diff --git a/test/app-tests/loading.js b/test/app-tests/loading.js
index 0248986b2..0132be3ce 100644
--- a/test/app-tests/loading.js
+++ b/test/app-tests/loading.js
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import sdk from 'matrix-react-sdk';
 import MatrixClientPeg from 'matrix-react-sdk/lib/MatrixClientPeg';
 import * as languageHandler from 'matrix-react-sdk/lib/languageHandler';
 
-import test_utils from '../test-utils';
+import * as test_utils from '../test-utils';
 import MockHttpBackend from '../mock-request';
 import {parseQs, parseQsFromFragment} from '../../src/vector/url_utils';
 
@@ -68,12 +68,19 @@ describe('loading:', function () {
         });
     });
 
-    afterEach(function() {
+    afterEach(async function() {
         if (parentDiv) {
             ReactDOM.unmountComponentAtNode(parentDiv);
             parentDiv.remove();
             parentDiv = null;
         }
+
+        // unmounting should have cleared the MatrixClientPeg
+        expect(MatrixClientPeg.get()).toBe(null);
+
+        // clear the indexeddbs so we can start from a clean slate next time.
+        await test_utils.deleteIndexedDB('matrix-js-sdk:crypto');
+        await test_utils.deleteIndexedDB('matrix-js-sdk:riot-web-sync');
     });
 
     /* simulate the load process done by index.js
diff --git a/test/test-utils.js b/test/test-utils.js
index 53528e5ce..a1c1cd0ad 100644
--- a/test/test-utils.js
+++ b/test/test-utils.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ var q = require('q');
  * name to stdout.
  * @param {Mocha.Context} context  The test context
  */
-module.exports.beforeEach = function(context) {
+export function beforeEach(context) {
     var desc = context.currentTest.fullTitle();
     console.log();
     console.log(desc);
@@ -16,13 +16,40 @@ module.exports.beforeEach = function(context) {
     // some tests store things in localstorage. Improve independence of tests
     // by making sure that they don't inherit any old state.
     window.localStorage.clear();
-};
+}
 
 /**
  * returns true if the current environment supports webrtc
  */
-module.exports.browserSupportsWebRTC = function() {
+export function browserSupportsWebRTC() {
     var n = global.window.navigator;
     return n.getUserMedia || n.webkitGetUserMedia ||
         n.mozGetUserMedia;
-};
+}
+
+export function deleteIndexedDB(dbName) {
+    return new q.Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+        if (!window.indexedDB) {
+            resolve();
+            return;
+        }
+
+        console.log(`Removing indexeddb instance: ${dbName}`);
+        const req = window.indexedDB.deleteDatabase(dbName);
+
+        req.onblocked = () => {
+            console.log(`can't yet delete indexeddb because it is open elsewhere`);
+        };
+
+        req.onerror = (ev) => {
+            reject(new Error(
+                "unable to delete indexeddb: " + ev.target.error,
+            ));
+        };
+
+        req.onsuccess = () => {
+            console.log(`Removed indexeddb instance: ${dbName}`);
+            resolve();
+        };
+    });
+}