diff --git a/server/api/utils.py b/server/api/utils.py
index c9bb0947..3642bc2c 100644
--- a/server/api/utils.py
+++ b/server/api/utils.py
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
-"""Script defined to create helper functions for graphql schema."""
-# https://medium.com/@jamesvaresamuel/mutation-and-query-in-graphql-using-python-django-part-2-79d9852a1092
+import io
+import os
+
 from graphene_django.filter import DjangoFilterConnectionField
 from graphql_relay.node.node import from_global_id
 
+"""Script defined to create helper functions for graphql schema."""
 
+
+# https://medium.com/@jamesvaresamuel/mutation-and-query-in-graphql-using-python-django-part-2-79d9852a1092
 def get_object(object_name, relay_id, otherwise=None):
     try:
         return object_name.objects.get(pk=from_global_id(relay_id)[1])
@@ -31,3 +35,21 @@ def get_errors(e):
     messages = ['; '.join(m) for m in e.message_dict.values()]
     errors = [i for pair in zip(fields, messages) for i in pair]
     return errors
+
+
+def get_graphql_query(filename):
+    from django.conf import settings
+
+    with io.open(os.path.join(settings.GRAPHQL_QUERIES_DIR, filename)) as f:
+        query = f.read()
+
+    return query
+
+
+def get_graphql_mutation(filename):
+    from django.conf import settings
+
+    with io.open(os.path.join(settings.GRAPHQL_MUTATIONS_DIR, filename)) as f:
+        mutation = f.read()
+
+    return mutation
diff --git a/server/book/tests/test_module_mutations.py b/server/book/tests/test_module_mutations.py
index 7e780a65..7c4d4b49 100644
--- a/server/book/tests/test_module_mutations.py
+++ b/server/book/tests/test_module_mutations.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from graphene.test import Client
 from graphql_relay import to_global_id
 
 from api.schema import schema
+from api.utils import get_graphql_mutation
 from book.factories import ContentBlockFactory
 from book.models import ContentBlock
 
@@ -21,8 +22,8 @@ class NewContentBlockMutationTest(TestCase):
     def test_add_new_content_block(self):
         self.assertEqual(ContentBlock.objects.count(), 1)
         client = Client(schema=schema)
-        with io.open(os.path.join(settings.GRAPHQL_MUTATIONS_DIR, 'addContentBlock.gql')) as f:
-            mutation = f.read()
+
+        mutation = get_graphql_mutation('addContentBlock.gql')
 
         executed = client.execute(mutation, variables={
             'input': {
diff --git a/server/core/settings.py b/server/core/settings.py
index 34c83c8c..0bd059d0 100644
--- a/server/core/settings.py
+++ b/server/core/settings.py
@@ -43,6 +43,13 @@ if not DEBUG:
 # Application definition
 
 INSTALLED_APPS = [
+    'core',
+    'api',
+    'user',
+    'book',
+    'objectives',
+    'rooms',
+
     'wagtail.contrib.forms',
     'wagtail.contrib.redirects',
     'wagtail.embeds',
@@ -71,13 +78,6 @@ INSTALLED_APPS = [
     'graphene_django',
     'django_extensions',
     'compressor',
-
-    'core',
-    'api',
-    'user',
-    'book.apps.BookConfig',
-    'objectives',
-    'rooms',
 ]
 
 if DEBUG: