--- a/browser/components/places/tests/browser/browser_bookmarkProperties_addFolderDefaultButton.js
+++ b/browser/components/places/tests/browser/browser_bookmarkProperties_addFolderDefaultButton.js
@@ -25,17 +25,17 @@ add_task(async function() {
     // are inserted at the index of the currently selected item, the new folder
     // will be inserted at index 0.
     await withBookmarksDialog(
       false,
       function openDialog() {
         tree.controller.doCommand("placesCmd_new:folder");
       },
       async function test(dialogWin) {
-        let promiseTitleChangeNotification = promiseBookmarksNotification(
+        let promiseTitleChangeNotification = PlacesTestUtils.waitForNotification(
           "onItemChanged", (itemId, prop, isAnno, val) => prop == "title" && val == "n");
 
         fillBookmarkTextField("editBMPanel_namePicker", "n", dialogWin, false);
 
         // Confirm and close the dialog.
         EventUtils.synthesizeKey("VK_RETURN", {}, dialogWin);
         await promiseTitleChangeNotification;
 

--- a/browser/components/places/tests/browser/browser_bookmarkProperties_addLivemark.js
+++ b/browser/components/places/tests/browser/browser_bookmarkProperties_addLivemark.js
@@ -9,17 +9,17 @@ add_task(async function() {
 
     await withBookmarksDialog(
       true,
       function openDialog() {
         PlacesCommandHook.addLiveBookmark("http://livemark.com/",
                                           "livemark", "description");
       },
       async function test(dialogWin) {
-        let promiseTitleChangeNotification = promiseBookmarksNotification(
+        let promiseTitleChangeNotification = PlacesTestUtils.waitForNotification(
           "onItemChanged", (unused, prop, isAnno, val) => prop == "title" && val == "modified");
 
         fillBookmarkTextField("editBMPanel_namePicker", "modified", dialogWin);
 
         await promiseTitleChangeNotification;
 
         let bookmark = await PlacesUtils.bookmarks.fetch({
           parentGuid: PlacesUtils.bookmarks.toolbarGuid,

--- a/browser/components/places/tests/browser/browser_bookmarkProperties_bookmarkAllTabs.js
+++ b/browser/components/places/tests/browser/browser_bookmarkProperties_bookmarkAllTabs.js
@@ -24,17 +24,17 @@ add_task(async function() {
       let acceptBtn = dialog.document.documentElement.getButton("accept");
       ok(!acceptBtn.disabled, "Accept button is enabled");
 
       let namepicker = dialog.document.getElementById("editBMPanel_namePicker");
       Assert.ok(!namepicker.readOnly, "Name field is writable");
       let folderName = dialog.document.getElementById("stringBundle").getString("bookmarkAllTabsDefault");
       Assert.equal(namepicker.value, folderName, "Name field is correct.");
 
-      let promiseTitleChange = promiseBookmarksNotification(
+      let promiseTitleChange = PlacesTestUtils.waitForNotification(
         "onItemChanged", (id, prop, isAnno, val) => prop == "title" && val == "folder");
       fillBookmarkTextField("editBMPanel_namePicker", "folder", dialog);
       await promiseTitleChange;
     },
     dialog => {
       let savedItemId = dialog.gEditItemOverlay.itemId;
       ok(savedItemId > 0, "Found the itemId");
       return PlacesTestUtils.waitForNotification("onItemRemoved",

--- a/browser/components/places/tests/browser/browser_bookmarkProperties_cancel.js
+++ b/browser/components/places/tests/browser/browser_bookmarkProperties_cancel.js
@@ -94,17 +94,17 @@ add_task(async function test_cancel_with
       function openDialog() {
         tree.controller.doCommand("placesCmd_show:info");
       },
       async function test(dialogWin) {
         let acceptButton = dialogWin.document.documentElement.getButton("accept");
         await BrowserTestUtils.waitForCondition(() => !acceptButton.disabled,
           "The accept button should be enabled");
 
-        let promiseTitleChangeNotification = promiseBookmarksNotification(
+        let promiseTitleChangeNotification = PlacesTestUtils.waitForNotification(
           "onItemChanged", (itemId, prop, isAnno, val) => prop == "title" && val == "n");
 
         fillBookmarkTextField("editBMPanel_namePicker", "n", dialogWin);
 
         // The dialog is instant apply.
         await promiseTitleChangeNotification;
 
         // Ensure that the addition really is finished before we hit cancel.

