diff --git a/tests/__init__.py b/tests/__init__.py
index c8b2d0d..1717155 100644
--- a/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/__init__.py
@@ -13,32 +13,40 @@ APP_SETTINGS = {
     'session.auto_csrf': True
     }
 
+EXAMPLE_USERS = {
+    'unvalidated': (1, 'Graham', 'Chapman'),
+    'new': (2, 'John', 'Cleese'),
+    'user': (3, 'Terry', 'Gilliam'),
+    'purchaser': (4, 'Eric', 'Idle'),
+    'admin': (5, 'Terry', 'Jones'),
+    'inactive': (6, 'Michael', 'Palin'),
+    }
+
 
 # helpers
 
-def create_users(db):
-    ''' set up some well known example users '''
+def create_user(db, role_name):
+    ''' set up one well known example users '''
     from ordr2.models import Role, User
-    stubs =  [
-        ('Graham', 'Chapman', Role.UNVALIDATED),
-        ('John', 'Cleese', Role.NEW),
-        ('Terry', 'Gilliam', Role.USER),
-        ('Eric', 'Idle', Role.PURCHASER),
-        ('Terry', 'Jones', Role.ADMIN),
-        ('Michael', 'Palin', Role.INACTIVE)
-        ]
-    for i, stub in enumerate(stubs):
-        first_name, last_name, role = stub
-        user = User(
-            id=i+1,
-            username=first_name + last_name,
-            first_name = first_name,
-            last_name = last_name,
-            email = last_name.lower() + '@example.com',
-            role=role,
-            password_hash = first_name.lower()
-            )
-        db.add(user)
+    id_, first_name, last_name = EXAMPLE_USERS[role_name]
+    user = User(
+        id=id_,
+        username=first_name + last_name,
+        first_name = first_name,
+        last_name = last_name,
+        email = last_name.lower() + '@example.com',
+        role=Role(role_name)
+        )
+    user.set_password(first_name)
+    db.add(user)
+    return user
+
+
+def create_users(db):
+    ''' set up all well known example users '''
+    from ordr2.models import Role
+    for role in Role:
+        create_user(db, role.value)
 
 
 # fixtures
@@ -49,6 +57,10 @@ def app_config():
     with testing.testConfig(settings=APP_SETTINGS) as config:
         config.include('pyramid_jinja2')
         #config.include('pyramid_mailer.testing')
+
+        from ordr2.models.users import passlib_context
+        passlib_context.update(schemes=['argon2'])
+
         yield config