diff --git a/test/selenium_tests/framework.py b/test/selenium_tests/framework.py
index 1374e34af8f..3576354d9b4 100644
--- a/test/selenium_tests/framework.py
+++ b/test/selenium_tests/framework.py
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ import datetime
 import json
 import os
 import time
-
 import traceback
+import unittest
 
 from functools import partial, wraps
 
@@ -221,6 +221,38 @@ class SeleniumTestCase(FunctionalTestCase, NavigatesGalaxy):
         return SeleniumSessionWorkflowPopulator(self)
 
 
+class SharedStateSeleniumTestCase(SeleniumTestCase):
+    """This describes a class Selenium tests that setup class state for all tests.
+
+    This is a bit hacky because we are simulating class level initialization
+    with instance level methods. The problem is that super.setUp() works at
+    instance level. It might be worth considering having two variants of
+    SeleniumTestCase - one that initializes with the class and the other that
+    initializes with the instance but all the helpers are instance helpers.
+    """
+
+    shared_state_initialized = False
+    shared_state_in_error = False
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(SharedStateSeleniumTestCase, self).setUp()
+        if not self.__class__.shared_state_initialized:
+            try:
+                self.setup_shared_state()
+                self.logout_if_needed()
+            except Exception:
+                self.__class__.shared_state_in_error = True
+                raise
+            finally:
+                self.__class__.shared_state_initialized = True
+        else:
+            if self.__class__.shared_state_in_error:
+                raise unittest.SkipTest("Skipping test, failed to initialize state previously.")
+
+    def setup_shared_state(self):
+        """Override this to setup shared data for tests that gets initialized only once."""
+
+
 class UsesHistoryItemAssertions:
 
     def assert_item_peek_includes(self, hid, expected):
diff --git a/test/selenium_tests/test_custom_builds.py b/test/selenium_tests/test_custom_builds.py
index 13c16e92e9f..55946b91e06 100644
--- a/test/selenium_tests/test_custom_builds.py
+++ b/test/selenium_tests/test_custom_builds.py
@@ -3,15 +3,16 @@ import time
 from .framework import (
     retry_assertion_during_transitions,
     selenium_test,
-    SeleniumTestCase,
+    SharedStateSeleniumTestCase,
 )
 
 
-class CustomBuildsTestcase(SeleniumTestCase):
+class CustomBuildsTestcase(SharedStateSeleniumTestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         super(CustomBuildsTestcase, self).setUp()
-        self.ensure_user()
+        self.home()  # ensure Galaxy is loaded
+        self.submit_login(self.user_email)
 
     @selenium_test
     def test_build_add(self):
@@ -91,12 +92,7 @@ class CustomBuildsTestcase(SeleniumTestCase):
         self.click_label(label)
         self.wait_for_and_click_selector('a[href="/custom_builds"]')
 
-    def ensure_user(self):
-        if getattr(CustomBuildsTestcase, 'user_email', None):
-            self.home()  # ensure Galaxy is loaded
-            self.submit_login(self.user_email)
-            return
-
+    def setup_shared_state(self):
         CustomBuildsTestcase.user_email = self._get_random_email()
         self.register(self.user_email)
 
diff --git a/test/selenium_tests/test_published_histories_grid.py b/test/selenium_tests/test_published_histories_grid.py
index 56f7411696a..a6b610118c1 100644
--- a/test/selenium_tests/test_published_histories_grid.py
+++ b/test/selenium_tests/test_published_histories_grid.py
@@ -3,15 +3,15 @@ import time
 from .framework import (
     retry_assertion_during_transitions,
     selenium_test,
-    SeleniumTestCase,
+    SharedStateSeleniumTestCase,
 )
 
 
-class HistoryGridTestCase(SeleniumTestCase):
+class HistoryGridTestCase(SharedStateSeleniumTestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         super(HistoryGridTestCase, self).setUp()
-        self.ensure_users_and_histories()
+        self.home()
 
     @selenium_test
     def test_history_grid_histories(self):
@@ -178,11 +178,7 @@ class HistoryGridTestCase(SeleniumTestCase):
         annon_area_editable.send_keys(annotation)
         anno_done_button.click()
 
-    def ensure_users_and_histories(self):
-        if getattr(HistoryGridTestCase, 'user1_email', None):
-            self.home()  # ensure Galaxy is loaded
-            return
-
+    def setup_shared_state(self):
         tag1 = self._get_random_name(len=5)
         tag2 = self._get_random_name(len=5)
         tag3 = self._get_random_name(len=5)
diff --git a/test/selenium_tests/test_saved_histories.py b/test/selenium_tests/test_saved_histories.py
index c1b7feec624..83504246cd7 100644
--- a/test/selenium_tests/test_saved_histories.py
+++ b/test/selenium_tests/test_saved_histories.py
@@ -3,15 +3,16 @@ import time
 from .framework import (
     retry_assertion_during_transitions,
     selenium_test,
-    SeleniumTestCase,
+    SharedStateSeleniumTestCase,
 )
 
 
-class SavedHistoriesTestCase(SeleniumTestCase):
+class SavedHistoriesTestCase(SharedStateSeleniumTestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         super(SavedHistoriesTestCase, self).setUp()
-        self.ensure_user_and_histories()
+        self.home()
+        self.submit_login(self.user_email)
 
     @selenium_test
     def test_saved_histories_list(self):
@@ -263,12 +264,7 @@ class SavedHistoriesTestCase(SeleniumTestCase):
         self.click_label(label)
         self.wait_for_and_click_selector('a[href="/histories/list"]')
 
-    def ensure_user_and_histories(self):
-        if getattr(SavedHistoriesTestCase, 'user_email', None):
-            self.home()  # ensure Galaxy is loaded
-            self.submit_login(self.user_email)
-            return
-
+    def setup_shared_state(self):
         SavedHistoriesTestCase.user_email = self._get_random_email()
         SavedHistoriesTestCase.history1_name = self._get_random_name()
         SavedHistoriesTestCase.history2_name = self._get_random_name()