diff --git a/tests/daemon/face/factory-test-common.hpp b/tests/daemon/face/factory-test-common.hpp
index f7d9535..0c67586 100644
--- a/tests/daemon/face/factory-test-common.hpp
+++ b/tests/daemon/face/factory-test-common.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
 /**
- * Copyright (c) 2014-2016,  Regents of the University of California,
+ * Copyright (c) 2014-2017,  Regents of the University of California,
  *                           Arizona Board of Regents,
  *                           Colorado State University,
  *                           University Pierre & Marie Curie, Sorbonne University,
@@ -58,6 +58,23 @@
                      });
 }
 
+/** \brief check that channels in a factory equal given channel URIs
+ */
+inline void
+checkChannelListEqual(const ProtocolFactory& factory, const std::set<std::string>& channelUris)
+{
+  std::set<std::string> expected(channelUris); // make a copy so we can erase as we go
+  for (const auto& channel : factory.getChannels()) {
+    std::string uri = channel->getUri().toString();
+    if (expected.erase(uri) == 0) {
+      BOOST_ERROR("Unexpected channel " << uri);
+    }
+  }
+  for (const auto& uri : expected) {
+    BOOST_ERROR("Missing channel " << uri);
+  }
+}
+
 } // namespace tests
 } // namespace nfd