diff --git a/lib/i915/gem_context.c b/lib/i915/gem_context.c
index ba826ae3..6d9edf5e 100644
--- a/lib/i915/gem_context.c
+++ b/lib/i915/gem_context.c
@@ -197,3 +197,43 @@ void gem_context_require_bannable(int fd)
 
 	igt_require(has_ban_period || has_bannable);
 }
+
+#define LOCAL_I915_CONTEXT_PARAM_PRIORITY 0x6
+
+/**
+ * __gem_context_set_priority:
+ * @fd: open i915 drm file descriptor
+ * @ctx_id: i915 context id
+ * @prio: desired context priority
+ *
+ * This function modifies priority property of the context.
+ * It is used by the scheduler to decide on the ordering of requests submitted
+ * to the hardware.
+ *
+ * Returns: An integer equal to zero for success and negative for failure
+ */
+int __gem_context_set_priority(int fd, uint32_t ctx_id, int prio)
+{
+	struct local_i915_gem_context_param p;
+
+	memset(&p, 0, sizeof(p));
+	p.context = ctx_id;
+	p.size = 0;
+	p.param = LOCAL_I915_CONTEXT_PARAM_PRIORITY;
+	p.value = prio;
+
+	return __gem_context_set_param(fd, &p);
+}
+
+/**
+ * gem_context_set_priority:
+ * @fd: open i915 drm file descriptor
+ * @ctx_id: i915 context id
+ * @prio: desired context priority
+ *
+ * Like __gem_context_set_priority(), except we assert on failure.
+ */
+void gem_context_set_priority(int fd, uint32_t ctx_id, int prio)
+{
+	igt_assert(__gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx_id, prio) == 0);
+}
diff --git a/lib/i915/gem_context.h b/lib/i915/gem_context.h
index 06b2ca99..a2339c4b 100644
--- a/lib/i915/gem_context.h
+++ b/lib/i915/gem_context.h
@@ -45,4 +45,10 @@ void gem_context_set_param(int fd, struct local_i915_gem_context_param *p);
 int __gem_context_set_param(int fd, struct local_i915_gem_context_param *p);
 int __gem_context_get_param(int fd, struct local_i915_gem_context_param *p);
 
+#define LOCAL_I915_CONTEXT_MAX_USER_PRIORITY	1023
+#define LOCAL_I915_CONTEXT_DEFAULT_PRIORITY	0
+#define LOCAL_I915_CONTEXT_MIN_USER_PRIORITY	-1023
+int __gem_context_set_priority(int fd, uint32_t ctx, int prio);
+void gem_context_set_priority(int fd, uint32_t ctx, int prio);
+
 #endif /* GEM_CONTEXT_H */
diff --git a/tests/gem_exec_nop.c b/tests/gem_exec_nop.c
index 78f2b1bd..2356f3c4 100644
--- a/tests/gem_exec_nop.c
+++ b/tests/gem_exec_nop.c
@@ -52,9 +52,8 @@
 
 #define ENGINE_FLAGS  (I915_EXEC_RING_MASK | LOCAL_I915_EXEC_BSD_MASK)
 
-#define LOCAL_CONTEXT_PARAM_PRIORITY 6
-#define   MAX_PRIO 1023
-#define   MIN_PRIO -1023
+#define MAX_PRIO LOCAL_I915_CONTEXT_MAX_USER_PRIORITY
+#define MIN_PRIO LOCAL_I915_CONTEXT_MIN_USER_PRIORITY
 
 #define FORKED 1
 #define CHAINED 2
@@ -585,23 +584,6 @@ static void fence_signal(int fd, uint32_t handle,
 	igt_info("Signal %s: %'lu cycles (%'lu signals): %.3fus\n",
 		 ring_name, count, signal, elapsed(&start, &now) * 1e6 / count);
 }
-static int __ctx_set_priority(int fd, uint32_t ctx, int prio)
-{
-	struct local_i915_gem_context_param param;
-
-	memset(&param, 0, sizeof(param));
-	param.context = ctx;
-	param.size = 0;
-	param.param = LOCAL_CONTEXT_PARAM_PRIORITY;
-	param.value = prio;
-
-	return __gem_context_set_param(fd, &param);
-}
-
-static void ctx_set_priority(int fd, uint32_t ctx, int prio)
-{
-	igt_assert_eq(__ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx, prio), 0);
-}
 
