diff --git a/tempest/api/compute/base.py b/tempest/api/compute/base.py
index 8d249ff..922a14c 100644
--- a/tempest/api/compute/base.py
+++ b/tempest/api/compute/base.py
@@ -454,6 +454,12 @@
         server = self.servers_client.show_server(server_id)['server']
         self.assert_flavor_equal(new_flavor_id, server['flavor'])
 
+    def reboot_server(self, server_id, type):
+        """Reboot a server and wait for it to be ACTIVE."""
+        self.servers_client.reboot_server(server_id, type=type)
+        waiters.wait_for_server_status(
+            self.servers_client, server_id, 'ACTIVE')
+
     @classmethod
     def delete_volume(cls, volume_id):
         """Deletes the given volume and waits for it to be gone."""
diff --git a/tempest/api/compute/security_groups/test_security_groups.py b/tempest/api/compute/security_groups/test_security_groups.py
index 671a779..a1f3514 100644
--- a/tempest/api/compute/security_groups/test_security_groups.py
+++ b/tempest/api/compute/security_groups/test_security_groups.py
@@ -109,9 +109,7 @@
                           sg['id'])
 
         # Reboot and add the other security group
-        self.servers_client.reboot_server(server_id, type='HARD')
-        waiters.wait_for_server_status(self.servers_client, server_id,
-                                       'ACTIVE')
+        self.reboot_server(server_id, type='HARD')
         self.servers_client.add_security_group(server_id, name=sg2['name'])
 
         # Check that we are not able to delete the other security
diff --git a/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_instance_actions.py b/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_instance_actions.py
index 5ab592a..028da68 100644
--- a/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_instance_actions.py
+++ b/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_instance_actions.py
@@ -37,9 +37,7 @@
     @decorators.idempotent_id('77ca5cc5-9990-45e0-ab98-1de8fead201a')
     def test_list_instance_actions(self):
         """Test listing actions of the provided server"""
-        self.client.reboot_server(self.server['id'], type='HARD')
-        waiters.wait_for_server_status(self.client,
-                                       self.server['id'], 'ACTIVE')
+        self.reboot_server(self.server['id'], type='HARD')
 
         body = (self.client.list_instance_actions(self.server['id'])
                 ['instanceActions'])
diff --git a/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_server_actions.py b/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_server_actions.py
index deb21c7..152e7e8 100644
--- a/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_server_actions.py
+++ b/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_server_actions.py
@@ -136,8 +136,7 @@
             # in a server
             linux_client.exec_command("sync")
 
-        self.client.reboot_server(self.server_id, type=reboot_type)
-        waiters.wait_for_server_status(self.client, self.server_id, 'ACTIVE')
+        self.reboot_server(self.server_id, type=reboot_type)
 
         if CONF.validation.run_validation:
             # Log in and verify the boot time has changed
@@ -607,8 +606,7 @@
         # log file is truncated and we cannot get any console log through
         # "console-log" API.
         # The detail is https://bugs.launchpad.net/nova/+bug/1251920
-        self.client.reboot_server(self.server_id, type='HARD')
-        waiters.wait_for_server_status(self.client, self.server_id, 'ACTIVE')
+        self.reboot_server(self.server_id, type='HARD')
         self.wait_for(self._get_output)
 
     @decorators.idempotent_id('89104062-69d8-4b19-a71b-f47b7af093d7')