diff --git a/lib/phpunit/lib.php b/lib/phpunit/lib.php
index 4c2c0ed8959..e40be9938d5 100644
--- a/lib/phpunit/lib.php
+++ b/lib/phpunit/lib.php
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ class phpunit_util {
      * @static
      */
     public static function reset_all_data($logchanges = false, PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase $caller = null) {
-        global $DB, $CFG, $USER;
+        global $DB, $CFG, $USER, $SITE, $COURSE, $PAGE, $OUTPUT, $SESSION;
 
         $dbreset = self::reset_database($logchanges, $caller);
 
@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@ class phpunit_util {
             }
 
             $oldcfg = self::get_global_backup('CFG');
+            $oldsite = self::get_global_backup('SITE');
             foreach($CFG as $k=>$v) {
                 if (!property_exists($oldcfg, $k)) {
                     error_log('warning: unexpected new $CFG->'.$k.' value'.$where);
@@ -191,10 +192,25 @@ class phpunit_util {
             if ($USER->id != 0) {
                 error_log('warning: unexpected change of $USER'.$where);
             }
+
+            if ($COURSE->id != $oldsite->id) {
+                error_log('warning: unexpected change of $COURSE'.$where);
+            }
         }
 
         // restore original config
         $CFG = self::get_global_backup('CFG');
+        $SITE = self::get_global_backup('SITE');
+        $COURSE = $SITE;
+
+        // recreate globals
+        $OUTPUT = new bootstrap_renderer();
+        $PAGE = new moodle_page();
+        $FULLME = null;
+        $ME = null;
+        $SCRIPT = null;
+        $SESSION = new stdClass();
+        $_SESSION['SESSION'] =& $SESSION;
 
         // set fresh new user
         $user = new stdClass();
@@ -243,10 +259,11 @@ class phpunit_util {
      * @static
      */
     public static function bootstrap_init() {
-        global $CFG;
+        global $CFG, $SITE;
 
         // backup the globals
         self::$globals['CFG'] = clone($CFG);
+        self::$globals['SITE'] = clone($SITE);
 
         // refresh data in all tables, clear caches, etc.
         phpunit_util::reset_all_data();
@@ -657,7 +674,7 @@ class basic_testcase extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase {
      * @param array  $data
      * @param string $dataName
      */
-    public function __construct($name = NULL, array $data = array(), $dataName = '') {
+    public function __construct($name = null, array $data = array(), $dataName = '') {
         parent::__construct($name, $data, $dataName);
 
         $this->setBackupGlobals(false);
@@ -685,7 +702,7 @@ class basic_testcase extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase {
  * @license    http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
  */
 class advanced_testcase extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase {
-    /** @var bool automatically reset everything? */
+    /** @var bool automatically reset everything? null means log changes */
     protected $resetAfterTest;
 
     /**
@@ -695,7 +712,7 @@ class advanced_testcase extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase {
      * @param array  $data
      * @param string $dataName
      */
-    public function __construct($name = NULL, array $data = array(), $dataName = '') {
+    public function __construct($name = null, array $data = array(), $dataName = '') {
         parent::__construct($name, $data, $dataName);
 
         $this->setBackupGlobals(false);
@@ -755,6 +772,28 @@ class advanced_testcase extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase {
         phpunit_util::reset_all_data();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Set current $USER, reset access cache.
+     * @static
+     * @param null|\stdClass $user user record, null means none
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public static function setUser(stdClass $user = null) {
+        global $CFG;
+
+        if (!$user) {
+            $user = new stdClass();
+            $user->id = 0;
+            $user->mnethostid = $CFG->mnet_localhost_id;
+        } else {
+            $user = clone($user);
+        }
+        unset($user->description);
+        unset($user->access);
+
+        session_set_user($user);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Get data generator
      * @static
@@ -769,9 +808,9 @@ class advanced_testcase extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase {
      * function with the pathname of each file found.
      *
      * @param $path the folder to start searching from.
-     * @param $callback the function to call with the name of each file found.
+     * @param $callback the method of this class to call with the name of each file found.
      * @param $fileregexp a regexp used to filter the search (optional).
-     * @param $exclude If true, pathnames that match the regexp will be ingored. If false,
+     * @param $exclude If true, pathnames that match the regexp will be ignored. If false,
      *     only files that match the regexp will be included. (default false).
      * @param array $ignorefolders will not go into any of these folders (optional).
      * @return void
@@ -797,7 +836,9 @@ class advanced_testcase extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase {
 
