diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/testing/widgets.py b/lib/matplotlib/testing/widgets.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..006141741365
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/testing/widgets.py
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+"""
+========================
+Widget testing utilities
+========================
+
+Functions that are useful for testing widgets.
+See also matplotlib.tests.test_widgets
+"""
+
+import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+
+try:
+    # mock in python 3.3+
+    from unittest import mock
+except ImportError:
+    import mock
+
+
+def get_ax():
+    fig, ax = plt.subplots(1, 1)
+    ax.plot([0, 200], [0, 200])
+    ax.set_aspect(1.0)
+    ax.figure.canvas.draw()
+    return ax
+
+
+def do_event(tool, etype, button=1, xdata=0, ydata=0, key=None, step=1):
+    """
+     *tool*
+        a matplotlib.widgets.RectangleSelector instance
+
+    *etype*
+        the event to trigger
+
+    *xdata*
+        x coord of mouse in data coords
+
+    *ydata*
+        y coord of mouse in data coords
+
+     *button*
+        button pressed None, 1, 2, 3, 'up', 'down' (up and down are used
+        for scroll events)
+
+    *key*
+        the key depressed when the mouse event triggered (see
+        :class:`KeyEvent`)
+
+    *step*
+        number of scroll steps (positive for 'up', negative for 'down')
+    """
+    event = mock.Mock()
+    event.button = button
+    ax = tool.ax
+    event.x, event.y = ax.transData.transform([(xdata, ydata),
+                                               (xdata, ydata)])[00]
+    event.xdata, event.ydata = xdata, ydata
+    event.inaxes = ax
+    event.canvas = ax.figure.canvas
+    event.key = key
+    event.step = step
+    event.guiEvent = None
+    event.name = 'Custom'
+
+    func = getattr(tool, etype)
+    func(event)
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_widgets.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_widgets.py
index 345140dbdab1..cdd2cf0df715 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_widgets.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_widgets.py
@@ -1,81 +1,15 @@
 from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function,
                         unicode_literals)
 
-try:
-    # mock in python 3.3+
-    from unittest import mock
-except ImportError:
-    import mock
-
 import matplotlib.widgets as widgets
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
-from matplotlib.testing.decorators import image_comparison
-
-from numpy.testing import assert_allclose
 
 import pytest
 
+from matplotlib.testing.decorators import image_comparison
+from matplotlib.testing.widgets import do_event, get_ax
 
-def get_ax():
-    fig, ax = plt.subplots(1, 1)
-    ax.plot([0, 200], [0, 200])
-    ax.set_aspect(1.0)
-    ax.figure.canvas.draw()
-    return ax
-
-
-def do_event(tool, etype, button=1, xdata=0, ydata=0, key=None, step=1):
-    """
-     *name*
-        the event name
-
-    *canvas*
-        the FigureCanvas instance generating the event
-
-    *guiEvent*
-        the GUI event that triggered the matplotlib event
-
-    *x*
-        x position - pixels from left of canvas
-
-    *y*
-        y position - pixels from bottom of canvas
-
-    *inaxes*
-        the :class:`~matplotlib.axes.Axes` instance if mouse is over axes
-
-    *xdata*
-        x coord of mouse in data coords
-
-    *ydata*
-        y coord of mouse in data coords
-
-     *button*
-        button pressed None, 1, 2, 3, 'up', 'down' (up and down are used
-        for scroll events)
-
-    *key*
-        the key depressed when the mouse event triggered (see
-        :class:`KeyEvent`)
-
-    *step*
-        number of scroll steps (positive for 'up', negative for 'down')
-    """
-    event = mock.Mock()
-    event.button = button
-    ax = tool.ax
-    event.x, event.y = ax.transData.transform([(xdata, ydata),
-                                               (xdata, ydata)])[00]
-    event.xdata, event.ydata = xdata, ydata
-    event.inaxes = ax
-    event.canvas = ax.figure.canvas
-    event.key = key
-    event.step = step
-    event.guiEvent = None
-    event.name = 'Custom'
-
-    func = getattr(tool, etype)
-    func(event)
+from numpy.testing import assert_allclose
 
 
 def check_rectangle(**kwargs):