diff --git a/mempool/mempool_test.go b/mempool/mempool_test.go
index 4b8f577a..ec83b250 100644
--- a/mempool/mempool_test.go
+++ b/mempool/mempool_test.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ package mempool
 import (
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"reflect"
+	"runtime"
 	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -331,6 +332,43 @@ func newPoolHarness(chainParams *chaincfg.Params) (*poolHarness, []spendableOutp
 	return &harness, outputs, nil
 }
 
+// testContext houses a test-related state that is useful to pass to helper
+// functions as a single argument.
+type testContext struct {
+	t       *testing.T
+	harness *poolHarness
+}
+
+// testPoolMembership tests the transaction pool associated with the provided
+// test context to determine if the passed transaction matches the provided
+// orphan pool and transaction pool status.  It also further determines if it
+// should be reported as available by the HaveTransaction function based upon
+// the two flags and tests that condition as well.
+func testPoolMembership(tc *testContext, tx *btcutil.Tx, inOrphanPool, inTxPool bool) {
+	txHash := tx.Hash()
+	gotOrphanPool := tc.harness.txPool.IsOrphanInPool(txHash)
+	if inOrphanPool != gotOrphanPool {
+		_, file, line, _ := runtime.Caller(1)
+		tc.t.Fatalf("%s:%d -- IsOrphanInPool: want %v, got %v", file,
+			line, inOrphanPool, gotOrphanPool)
+	}
+
+	gotTxPool := tc.harness.txPool.IsTransactionInPool(txHash)
+	if inTxPool != gotTxPool {
+		_, file, line, _ := runtime.Caller(1)
+		tc.t.Fatalf("%s:%d -- IsTransactionInPool: want %v, got %v",
+			file, line, inTxPool, gotTxPool)
+	}
+
+	gotHaveTx := tc.harness.txPool.HaveTransaction(txHash)
+	wantHaveTx := inOrphanPool || inTxPool
+	if wantHaveTx != gotHaveTx {
+		_, file, line, _ := runtime.Caller(1)
+		tc.t.Fatalf("%s:%d -- HaveTransaction: want %v, got %v", file,
+			line, wantHaveTx, gotHaveTx)
+	}
+}
+
 // TestSimpleOrphanChain ensures that a simple chain of orphans is handled
 // properly.  In particular, it generates a chain of single input, single output
 // transactions and inserts them while skipping the first linking transaction so
@@ -343,6 +381,7 @@ func TestSimpleOrphanChain(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to create test pool: %v", err)
 	}
+	tc := &testContext{t, harness}
 
 	// Create a chain of transactions rooted with the first spendable output
 	// provided by the harness.
@@ -369,20 +408,9 @@ func TestSimpleOrphanChain(t *testing.T) {
 				len(acceptedTxns))
 		}
 
-		// Ensure the transaction is in the orphan pool.
-		if !harness.txPool.IsOrphanInPool(tx.Hash()) {
-			t.Fatal("IsOrphanInPool: false for accepted orphan")
-		}
-
-		// Ensure the transaction is not in the transaction pool.
-		if harness.txPool.IsTransactionInPool(tx.Hash()) {
-			t.Fatal("IsTransactionInPool: true for accepted orphan")
-		}
-
-		// Ensure the transaction is reported as available.
-		if !harness.txPool.HaveTransaction(tx.Hash()) {
-			t.Fatal("HaveTransaction: false for accepted orphan")
-		}
+		// Ensure the transaction is in the orphan pool, is not in the
+		// transaction pool, and is reported as available.
+		testPoolMembership(tc, tx, true, false)
 	}
 
 	// Add the transaction which completes the orphan chain and ensure they
@@ -401,18 +429,9 @@ func TestSimpleOrphanChain(t *testing.T) {
 			len(acceptedTxns), len(chainedTxns))
 	}
 	for _, tx := range acceptedTxns {
-		// Ensure none of the transactions are still in the orphan pool.
-		if harness.txPool.IsOrphanInPool(tx.Hash()) {
-			t.Fatalf("IsOrphanInPool: true for accepted tx %v",
-				tx.Hash())
-		}
-
-		// Ensure all of the transactions are now in the transaction
-		// pool.
-		if !harness.txPool.IsTransactionInPool(tx.Hash()) {
-			t.Fatalf("IsTransactionInPool: false for accepted tx %v",
-				tx.Hash())
-		}
+		// Ensure the transaction is no longer in the orphan pool, is
+		// now in the transaction pool, and is reported as available.
+		testPoolMembership(tc, tx, false, true)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -425,6 +444,7 @@ func TestOrphanReject(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to create test pool: %v", err)
 	}
+	tc := &testContext{t, harness}
 
 	// Create a chain of transactions rooted with the first spendable output
 	// provided by the harness.
@@ -464,20 +484,9 @@ func TestOrphanReject(t *testing.T) {
 				len(acceptedTxns))
 		}
 
-		// Ensure the transaction is not in the orphan pool.
-		if harness.txPool.IsOrphanInPool(tx.Hash()) {
-			t.Fatal("IsOrphanInPool: true for rejected orphan")
-		}
-
-		// Ensure the transaction is not in the transaction pool.
-		if harness.txPool.IsTransactionInPool(tx.Hash()) {
-			t.Fatal("IsTransactionInPool: true for rejected orphan")
-		}
-
-		// Ensure the transaction is not reported as available.
-		if harness.txPool.HaveTransaction(tx.Hash()) {
-			t.Fatal("HaveTransaction: true for rejected orphan")
-		}
+		// Ensure the transaction is not in the orphan pool, not in the
+		// transaction pool, and not reported as available
+		testPoolMembership(tc, tx, false, false)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -490,6 +499,7 @@ func TestOrphanEviction(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to create test pool: %v", err)
 	}
+	tc := &testContext{t, harness}
 
 	// Create a chain of transactions rooted with the first spendable output
 	// provided by the harness that is long enough to be able to force
@@ -517,20 +527,9 @@ func TestOrphanEviction(t *testing.T) {
 				len(acceptedTxns))
 		}
 
-		// Ensure the transaction is in the orphan pool.
-		if !harness.txPool.IsOrphanInPool(tx.Hash()) {
-			t.Fatal("IsOrphanInPool: false for accepted orphan")
-		}
-
-		// Ensure the transaction is not in the transaction pool.
-		if harness.txPool.IsTransactionInPool(tx.Hash()) {
-			t.Fatal("IsTransactionInPool: true for accepted orphan")
-		}
-
-		// Ensure the transaction is reported as available.
-		if !harness.txPool.HaveTransaction(tx.Hash()) {
-			t.Fatal("HaveTransaction: false for accepted orphan")
-		}
+		// Ensure the transaction is in the orphan pool, is not in the
+		// transaction pool, and is reported as available.
+		testPoolMembership(tc, tx, true, false)
 	}
 
 	// Figure out which transactions were evicted and make sure the number
@@ -547,11 +546,9 @@ func TestOrphanEviction(t *testing.T) {
 			len(evictedTxns), expectedEvictions)
 	}
 
-	// Ensure none of the evicted transactioned ended up the transaction
+	// Ensure none of the evicted transactions ended up in the transaction
 	// pool.
 	for _, tx := range evictedTxns {
-		if harness.txPool.IsTransactionInPool(tx.Hash()) {
-			t.Fatalf("IsTransactionInPool: true for evicted orphan")
-		}
+		testPoolMembership(tc, tx, false, false)
 	}
 }