diff --git a/src/test_utils.rs b/src/test_utils.rs
index 664ce993c..0534a66fc 100644
--- a/src/test_utils.rs
+++ b/src/test_utils.rs
@@ -186,8 +186,8 @@ impl TestContextManager {
             msg,
             to.name()
         ));
-        let chat = from.create_chat(to).await;
-        let sent = from.send_text(chat.id, msg).await;
+        let chat_id = from.create_chat_id(to).await;
+        let sent = from.send_text(chat_id, msg).await;
         to.recv_msg(&sent).await
     }
 
@@ -852,14 +852,23 @@ impl TestContext {
         Chat::load_from_db(&self.ctx, chat_id).await.unwrap()
     }
 
+    /// Creates or returns an existing 1:1 [`ChatId`] with another account.
+    ///
+    /// This first creates a contact by exporting a vCard from the `other`
+    /// and importing it into `self`,
+    /// then creates a 1:1 chat with this contact.
+    pub async fn create_chat_id(&self, other: &TestContext) -> ChatId {
+        let contact_id = self.add_or_lookup_contact_id(other).await;
+        ChatId::create_for_contact(self, contact_id).await.unwrap()
+    }
+
     /// Creates or returns an existing 1:1 [`Chat`] with another account.
     ///
     /// This first creates a contact by exporting a vCard from the `other`
     /// and importing it into `self`,
     /// then creates a 1:1 chat with this contact.
     pub async fn create_chat(&self, other: &TestContext) -> Chat {
-        let contact_id = self.add_or_lookup_contact_id(other).await;
-        let chat_id = ChatId::create_for_contact(self, contact_id).await.unwrap();
+        let chat_id = self.create_chat_id(other).await;
         Chat::load_from_db(self, chat_id).await.unwrap()
     }