diff --git a/lib/phpunit/classes/util.php b/lib/phpunit/classes/util.php
index c1c3b049ccc..c12d18123ec 100644
--- a/lib/phpunit/classes/util.php
+++ b/lib/phpunit/classes/util.php
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ require_once(__DIR__.'/../../testing/classes/util.php');
  * @license    http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
  */
 class phpunit_util extends testing_util {
+    /**
+     * @var int last value of db writes counter, used for db resetting
+     */
+    public static $lastdbwrites = null;
+
     /** @var array An array of original globals, restored after each test */
     protected static $globals = array();
 
@@ -246,6 +251,27 @@ class phpunit_util extends testing_util {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Reset all database tables to default values.
+     * @static
+     * @return bool true if reset done, false if skipped
+     */
+    public static function reset_database() {
+        global $DB;
+
+        if (!is_null(self::$lastdbwrites) and self::$lastdbwrites == $DB->perf_get_writes()) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        if (!parent::reset_database()) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        self::$lastdbwrites = $DB->perf_get_writes();
+
+        return true;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Called during bootstrap only!
      * @internal
diff --git a/lib/testing/classes/util.php b/lib/testing/classes/util.php
index 097bbd1076f..ed0ab994bb2 100644
--- a/lib/testing/classes/util.php
+++ b/lib/testing/classes/util.php
@@ -39,11 +39,6 @@ abstract class testing_util {
      */
     private static $dataroot = null;
 
-    /**
-     * @var int last value of db writes counter, used for db resetting
-     */
-    public static $lastdbwrites = null;
-
     /**
      * @var testing_data_generator
      */
@@ -549,10 +544,6 @@ abstract class testing_util {
     public static function reset_database() {
         global $DB;
 
-        if (!is_null(self::$lastdbwrites) and self::$lastdbwrites == $DB->perf_get_writes()) {
-            return false;
-        }
-
         $tables = $DB->get_tables(false);
         if (!$tables or empty($tables['config'])) {
             // not installed yet
@@ -681,8 +672,6 @@ abstract class testing_util {
             }
         }
 
-        self::$lastdbwrites = $DB->perf_get_writes();
-
         return true;
     }