diff --git a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorMultiContextSourceOneSpecTestContext.xml b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorMultiContextSourceOneSpecTestContext.xml
index 7c56d94c..2d312a68 100644
--- a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorMultiContextSourceOneSpecTestContext.xml
+++ b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorMultiContextSourceOneSpecTestContext.xml
@@ -3,11 +3,7 @@
 	xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
 	xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
                            http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-2.0.xsd">
-	<bean id="placeholderConfig"
-		class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
-		<property name="location"
-			value="classpath:/conf/ldap.properties" />
-	</bean>
+    <import resource="classpath:/conf/commonTestContext.xml"/>
 
 	<bean id="contextSource"
 		class="org.springframework.ldap.core.support.LdapContextSource">
diff --git a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorMultiContextSourceTestContext.xml b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorMultiContextSourceTestContext.xml
index 625c03b6..1a1d104c 100644
--- a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorMultiContextSourceTestContext.xml
+++ b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorMultiContextSourceTestContext.xml
@@ -3,11 +3,7 @@
 	xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
 	xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
                            http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-2.0.xsd">
-	<bean id="placeholderConfig"
-		class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
-		<property name="location"
-			value="classpath:/conf/ldap.properties" />
-	</bean>
+    <import resource="classpath:/conf/commonTestContext.xml"/>
 
 	<bean id="contextSource"
 		class="org.springframework.ldap.core.support.LdapContextSource">
diff --git a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorNoContextSourceTestContext.xml b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorNoContextSourceTestContext.xml
index 98b66541..52798e86 100644
--- a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorNoContextSourceTestContext.xml
+++ b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorNoContextSourceTestContext.xml
@@ -3,11 +3,7 @@
 	xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
 	xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
                            http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-2.0.xsd">
-	<bean id="placeholderConfig"
-		class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
-		<property name="location"
-			value="classpath:/conf/ldap.properties" />
-	</bean>
+    <import resource="classpath:/conf/commonTestContext.xml"/>
 
 	<bean id="dummyBaseContextAware"
 		class="org.springframework.ldap.core.support.DummyBaseLdapPathAware" />
diff --git a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorPropertyOverrideTestContext.xml b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorPropertyOverrideTestContext.xml
index c4138d51..8b42a613 100644
--- a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorPropertyOverrideTestContext.xml
+++ b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorPropertyOverrideTestContext.xml
@@ -3,11 +3,7 @@
 	xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
 	xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
                            http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-2.0.xsd">
-	<bean id="placeholderConfig"
-		class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
-		<property name="location"
-			value="classpath:/conf/ldap.properties" />
-	</bean>
+    <import resource="classpath:/conf/commonTestContext.xml"/>
 
 	<bean id="contextSource"
 		class="org.springframework.ldap.core.support.LdapContextSource">
diff --git a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorTestContext.xml b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorTestContext.xml
index c4b93780..49a67621 100644
--- a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorTestContext.xml
+++ b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorTestContext.xml
@@ -3,11 +3,7 @@
 	xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
 	xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
                            http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-2.0.xsd">
-	<bean id="placeholderConfig"
-		class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
-		<property name="location"
-			value="classpath:/conf/ldap.properties" />
-	</bean>
+    <import resource="classpath:/conf/commonTestContext.xml"/>
 
 	<bean id="contextSource"
 		class="org.springframework.ldap.core.support.LdapContextSource">
diff --git a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorTransactionTestContext.xml b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorTransactionTestContext.xml
index bfd55b73..066e6a58 100644
--- a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorTransactionTestContext.xml
+++ b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/baseLdapPathPostProcessorTransactionTestContext.xml
@@ -3,11 +3,7 @@
 	xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
 	xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
                            http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-2.0.xsd">
-	<bean id="placeholderConfig"
-		class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
-		<property name="location"
-			value="classpath:/conf/ldap.properties" />
-	</bean>
+    <import resource="classpath:/conf/commonTestContext.xml"/>
 
 	<bean id="contextSource"
 		class="org.springframework.ldap.core.support.LdapContextSource">
diff --git a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/commonTestContext.xml b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/commonTestContext.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a71c074e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/commonTestContext.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
+       xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+       xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
+                           http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-2.0.xsd">
+
+	<!--
+		This context configuration file defines common beans,
+		minimizing duplication in the various test context files.
+	-->
+
+	<bean id="placeholderConfig"
+		class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
+		<property name="location" value="classpath:/conf/ldap.properties" />
+	</bean>
+</beans>
diff --git a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapAndJdbcTransactionTestContext.xml b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapAndJdbcTransactionTestContext.xml
index 35bb1d1e..9ec51562 100644
--- a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapAndJdbcTransactionTestContext.xml
+++ b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapAndJdbcTransactionTestContext.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,7 @@
 	xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
                            http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-2.0.xsd">
 	<import resource="classpath:/conf/apacheDsContext.xml" />
-
-	<bean id="placeholderConfig"
-		class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
-		<property name="location"
-			value="classpath:/conf/ldap.properties" />
-	</bean>
+    <import resource="classpath:/conf/commonTestContext.xml"/>
 
