;
-        map = create_map();
+        map = createMap();
         layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
         quad = geo.quadFeature({layer: layer});
         quad._init({cacheQuads: false});
@@ -285,7 +279,7 @@ describe('geo.quadFeature', function () {
     describe('_object_list methods', function () {
       var map, layer, quad, olist = [];
       it('_objectListStart', function () {
-        map = create_map();
+        map = createMap();
         layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
         quad = geo.quadFeature({layer: layer});
         quad._objectListStart(olist);
@@ -331,7 +325,7 @@ describe('geo.quadFeature', function () {
       it('arg gets added to style', function () {
         var pos = {ll: {x: 0, y: 0}, ur: {x: 1, y: 1}}, quad;
 
-        map = create_map();
+        map = createMap();
         layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
         quad = geo.quadFeature({layer: layer});
         /* init is not automatically called on the geo.quadFeature (it is on
@@ -448,7 +442,7 @@ describe('geo.quadFeature', function () {
 
       it('load preview image', load_preview_image);
       it('overall generation', function () {
-        map = create_map({gcs: 'EPSG:4326'});
+        map = createMap({gcs: 'EPSG:4326'});
         layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
         quad = geo.quadFeature({layer: layer});
         quad._init({style: testStyle});
@@ -516,7 +510,7 @@ describe('geo.quadFeature', function () {
         delete quad._cachedQuad;
       });
       mockVGLRenderer();
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature');
       quads = layer.createFeature('quad', {style: testStyle, data: testQuads});
       buildTime = quads.buildTime().getMTime();
@@ -574,6 +568,7 @@ describe('geo.quadFeature', function () {
       quads.data(testQuads);
       map.draw();
       expect(buildTime).toEqual(quads.buildTime().getMTime());
+      destroyMap();
       restoreVGLRenderer();
     });
   });
@@ -589,7 +584,7 @@ describe('geo.quadFeature', function () {
         delete quad._cachedQuad;
       });
       logCanvas2D();
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'canvas'});
       quads = layer.createFeature('quad', {style: testStyle, data: testQuads});
       buildTime = quads.buildTime().getMTime();
@@ -679,7 +674,7 @@ describe('geo.quadFeature', function () {
       $.each(testQuads, function (idx, quad) {
         delete quad._cachedQuad;
       });
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'd3'});
       quads = layer.createFeature('quad', {style: testStyle, data: testQuads});
       buildTime = quads.buildTime().getMTime();
diff --git a/tests/cases/textFeature.js b/tests/cases/textFeature.js
index 69f7fe9a11..28b971040f 100644
--- a/tests/cases/textFeature.js
+++ b/tests/cases/textFeature.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ var mockAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').mockAnimationFrame;
 var stepAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').stepAnimationFrame;
 var unmockAnimationFrame = require('../test-utils').unmockAnimationFrame;
 var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
+var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
 var logCanvas2D = require('../test-utils').logCanvas2D;
 
 describe('geo.textFeature', function () {
@@ -99,19 +100,10 @@ describe('geo.textFeature', function () {
     }
   ];
 
-  function create_map(opts) {
-    var node = $('<div id="map"/>').css({width: '640px', height: '360px'});
-    $('#map').remove();
-    $('body').append(node);
-    opts = $.extend({}, opts);
-    opts.node = node;
-    return geo.map(opts);
-  }
-
   describe('create', function () {
     it('create function', function () {
       var map, layer, text;
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'canvas'});
       text = geo.textFeature.create(layer);
       expect(text instanceof geo.textFeature).toBe(true);
@@ -121,7 +113,7 @@ describe('geo.textFeature', function () {
   describe('Check private class mathods', function () {
     var map, layer, text;
     it('_init', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
       text = geo.textFeature({layer: layer});
       expect(text.style('font')).toBe('bold 16px sans-serif');
@@ -140,7 +132,7 @@ describe('geo.textFeature', function () {
     var map, layer, text;
     var pos = [[[0, 0], [10, 5], [5, 10]]];
     it('position', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
       text = geo.textFeature({layer: layer});
       expect(text.position()('a')).toBe('a');
@@ -154,7 +146,7 @@ describe('geo.textFeature', function () {
     });
 
     it('text', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: null});
       text = geo.textFeature({layer: layer});
       expect(text.text()({text: 'a'})).toBe('a');
@@ -174,7 +166,7 @@ describe('geo.textFeature', function () {
     it('basic usage', function () {
       mockAnimationFrame();
       logCanvas2D();
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'canvas'});
       geo.textFeature.usedStyles.forEach(function (key) {
         style[key] = function (d, i) {
@@ -195,7 +187,7 @@ describe('geo.textFeature', function () {
       unmockAnimationFrame();
     });
     it('getFontFromStyles', function () {
-      map = create_map();
+      map = createMap();
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {renderer: 'canvas'});
       geo.textFeature.usedStyles.forEach(function (key) {
         style[key] = function (d, i) {
diff --git a/tests/cases/widgetApi.js b/tests/cases/widgetApi.js
index e059a4833d..895e7bfc6a 100644
--- a/tests/cases/widgetApi.js
+++ b/tests/cases/widgetApi.js
@@ -1,35 +1,23 @@
 var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
+var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
 var $ = require('jquery');
 
 describe('widget api', function () {
   'use strict';
 
-  beforeEach(function () {
-    $('<div id="map-widget-api"/>')
-      .css({width: '500px', height: '400px'}).appendTo('body');
-  });
-
-  afterEach(function () {
-    $('#map-widget-api').remove();
-  });
-
   function makeMap() {
     var map;
 
