diff --git a/Tools/autotest/arducopter.py b/Tools/autotest/arducopter.py
index d39eaa763a..429a370d81 100644
--- a/Tools/autotest/arducopter.py
+++ b/Tools/autotest/arducopter.py
@@ -1354,14 +1354,7 @@ class AutoTestCopter(AutoTest):
 
         # Activate the floor fence
         # TODO this test should run without requiring this
-        self.run_cmd(mavutil.mavlink.MAV_CMD_DO_FENCE_ENABLE,
-                     1,
-                     0,
-                     0,
-                     0,
-                     0,
-                     0,
-                     0)
+        self.do_fence_enable()
 
         # first east
         self.progress("turn east")
diff --git a/Tools/autotest/arduplane.py b/Tools/autotest/arduplane.py
index 58d476c457..a65c36c381 100644
--- a/Tools/autotest/arduplane.py
+++ b/Tools/autotest/arduplane.py
@@ -1038,27 +1038,6 @@ class AutoTestPlane(AutoTest):
                 raise NotAchievedException("fence status incorrect; %s want=%u got=%u" %
                                            (name, want, got))
 
-    def do_fence_en_or_dis_able(self, value, want_result=mavutil.mavlink.MAV_RESULT_ACCEPTED):
-        if value:
-            p1 = 1
-        else:
-            p1 = 0
-        self.run_cmd(mavutil.mavlink.MAV_CMD_DO_FENCE_ENABLE,
-                     p1, # param1
-                     0, # param2
-                     0, # param3
-                     0, # param4
-                     0, # param5
-                     0, # param6
-                     0, # param7
-                     want_result=want_result)
-
-    def do_fence_enable(self, want_result=mavutil.mavlink.MAV_RESULT_ACCEPTED):
-        self.do_fence_en_or_dis_able(True, want_result=want_result)
-
-    def do_fence_disable(self, want_result=mavutil.mavlink.MAV_RESULT_ACCEPTED):
-        self.do_fence_en_or_dis_able(False, want_result=want_result)
-
     def wait_circling_point_with_radius(self, loc, want_radius, epsilon=5.0, min_circle_time=5, timeout=120):
         on_radius_start_heading = None
         average_radius = 0.0
diff --git a/Tools/autotest/common.py b/Tools/autotest/common.py
index 5b2dd9d023..4f6f5078f0 100644
--- a/Tools/autotest/common.py
+++ b/Tools/autotest/common.py
@@ -4619,6 +4619,27 @@ class AutoTest(ABC):
         self.mavproxy.expect("Loaded module relay")
         self.mavproxy.send("relay set %d %d\n" % (relay_num, on_off))
 
+    def do_fence_en_or_dis_able(self, value, want_result=mavutil.mavlink.MAV_RESULT_ACCEPTED):
+        if value:
+            p1 = 1
+        else:
+            p1 = 0
+        self.run_cmd(mavutil.mavlink.MAV_CMD_DO_FENCE_ENABLE,
+                     p1, # param1
+                     0, # param2
+                     0, # param3
+                     0, # param4
+                     0, # param5
+                     0, # param6
+                     0, # param7
+                     want_result=want_result)
+
+    def do_fence_enable(self, want_result=mavutil.mavlink.MAV_RESULT_ACCEPTED):
+        self.do_fence_en_or_dis_able(True, want_result=want_result)
+
+    def do_fence_disable(self, want_result=mavutil.mavlink.MAV_RESULT_ACCEPTED):
+        self.do_fence_en_or_dis_able(False, want_result=want_result)
+
     #################################################
     # WAIT UTILITIES
     #################################################