 static void preempt(int fd, uint32_t handle,
 		   unsigned ring_id, const char *ring_name)
@@ -615,10 +597,10 @@ static void preempt(int fd, uint32_t handle,
 	gem_require_ring(fd, ring_id);
 
 	ctx[0] = gem_context_create(fd);
-	ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx[0], MIN_PRIO);
+	gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx[0], MIN_PRIO);
 
 	ctx[1] = gem_context_create(fd);
-	ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx[1], MAX_PRIO);
+	gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx[1], MAX_PRIO);
 
 	memset(&obj, 0, sizeof(obj));
 	obj.handle = handle;
diff --git a/tests/gem_exec_schedule.c b/tests/gem_exec_schedule.c
index d3df449a..6d3d725e 100644
--- a/tests/gem_exec_schedule.c
+++ b/tests/gem_exec_schedule.c
@@ -33,37 +33,17 @@
 #include "igt_rand.h"
 #include "igt_sysfs.h"
 
-#define LOCAL_CONTEXT_PARAM_PRIORITY 6
-
 #define LO 0
 #define HI 1
 #define NOISE 2
 
-#define MAX_PRIO 1023
-#define MIN_PRIO -1023
+#define MAX_PRIO LOCAL_I915_CONTEXT_MAX_USER_PRIORITY
+#define MIN_PRIO LOCAL_I915_CONTEXT_MIN_USER_PRIORITY
 
 #define BUSY_QLEN 8
 
 IGT_TEST_DESCRIPTION("Check that we can control the order of execution");
 
-static int __ctx_set_priority(int fd, uint32_t ctx, int prio)
-{
-	struct local_i915_gem_context_param param;
-
-	memset(&param, 0, sizeof(param));
-	param.context = ctx;
-	param.size = 0;
-	param.param = LOCAL_CONTEXT_PARAM_PRIORITY;
-	param.value = prio;
-
-	return __gem_context_set_param(fd, &param);
-}
-
-static void ctx_set_priority(int fd, uint32_t ctx, int prio)
-{
-	igt_assert_eq(__ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx, prio), 0);
-}
-
 static void store_dword(int fd, uint32_t ctx, unsigned ring,
 			uint32_t target, uint32_t offset, uint32_t value,
 			uint32_t cork, unsigned write_domain)
@@ -156,7 +136,7 @@ static uint32_t create_highest_priority(int fd)
 	 * priority (and therefore the max user priority), so no context
 	 * can overtake us, and we effectively can form a plug.
 	 */
-	__ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx, MAX_PRIO);
+	__gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx, MAX_PRIO);
 
 	return ctx;
 }
@@ -245,7 +225,7 @@ static void smoketest(int fd, unsigned ring, unsigned timeout)
 			int prio;
 
 			prio = hars_petruska_f54_1_random_unsafe_max(MAX_PRIO - MIN_PRIO) + MIN_PRIO;
-			ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx, prio);
+			gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx, prio);
 
 			engine = engines[hars_petruska_f54_1_random_unsafe_max(nengine)];
 			store_dword(fd, ctx, engine, scratch,
@@ -287,10 +267,10 @@ static void reorder(int fd, unsigned ring, unsigned flags)
 	uint32_t ctx[2];
 
 	ctx[LO] = gem_context_create(fd);
-	ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx[LO], MIN_PRIO);
+	gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx[LO], MIN_PRIO);
 
 	ctx[HI] = gem_context_create(fd);
-	ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx[HI], flags & EQUAL ? MIN_PRIO : 0);
+	gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx[HI], flags & EQUAL ? MIN_PRIO : 0);
 
 	scratch = gem_create(fd, 4096);
 	plug(fd, &cork);
@@ -326,13 +306,13 @@ static void promotion(int fd, unsigned ring)
 	uint32_t ctx[3];
 
 	ctx[LO] = gem_context_create(fd);
-	ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx[LO], MIN_PRIO);
+	gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx[LO], MIN_PRIO);
 
 	ctx[HI] = gem_context_create(fd);
-	ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx[HI], 0);
+	gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx[HI], 0);
 
 	ctx[NOISE] = gem_context_create(fd);
-	ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx[NOISE], MIN_PRIO/2);
+	gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx[NOISE], MIN_PRIO/2);
 
 	result = gem_create(fd, 4096);
 	dep = gem_create(fd, 4096);
@@ -385,16 +365,16 @@ static void preempt(int fd, unsigned ring, unsigned flags)
 	uint32_t ctx[2];
 
