diff --git a/src/Dev/SapphireTest.php b/src/Dev/SapphireTest.php
index b8ae2fb48..ea3a7895f 100644
--- a/src/Dev/SapphireTest.php
+++ b/src/Dev/SapphireTest.php
@@ -950,13 +950,24 @@ class SapphireTest extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase implements TestOnly
     }
 
     /**
-     * Create a member and group with the given permission code, and log in with it.
-     * Returns the member ID.
+     * A wrapper for automatically performing callbacks as a user with a specific permission
      *
-     * @param string|array $permCode Either a permission, or list of permissions
-     * @return int Member ID
+     * @param string|array $permCode
+     * @param callable $callback
+     * @return mixed
      */
-    public function logInWithPermission($permCode = "ADMIN")
+    public function actWithPermission($permCode, $callback)
+    {
+        return Member::actAs($this->createMemberWithPermission($permCode), $callback);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Create Member and Group objects on demand with specific permission code
+     *
+     * @param string|array $permCode
+     * @return Member
+     */
+    protected function createMemberWithPermission($permCode)
     {
         if (is_array($permCode)) {
             $permArray = $permCode;
@@ -997,6 +1008,19 @@ class SapphireTest extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase implements TestOnly
 
             $this->cache_generatedMembers[$permCode] = $member;
         }
+        return $member;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Create a member and group with the given permission code, and log in with it.
+     * Returns the member ID.
+     *
+     * @param string|array $permCode Either a permission, or list of permissions
+     * @return int Member ID
+     */
+    public function logInWithPermission($permCode = "ADMIN")
+    {
+        $member = $this->createMemberWithPermission($permCode);
         $this->logInAs($member);
         return $member->ID;
     }
diff --git a/tests/php/Dev/SapphireTestTest.php b/tests/php/Dev/SapphireTestTest.php
index 056466f3e..8e3d64a39 100644
--- a/tests/php/Dev/SapphireTestTest.php
+++ b/tests/php/Dev/SapphireTestTest.php
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 namespace SilverStripe\Dev\Tests;
 
 use SilverStripe\Dev\SapphireTest;
+use SilverStripe\Security\Member;
+use SilverStripe\Security\Permission;
 
 class SapphireTestTest extends SapphireTest
 {
@@ -29,4 +31,24 @@ class SapphireTestTest extends SapphireTest
             $this->resolveFixturePath(dirname(__DIR__) .'/ORM/DataObjectTest.yml')
         );
     }
+
+    public function testActWithPermission()
+    {
+        $this->logOut();
+        $this->assertFalse(Permission::check('ADMIN'));
+        $this->actWithPermission('ADMIN', function () {
+            $this->assertTrue(Permission::check('ADMIN'));
+            // check nested actAs calls work as expected
+            Member::actAs(null, function () {
+                $this->assertFalse(Permission::check('ADMIN'));
+            });
+        });
+    }
+
+    public function testCreateMemberWithPermission()
+    {
+        $this->assertCount(0, Member::get()->filter([ 'Email' => 'TESTPERM@example.org' ]));
+        $this->createMemberWithPermission('TESTPERM');
+        $this->assertCount(1, Member::get()->filter([ 'Email' => 'TESTPERM@example.org' ]));
+    }
 }