--- a/browser/components/places/tests/browser/browser_library_batch_delete.js
+++ b/browser/components/places/tests/browser/browser_library_batch_delete.js
@@ -52,17 +52,17 @@ add_task(async function test_create_and_
   Assert.equal(unsortedNode.childCount, 2, "Unsorted node has 2 children");
   let folderNode = unsortedNode.getChild(0);
   Assert.equal(folderNode.title, "deleteme", "Folder found in unsorted bookmarks");
   // Check delete command is available.
   PO._places.selectNode(folderNode);
   Assert.equal(PO._places.selectedNode.title, "deleteme", "Folder node selected");
   Assert.ok(PO._places.controller.isCommandEnabled("cmd_delete"),
      "Delete command is enabled");
-  let promiseItemRemovedNotification = promiseBookmarksNotification(
+  let promiseItemRemovedNotification = PlacesTestUtils.waitForNotification(
     "onItemRemoved", (itemId, parentId, index, type, uri, guid) => guid == folderNode.bookmarkGuid);
   // Execute the delete command and check bookmark has been removed.
   PO._places.controller.doCommand("cmd_delete");
 
   await promiseItemRemovedNotification;
 
   Assert.ok(!(await PlacesUtils.bookmarks.fetch({url: testURI})),
     "Bookmark has been correctly removed");

--- a/browser/components/places/tests/browser/browser_library_commands.js
+++ b/browser/components/places/tests/browser/browser_library_commands.js
@@ -54,18 +54,18 @@ add_task(async function test_date_contai
   ok(PO._places.controller.isCommandEnabled("cmd_copy"),
      "Copy command is enabled");
   ok(!PO._places.controller.isCommandEnabled("cmd_cut"),
      "Cut command is disabled");
   ok(PO._places.controller.isCommandEnabled("cmd_delete"),
      "Delete command is enabled");
 
   // Execute the delete command and check visit has been removed.
-  let promiseURIRemoved = promiseHistoryNotification("onDeleteURI",
-                                                     v => TEST_URI.equals(v));
+  let promiseURIRemoved = PlacesTestUtils.waitForNotification(
+    "onDeleteURI", v => TEST_URI.equals(v), "history");
   PO._places.controller.doCommand("cmd_delete");
   await promiseURIRemoved;
 
   // Test live update of "History" query.
   is(historyNode.childCount, 0, "History node has no more children");
 
   historyNode.containerOpen = false;
 
@@ -119,18 +119,18 @@ add_task(async function test_query_on_to
   ok(PO._places.controller.isCommandEnabled("cmd_copy"),
      "Copy command is enabled");
   ok(PO._places.controller.isCommandEnabled("cmd_cut"),
      "Cut command is enabled");
   ok(PO._places.controller.isCommandEnabled("cmd_delete"),
      "Delete command is enabled");
 
   // Execute the delete command and check bookmark has been removed.
-  let promiseItemRemoved = promiseBookmarksNotification("onItemRemoved",
-                                                        (...args) => query.guid == args[5]);
+  let promiseItemRemoved = PlacesTestUtils.waitForNotification(
+    "onItemRemoved", (...args) => query.guid == args[5]);
   PO._places.controller.doCommand("cmd_delete");
   await promiseItemRemoved;
 
   is((await PlacesUtils.bookmarks.fetch(query.guid)), null,
      "Query node bookmark has been correctly removed");
 
   toolbarNode.containerOpen = false;
 