-    map = geo.map({
-      node: '#map-widget-api',
+    map = createMap({
       center: {
         x: -98.0,
         y: 39.5
       },
       zoom: 5
-    });
-
-    map.createLayer('ui');
-    map.draw();
+    }, {width: '500px', height: '400px'});
 
     var uiLayer = map.createLayer('ui');
-    window.geoWidgets = [];
+    map.draw();
     return {map: map, uiLayer: uiLayer};
   }
 
diff --git a/tests/cases/zoomSlider.js b/tests/cases/zoomSlider.js
index 24de713991..50f73da135 100644
--- a/tests/cases/zoomSlider.js
+++ b/tests/cases/zoomSlider.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
+var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
 
-describe('zoom slider', function () {
+xdescribe('zoom slider', function () {
   'use strict';
 
   var d3 = require('d3');
@@ -8,25 +9,17 @@ describe('zoom slider', function () {
   var map;
 
   beforeEach(function () {
-    $('<div id="map-zoom-slider"/>')
-      .css({width: '500px', height: '400px'}).appendTo('body');
-    map = geo.map({
-      'node': '#map-zoom-slider',
+    map = createMap({
       'center': [0, 0],
       'zoom': 2,
       'clampZoom': false,
       'clampBoundsX': false,
       'clampBoundsY': false
-    });
+    }, {width: '500px', height: '400px'});
     map.createLayer('ui').createWidget('slider');
     map.draw();
   });
 
-  afterEach(function () {
-    map.exit();
-    $('#map-zoom-slider').remove();
-  });
-
   it('Zoom in button', function (done) {
     var eps;
     map.zoom(1);
diff --git a/tests/gl-cases/quadFeatureVideo.js b/tests/gl-cases/quadFeatureVideo.js
index 8a91c5c6d8..e594909cf3 100644
--- a/tests/gl-cases/quadFeatureVideo.js
+++ b/tests/gl-cases/quadFeatureVideo.js
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 
 /* global HTMLVideoElement */
 
-var $ = require('jquery');
 var geo = require('../test-utils').geo;
+var createMap = require('../test-utils').createMap;
 var waitForIt = require('../test-utils').waitForIt;
 
 describe('geo.util.isReadyVideo', function () {
@@ -37,19 +37,10 @@ describe('geo.quadFeature video', function () {
 
   var map, layer, quads;
 
-  function create_map(opts) {
-    var node = $('<div id="map"/>').css({width: '640px', height: '360px'});
-    $('#map').remove();
-    $('body').append(node);
-    opts = $.extend({}, opts);
-    opts.node = node;
-    return geo.map(opts);
-  }
-
   it('single video quad', function (done) {
     var videoWidth = 640, videoHeight = 360;
     var params = geo.util.pixelCoordinateParams('#map', videoWidth, videoHeight);
-    map = create_map(params.map);
+    map = createMap(params.map);
     layer = map.createLayer('feature', {features: ['quad.video']});
     quads = layer.createFeature('quad');
     quads.data([{
@@ -82,7 +73,7 @@ describe('geo.quadFeature video', function () {
   it('video element', function (done) {
     var video = document.createElement('video');
     video.onloadeddata = function () {
-      map = create_map({});
+      map = createMap({});
       layer = map.createLayer('feature', {features: ['quad.video']});
       quads = layer.createFeature('quad');
       quads.data([{
@@ -100,7 +91,7 @@ describe('geo.quadFeature video', function () {
   });
 
   it('preview colors and bad urls', function (done) {
-    map = create_map({});
+    map = createMap({});
     layer = map.createLayer('feature', {features: ['quad.video']});
     quads = layer.createFeature('quad');
     quads.style({
diff --git a/tests/test-utils.js b/tests/test-utils.js
index b33d4b87b3..c2702fb3ea 100644
--- a/tests/test-utils.js
+++ b/tests/test-utils.js
@@ -255,9 +255,10 @@ module.exports.advanceDate = function (delta) {
   startDate += delta;
 };
 
-/* Decode query components into a dictionary of values.
+/**
+ * Decode query components into a dictionary of values.
  *
- * @returns {object}: the query parameters as a dictionary.
+ * @returns {object} the query parameters as a dictionary.
  */
 module.exports.getQuery = function () {
   var query = document.location.search.replace(/(^\?)/, '').split(
@@ -270,3 +271,33 @@ module.exports.getQuery = function () {
     }.bind({}))[0];
   return query;
 };
+
+/**
+ * Destroy a map for testing.  This removes any existing node called '#map'.
+ * It should be done if the VGL renderer was mocked before it is restored.
+ */
+function destroyMap() {
+  if ($('#map').data('data-geojs-map') && $.isFunction($('#map').data('data-geojs-map').exit)) {
+    $('#map').data('data-geojs-map').exit();
+  }
+  $('#map').remove();
+}
+module.exports.destroyMap = destroyMap;
+
+/**
+ * Create a map for testing.  This removes any existing node called '#map' and
+ * creates a new one.
+ *
+ * @param {object} [opts] Additional options to pass to the map class creator.
+ * @param {object} [css] Additional css to apply to the map node.  Default is
+ *   width: 640px, height: 360px.
+ * @returns {geo.map} the created map.
+ */
+module.exports.createMap = function (opts, css) {
+  destroyMap();
+  var node = $('<div id="map"/>').css($.extend({}, {width: '640px', height: '360px'}, css));
+  $('body').prepend(node);
+  opts = $.extend({}, opts);
+  opts.node = node;
+  return geo.map(opts);
+};