 	ctx[LO] = gem_context_create(fd);
-	ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx[LO], MIN_PRIO);
+	gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx[LO], MIN_PRIO);
 
 	ctx[HI] = gem_context_create(fd);
-	ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx[HI], MAX_PRIO);
+	gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx[HI], MAX_PRIO);
 
 	for (int n = 0; n < 16; n++) {
 		if (flags & NEW_CTX) {
 			gem_context_destroy(fd, ctx[LO]);
 			ctx[LO] = gem_context_create(fd);
-			ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx[LO], MIN_PRIO);
+			gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx[LO], MIN_PRIO);
 		}
 		spin[n] = __igt_spin_batch_new(fd, ctx[LO], ring, 0);
 		igt_debug("spin[%d].handle=%d\n", n, spin[n]->handle);
@@ -436,12 +416,12 @@ static void preempt_other(int fd, unsigned ring)
 	 */
 
 	ctx[LO] = gem_context_create(fd);
-	ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx[LO], MIN_PRIO);
+	gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx[LO], MIN_PRIO);
 
 	ctx[NOISE] = gem_context_create(fd);
 
 	ctx[HI] = gem_context_create(fd);
-	ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx[HI], MAX_PRIO);
+	gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx[HI], MAX_PRIO);
 
 	n = 0;
 	for_each_engine(fd, other) {
@@ -496,7 +476,7 @@ static void preempt_self(int fd, unsigned ring)
 	ctx[HI] = gem_context_create(fd);
 
 	n = 0;
-	ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx[HI], MIN_PRIO);
+	gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx[HI], MIN_PRIO);
 	for_each_engine(fd, other) {
 		spin[n] = __igt_spin_batch_new(fd, ctx[NOISE], other, 0);
 		store_dword(fd, ctx[HI], other,
@@ -504,7 +484,7 @@ static void preempt_self(int fd, unsigned ring)
 			    0, I915_GEM_DOMAIN_RENDER);
 		n++;
 	}
-	ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx[HI], MAX_PRIO);
+	gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx[HI], MAX_PRIO);
 	store_dword(fd, ctx[HI], ring,
 		    result, (n + 1)*sizeof(uint32_t), n + 1,
 		    0, I915_GEM_DOMAIN_RENDER);
@@ -542,7 +522,7 @@ static void deep(int fd, unsigned ring)
 	ctx = malloc(sizeof(*ctx) * nctx);
 	for (int n = 0; n < nctx; n++) {
 		ctx[n] = gem_context_create(fd);
-		ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx[n], MAX_PRIO - nctx + n);
+		gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx[n], MAX_PRIO - nctx + n);
 	}
 
 	result = gem_create(fd, size);
@@ -784,7 +764,7 @@ static void reorder_wide(int fd, unsigned ring)
 		uint32_t *batch;
 
 		execbuf.rsvd1 = gem_context_create(fd);
-		ctx_set_priority(fd, execbuf.rsvd1, n);
+		gem_context_set_priority(fd, execbuf.rsvd1, n);
 
 		obj[2].handle = gem_create(fd, sz);
 		batch = gem_mmap__gtt(fd, obj[2].handle, sz, PROT_WRITE);
@@ -878,7 +858,7 @@ static void test_pi_ringfull(int fd, unsigned int engine)
 	execbuf.buffer_count = 1;
 	execbuf.flags = engine;
 	execbuf.rsvd1 = gem_context_create(fd);
-	ctx_set_priority(fd, execbuf.rsvd1, MIN_PRIO);
+	gem_context_set_priority(fd, execbuf.rsvd1, MIN_PRIO);
 
 	gem_execbuf(fd, &execbuf);
 	gem_sync(fd, obj[1].handle);
@@ -926,7 +906,7 @@ static void test_pi_ringfull(int fd, unsigned int engine)
 
 		igt_debug("Creating HP context\n");
 		execbuf.rsvd1 = gem_context_create(fd);
-		ctx_set_priority(fd, execbuf.rsvd1, MAX_PRIO);
+		gem_context_set_priority(fd, execbuf.rsvd1, MAX_PRIO);
 
 		kill(getppid(), SIGALRM);
 		sched_yield();
diff --git a/tests/gem_exec_whisper.c b/tests/gem_exec_whisper.c
index da5f26aa..18c7ea5b 100644
--- a/tests/gem_exec_whisper.c
+++ b/tests/gem_exec_whisper.c
@@ -191,25 +191,10 @@ static void fini_hang(struct hang *h)
 	close(h->fd);
 }
 
