diff --git a/conftest.py b/conftest.py
index 6f870093ed4..bcb756be612 100644
--- a/conftest.py
+++ b/conftest.py
@@ -1,14 +1,10 @@
-import contextlib
 from unittest import mock
 import logging
 import os
 import re
 
-from django.core.management import call_command
 from django.db import transaction
-from elasticsearch import exceptions as es_exceptions
 from elasticsearch_dsl.connections import connections
-from elasticsearch_metrics.registry import registry as es_metrics_registry
 from faker import Factory
 import pytest
 import responses
@@ -17,6 +13,7 @@
 from api_tests.share import _utils as shtrove_test_utils
 from framework.celery_tasks import app as celery_app
 from osf.external.spam import tasks as spam_tasks
+from osf_tests.metrics.utils_for_tests import es_metrics_temps
 from website import settings as website_settings
 
 
@@ -143,37 +140,8 @@ def _es_metrics_marker(request):
     marker = request.node.get_closest_marker('es_metrics')
     if marker:
         es6_client = request.getfixturevalue('es6_client')
-        _temp_prefix = 'temp_metrics_'
-        _temp_wildcard = f'{_temp_prefix}*'
-
-        def _teardown_es_temps():
-            es6_client.indices.delete(index=_temp_wildcard)
-            try:
-                es6_client.indices.delete_template(_temp_wildcard)
-            except es_exceptions.NotFoundError:
-                pass
-
-        @contextlib.contextmanager
-        def _mock_metric_names():
-            with contextlib.ExitStack() as _exit:
-                for _metric_class in es_metrics_registry.get_metrics():
-                    _exit.enter_context(mock.patch.object(
-                        _metric_class,
-                        '_template_name',  # also used to construct index names
-                        f'{_temp_prefix}{_metric_class._template_name}',
-                    ))
-                    _exit.enter_context(mock.patch.object(
-                        _metric_class,
-                        '_template',  # a wildcard string for indexes and templates
-                        f'{_temp_prefix}{_metric_class._template}',
-                    ))
-                yield
-
-        _teardown_es_temps()
-        with _mock_metric_names():
-            call_command('sync_metrics')
+        with es_metrics_temps(es6_client):
             yield
-        _teardown_es_temps()
     else:
         yield
 
diff --git a/osf_tests/metrics/utils_for_tests.py b/osf_tests/metrics/utils_for_tests.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..12ba1aa1d61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/osf_tests/metrics/utils_for_tests.py
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+import contextlib
+from unittest import mock
+
+from django.core.management import call_command
+from elasticsearch import exceptions as es_exceptions
+from elasticsearch_dsl.connections import connections
+from elasticsearch_metrics.registry import registry as es_metrics_registry
+
+from website import settings as website_settings
+
+
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def es_metrics_temps(es6_client=None):
+    if es6_client is None:
+        connections.create_connection(hosts=[website_settings.ELASTIC6_URI])
+        es6_client = connections.get_connection()
+    _temp_prefix = 'temp_metrics_'
+    _temp_wildcard = f'{_temp_prefix}*'
+
+    def _teardown_es_temps():
+        es6_client.indices.delete(index=_temp_wildcard)
+        try:
+            es6_client.indices.delete_template(_temp_wildcard)
+        except es_exceptions.NotFoundError:
+            pass
+
+    @contextlib.contextmanager
+    def _mock_metric_names():
+        with contextlib.ExitStack() as _exit:
+            for _metric_class in es_metrics_registry.get_metrics():
+                _exit.enter_context(mock.patch.object(
+                    _metric_class,
+                    '_template_name',  # also used to construct index names
+                    f'{_temp_prefix}{_metric_class._template_name}',
+                ))
+                _exit.enter_context(mock.patch.object(
+                    _metric_class,
+                    '_template',  # a wildcard string for indexes and templates
+                    f'{_temp_prefix}{_metric_class._template}',
+                ))
+            yield
+
+    _teardown_es_temps()
+    with _mock_metric_names():
+        call_command('sync_metrics')
+        yield
+    _teardown_es_temps()