 
 /**
- * Test integration of PHPUnit and custom Moodle hacks.
+ * Special test case for testing of DML drivers and DDL layer.
+ *
+ * Note: Use only 'test_table*' when creating new tables.
  *
  * @package    core
  * @category   phpunit
@@ -806,7 +847,6 @@ class advanced_testcase extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase {
  */
 class database_driver_testcase extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase {
     protected static $extradb = null;
-    protected $skipped = false;
 
     /** @var moodle_database */
     protected $tdb;
@@ -818,7 +858,7 @@ class database_driver_testcase extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase {
      * @param array  $data
      * @param string $dataName
      */
-    public function __construct($name = NULL, array $data = array(), $dataName = '') {
+    public function __construct($name = null, array $data = array(), $dataName = '') {
         parent::__construct($name, $data, $dataName);
 
         $this->setBackupGlobals(false);
@@ -859,15 +899,6 @@ class database_driver_testcase extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase {
         self::$extradb = $d;
     }
 
-    public function getStatus() {
-        if ($this->skipped) {
-            // fake the status
-            return PHPUnit_Runner_BaseTestRunner::STATUS_SKIPPED;
-        } else {
-            return parent::getStatus();
-        }
-    }
-
     public function setUp() {
         global $DB;
 
diff --git a/lib/sessionlib.php b/lib/sessionlib.php
index 5df14f212d4..be15e142d4b 100644
--- a/lib/sessionlib.php
+++ b/lib/sessionlib.php
@@ -1070,6 +1070,13 @@ function session_set_user($user) {
     $_SESSION['USER'] = $user;
     unset($_SESSION['USER']->description); // conserve memory
     sesskey(); // init session key
+
+    if (PHPUNIT_TEST) {
+        // phpunit tests use reversed reference
+        global $USER;
+        $USER = $_SESSION['USER'];
+        $_SESSION['USER'] =& $USER;
+    }
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/tests/phpunit_test.php b/lib/tests/phpunit_test.php
index 0c43a41d0f1..63954b6756a 100644
--- a/lib/tests/phpunit_test.php
+++ b/lib/tests/phpunit_test.php
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 // along with Moodle.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 /**
- * PHPunit implementation unit tests
+ * PHPUnit integration unit tests
  *
  * @package    core
  * @category   phpunit
@@ -23,10 +23,11 @@
  * @license    http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
  */
 
+
 defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
 
 /**
- * Test integration of PHPUnit and custom Moodle hacks.
+ * Test basic_testcase extra features and PHPUnit Moodle integration.
  *
  * @package    core
  * @category   phpunit
@@ -54,5 +55,48 @@ class core_phpunit_basic_testcase extends basic_testcase {
         $CFG->xx = 'yy';
     }
 */
+}
 
+
+/**
+ * Test advanced_testcase extra features.
+ *
+ * @package    core
+ * @category   phpunit
+ * @copyright  2012 Petr Skoda {@link http://skodak.org}
+ * @license    http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
+ */
+class core_phpunit_advanced_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
+
+    public function test_set_user() {
+        global $USER, $DB;
+
+        $this->assertEquals(0, $USER->id);
+        $this->assertSame($_SESSION['USER'], $USER);
+
+        $user = $DB->get_record('user', array('id'=>2));
+        $this->setUser($user);
+        $this->assertEquals(2, $USER->id);
+        $this->assertEquals(2, $_SESSION['USER']->id);
+        $this->assertSame($_SESSION['USER'], $USER);
+
+        $USER->id = 3;
+        $this->assertEquals(3, $USER->id);
+        $this->assertEquals(3, $_SESSION['USER']->id);
+        $this->assertSame($_SESSION['USER'], $USER);
+
+        session_set_user($user);
+        $this->assertEquals(2, $USER->id);
+        $this->assertEquals(2, $_SESSION['USER']->id);
+        $this->assertSame($_SESSION['USER'], $USER);
+
+        $USER = $DB->get_record('user', array('id'=>1));
+        $this->assertEquals(1, $USER->id);
+        $this->assertEquals(1, $_SESSION['USER']->id);
+        $this->assertSame($_SESSION['USER'], $USER);
+
+        $this->setUser(null);
+        $this->assertEquals(0, $USER->id);
+        $this->assertSame($_SESSION['USER'], $USER);
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file