-#define LOCAL_CONTEXT_PARAM_PRIORITY 6
-
-static int __ctx_set_priority(int fd, uint32_t ctx, int prio)
-{
-	struct local_i915_gem_context_param param;
-
-	memset(&param, 0, sizeof(param));
-	param.context = ctx;
-	param.size = 0;
-	param.param = LOCAL_CONTEXT_PARAM_PRIORITY;
-	param.value = prio;
-
-	return __gem_context_set_param(fd, &param);
-}
-
-static void ctx_set_priority(int fd, uint32_t ctx)
+static void ctx_set_random_priority(int fd, uint32_t ctx)
 {
 	int prio = hars_petruska_f54_1_random_unsafe_max(1024) - 512;
-	igt_assert_eq(__ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx, prio), 0);
+	gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx, prio);
 };
 
 static void whisper(int fd, unsigned engine, unsigned flags)
@@ -430,7 +415,7 @@ static void whisper(int fd, unsigned engine, unsigned flags)
 							gem_open(this_fd,
 									gem_flink(fd, handle[1]));
 						if (flags & PRIORITY)
-							ctx_set_priority(this_fd, 0);
+							ctx_set_random_priority(this_fd, 0);
 					}
 
 					if (!(flags & CHAIN)) {
@@ -440,7 +425,7 @@ static void whisper(int fd, unsigned engine, unsigned flags)
 					if (flags & CONTEXTS) {
 						execbuf.rsvd1 = contexts[rand() % 64];
 						if (flags & PRIORITY)
-							ctx_set_priority(this_fd, execbuf.rsvd1);
+							ctx_set_random_priority(this_fd, execbuf.rsvd1);
 					}
 
 					gem_execbuf(this_fd, &execbuf);
diff --git a/tests/gem_sync.c b/tests/gem_sync.c
index fccc0c0e..e558682a 100644
--- a/tests/gem_sync.c
+++ b/tests/gem_sync.c
@@ -33,9 +33,8 @@
 #define LOCAL_I915_EXEC_BSD_SHIFT      (13)
 #define LOCAL_I915_EXEC_BSD_MASK       (3 << LOCAL_I915_EXEC_BSD_SHIFT)
 
-#define LOCAL_CONTEXT_PARAM_PRIORITY 6
-#define   MAX_PRIO 1023
-#define   MIN_PRIO -1023
+#define MAX_PRIO LOCAL_I915_CONTEXT_MAX_USER_PRIORITY
+#define MIN_PRIO LOCAL_I915_CONTEXT_MIN_USER_PRIORITY
 
 #define ENGINE_MASK  (I915_EXEC_RING_MASK | LOCAL_I915_EXEC_BSD_MASK)
 
@@ -690,24 +689,6 @@ store_all(int fd, int num_children, int timeout)
 	igt_assert_eq(intel_detect_and_clear_missed_interrupts(fd), 0);
 }
 
-static int __ctx_set_priority(int fd, uint32_t ctx, int prio)
-{
-	struct local_i915_gem_context_param param;
-
-	memset(&param, 0, sizeof(param));
-	param.context = ctx;
-	param.size = 0;
-	param.param = LOCAL_CONTEXT_PARAM_PRIORITY;
-	param.value = prio;
-
-	return __gem_context_set_param(fd, &param);
-}
-
-static void ctx_set_priority(int fd, uint32_t ctx, int prio)
-{
-	igt_assert_eq(__ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx, prio), 0);
-}
-
 static void
 preempt(int fd, unsigned ring, int num_children, int timeout)
 {
@@ -746,10 +727,10 @@ preempt(int fd, unsigned ring, int num_children, int timeout)
 	}
 
 	ctx[0] = gem_context_create(fd);
-	ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx[0], MIN_PRIO);
+	gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx[0], MIN_PRIO);
 
 	ctx[1] = gem_context_create(fd);
-	ctx_set_priority(fd, ctx[1], MAX_PRIO);
+	gem_context_set_priority(fd, ctx[1], MAX_PRIO);
 
 	intel_detect_and_clear_missed_interrupts(fd);
 	igt_fork(child, num_children) {
