diff --git a/tools/rebuild-test-database b/tools/rebuild-test-database
index 916df56bfe..ca0ead5578 100755
--- a/tools/rebuild-test-database
+++ b/tools/rebuild-test-database
@@ -4,7 +4,15 @@ set -x
 
 export DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE=zproject.test_settings
 
-create_template_database()
+create_zulip_test()
+{
+psql -v ON_ERROR_STOP=1 -h localhost postgres zulip_test <<EOF
+DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS zulip_test;
+CREATE DATABASE zulip_test TEMPLATE zulip_test_base;
+EOF
+}
+
+create_zulip_test_template()
 {
     psql -v ON_ERROR_STOP=1 -h localhost postgres zulip_test << EOF
 DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS zulip_test_template;
@@ -16,10 +24,8 @@ mkdir -p zerver/tests/fixtures
 
 "$(dirname "$0")/../scripts/setup/terminate-psql-sessions" zulip zulip_test zulip_test_base zulip_test_template
 
-psql -v ON_ERROR_STOP=1 -h localhost postgres zulip_test <<EOF
-DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS zulip_test;
-CREATE DATABASE zulip_test TEMPLATE zulip_test_base;
-EOF
+create_zulip_test
+
 "$(dirname "$0")/../scripts/setup/flush-memcached"
 
 ./manage.py migrate --noinput
@@ -28,6 +34,7 @@ EOF
 # This next line can be simplified to "-n0" once we fix our app (and tests) with 0 messages.
 ./manage.py populate_db --test-suite -n30 --threads=1 \
     --huddles=0 --personals=0 --percent-huddles=0 --percent-personals=0
+
 ./manage.py dumpdata \
     zerver.UserProfile zerver.Stream zerver.Recipient \
     zerver.Subscription zerver.Message zerver.Huddle zerver.Realm \
@@ -35,4 +42,4 @@ EOF
     zerver.DefaultStream > zerver/tests/fixtures/messages.json
 
 # create pristine template database, for fast fixture restoration after tests are run.
-create_template_database
+create_zulip_test_template