 	<bean id="contextSourceTarget"
 		class="org.springframework.ldap.core.support.LdapContextSource">
diff --git a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapContextSourceTestContext.xml b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapContextSourceTestContext.xml
index ee3344e0..2adc5219 100644
--- a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapContextSourceTestContext.xml
+++ b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapContextSourceTestContext.xml
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-
 <beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
        xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
        xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
diff --git a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapTemplateAcegiTestContext.xml b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapTemplateAcegiTestContext.xml
index aceb0131..85a6e314 100644
--- a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapTemplateAcegiTestContext.xml
+++ b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapTemplateAcegiTestContext.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,7 @@
        xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
                            http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-2.0.xsd">
     <import resource="classpath:/conf/apacheDsContext.xml"/>
-
-	<bean id="placeholderConfig"
-		class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
-		<property name="location"
-			value="classpath:/conf/ldap.properties" />
-	</bean>
+    <import resource="classpath:/conf/commonTestContext.xml"/>
 
 	<bean id="contextSource"
 		class="org.springframework.ldap.core.support.LdapContextSource">
diff --git a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapTemplateNoBaseSuffixTestContext.xml b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapTemplateNoBaseSuffixTestContext.xml
index cc9fe0c3..0a543eec 100644
--- a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapTemplateNoBaseSuffixTestContext.xml
+++ b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapTemplateNoBaseSuffixTestContext.xml
@@ -4,11 +4,7 @@
        xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
                            http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-2.0.xsd">
     <import resource="classpath:/conf/apacheDsContext.xml"/>
-
-	<bean id="placeholderConfig"
-		class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
-		<property name="location" value="classpath:/conf/ldap.properties" />
-	</bean>
+    <import resource="classpath:/conf/commonTestContext.xml"/>
 	
 	<bean id="contextSource" class="org.springframework.ldap.core.support.LdapContextSource" >
 		<property name="urls" value="${urls}" />
diff --git a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapTemplateTestContext.xml b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapTemplateTestContext.xml
index 240c85d4..73fc1211 100644
--- a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapTemplateTestContext.xml
+++ b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapTemplateTestContext.xml
@@ -4,11 +4,7 @@
        xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
                            http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-2.0.xsd">
     <import resource="classpath:/conf/apacheDsContext.xml"/>
-    
-	<bean id="placeholderConfig"
-		class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
-		<property name="location" value="classpath:/conf/ldap.properties" />
-	</bean>
+    <import resource="classpath:/conf/commonTestContext.xml"/>
 	
 	<bean id="contextSource" class="org.springframework.ldap.core.support.LdapContextSource" >
 		<property name="urls" value="${urls}" />
diff --git a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapTemplateTransactionTestContext.xml b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapTemplateTransactionTestContext.xml
index 0d6c15bd..9776629b 100644
--- a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapTemplateTransactionTestContext.xml
+++ b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/ldapTemplateTransactionTestContext.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,7 @@
 	xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
                            http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-2.0.xsd">
 	<import resource="classpath:/conf/apacheDsContext.xml" />
-
-	<bean id="placeholderConfig"
-		class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
-		<property name="location"
-			value="classpath:/conf/ldap.properties" />
-	</bean>
+    <import resource="classpath:/conf/commonTestContext.xml"/>
 
 	<bean id="contextSourceTarget"
 		class="org.springframework.ldap.core.support.LdapContextSource">
diff --git a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/rootContextSourceTestContext.xml b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/rootContextSourceTestContext.xml
index ac53b2e7..2ed98287 100644
--- a/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/rootContextSourceTestContext.xml
+++ b/spring-ldap/src/itest/java/conf/rootContextSourceTestContext.xml
@@ -4,11 +4,7 @@
        xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
                            http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-2.0.xsd">
     <import resource="classpath:/conf/apacheDsContext.xml"/>
-    
-	<bean id="placeholderConfig"
-		class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
-		<property name="location" value="classpath:/conf/ldap.properties" />
-	</bean>
+    <import resource="classpath:/conf/commonTestContext.xml"/>
     
     <!-- note that this has no base set, since we want to get at the root entry -->
 	<bean id="contextSource" class="org.springframework.ldap.core.support.LdapContextSource" >