--- a/browser/components/places/tests/browser/browser_toolbar_drop_text.js
+++ b/browser/components/places/tests/browser/browser_toolbar_drop_text.js
@@ -30,17 +30,17 @@ add_task(async function test() {
    *
    * @param aEffect
    *        The effect to use for the drop operation: move, copy, or link.
    * @param aMimeType
    *        The mime type to use for the drop operation.
    */
   let simulateDragDrop = async function(aEffect, aMimeType) {
     const url = "http://www.mozilla.org/D1995729-A152-4e30-8329-469B01F30AA7";
-    let promiseItemAddedNotification = promiseBookmarksNotification(
+    let promiseItemAddedNotification = PlacesTestUtils.waitForNotification(
       "onItemAdded", (itemId, parentId, index, type, uri, guid) => uri.spec == url);
 
     // We use the toolbar as the drag source, as we just need almost any node
     // to simulate the drag. The actual data for the drop is passed via the
     // drag data. Note: The toolbar is used rather than another bookmark node,
     // as we need something that is immovable from a places perspective, as this
     // forces the move into a copy.
     EventUtils.synthesizeDrop(toolbar,
@@ -76,17 +76,17 @@ add_task(async function test() {
       "http://www.mozilla.org/091A88BD-5743-4C16-A005-3D2EA3A3B71E"
     ];
     let data;
     if (aMimeType == "text/x-moz-url")
       data = urls.map(spec => spec + "\n" + spec).join("\n");
     else
       data = urls.join("\n");
 
-    let promiseItemAddedNotification = promiseBookmarksNotification(
+    let promiseItemAddedNotification = PlacesTestUtils.waitForNotification(
       "onItemAdded", (itemId, parentId, index, type, uri, guid) => uri.spec == urls[2]);
 
     // See notes for EventUtils.synthesizeDrop in simulateDragDrop().
     EventUtils.synthesizeDrop(toolbar,
                               placesItems,
                               [[{type: aMimeType,
                                  data}]],
                               aEffect, window);

--- a/browser/components/places/tests/browser/head.js
+++ b/browser/components/places/tests/browser/head.js
@@ -155,61 +155,16 @@ function promiseIsURIVisited(aURI) {
 
     PlacesUtils.asyncHistory.isURIVisited(aURI, function(unused, aIsVisited) {
       resolve(aIsVisited);
     });
 
   });
 }
 
-function promiseBookmarksNotification(notification, conditionFn) {
-  info(`promiseBookmarksNotification: waiting for ${notification}`);
-  return new Promise((resolve) => {
-    let proxifiedObserver = new Proxy({}, {
-      get: (target, name) => {
-        if (name == "QueryInterface")
-          return XPCOMUtils.generateQI([ Ci.nsINavBookmarkObserver ]);
-        info(`promiseBookmarksNotification: got ${name} notification`);
-        if (name == notification)
-          return (...args) => {
-            if (conditionFn.apply(this, args)) {
-              PlacesUtils.bookmarks.removeObserver(proxifiedObserver, false);
-              executeSoon(resolve);
-            } else {
-              info(`promiseBookmarksNotification: skip cause condition doesn't apply to ${JSON.stringify(args)}`);
-            }
-          };
-        return () => {};
-      }
-    });
-    PlacesUtils.bookmarks.addObserver(proxifiedObserver);
-  });
-}
-
-function promiseHistoryNotification(notification, conditionFn) {
-  info(`Waiting for ${notification}`);
-  return new Promise((resolve) => {
-    let proxifiedObserver = new Proxy({}, {
-      get: (target, name) => {
-        if (name == "QueryInterface")
-          return XPCOMUtils.generateQI([ Ci.nsINavHistoryObserver ]);
-        if (name == notification)
-          return (...args) => {
-            if (conditionFn.apply(this, args)) {
-              PlacesUtils.history.removeObserver(proxifiedObserver, false);
-              executeSoon(resolve);
-            }
-          };
-        return () => {};
-      }
-    });
-    PlacesUtils.history.addObserver(proxifiedObserver);
-  });
-}
-
 /**
  * Makes the specified toolbar visible or invisible and returns a Promise object
  * that is resolved when the toolbar has completed any animations associated
  * with hiding or showing the toolbar.
  *
  * Note that this code assumes that changes to a toolbar's visibility trigger
  * a transition on the max-height property of the toolbar element.
  * Changes to this styling could cause the returned Promise object to be