diff --git a/src/tests/frontend/helper/multipleUsers.js b/src/tests/frontend/helper/multipleUsers.js
index 08ed50217..d34676a66 100644
--- a/src/tests/frontend/helper/multipleUsers.js
+++ b/src/tests/frontend/helper/multipleUsers.js
@@ -1,47 +1,39 @@
 'use strict';
 
 helper.multipleUsers = {
-  thisUser: null,
-  otherUser: null,
+  _user0: null,
+  _user1: null,
 
   // open the same pad on different frames (allows concurrent editions to pad)
   async init() {
-    // do some cleanup, in case any of the tests failed on the previous run
-    const currentToken = _createTokenForCurrentUser();
-    const otherToken = _createTokenForAnotherUser();
-    _removeExistingTokensFromCookie();
-
-    this.thisUser = {
+    this._user0 = {
       $frame: $('#iframe-container iframe'),
-      token: currentToken,
+      token: getToken(),
       // we'll switch between pads, need to store current values of helper.pad*
       // to be able to restore those values later
       padChrome$: helper.padChrome$,
       padOuter$: helper.padOuter$,
       padInner$: helper.padInner$,
     };
-
-    this.otherUser = {
-      token: otherToken,
-    };
-
+    this._user1 = {};
+    // Force generation of a new token.
+    clearToken();
     // need to perform as the other user, otherwise we'll get the userdup error message
-    await this.performAsOtherUser(this._createFrameForOtherUser.bind(this));
+    await this.performAsOtherUser(this._createUser1Frame.bind(this));
   },
 
   async performAsOtherUser(action) {
-    _startActingLike(this.otherUser);
+    startActingLike(this._user1);
     await action();
-    // go back to initial state when we're done
-    _startActingLike(this.thisUser);
+    startActingLike(this._user0);
   },
 
   close() {
-    this.thisUser.$frame.attr('style', ''); // make the default ocopy the full height
-    this.otherUser.$frame.remove();
+    this._user0.$frame.attr('style', ''); // make the default ocopy the full height
+    this._user1.$frame.remove();
   },
 
-  async _loadJQueryCodeForOtherFrame() {
+  async _loadJQueryForUser1Frame() {
     const code = await $.get('/static/js/jquery.js');
 
     // make sure we don't override existing jquery
@@ -49,49 +41,53 @@ helper.multipleUsers = {
     const sendkeysCode = await $.get('/tests/frontend/lib/sendkeys.js');
     const codesToLoad = [jQueryCode, sendkeysCode];
 
-    this.otherUser.padChrome$ = _getFrameJQuery(codesToLoad, this.otherUser.$frame);
-    this.otherUser.padOuter$ =
-        _getFrameJQuery(codesToLoad, this.otherUser.padChrome$('iframe[name="ace_outer"]'));
-    this.otherUser.padInner$ =
-        _getFrameJQuery(codesToLoad, this.otherUser.padOuter$('iframe[name="ace_inner"]'));
+    this._user1.padChrome$ = getFrameJQuery(codesToLoad, this._user1.$frame);
+    this._user1.padOuter$ =
+        getFrameJQuery(codesToLoad, this._user1.padChrome$('iframe[name="ace_outer"]'));
+    this._user1.padInner$ =
+        getFrameJQuery(codesToLoad, this._user1.padOuter$('iframe[name="ace_inner"]'));
 
     // update helper vars now that they are available
-    helper.padChrome$ = this.otherUser.padChrome$;
-    helper.padOuter$ = this.otherUser.padOuter$;
-    helper.padInner$ = this.otherUser.padInner$;
+    helper.padChrome$ = this._user1.padChrome$;
+    helper.padOuter$ = this._user1.padOuter$;
+    helper.padInner$ = this._user1.padInner$;
   },
 
-  async _createFrameForOtherUser() {
+  async _createUser1Frame() {
     // create the iframe
-    const padUrl = this.thisUser.$frame.attr('src');
-    this.otherUser.$frame = $(`<iframe id="other_pad" src="${padUrl}"></iframe>`);
+    const padUrl = this._user0.$frame.attr('src');
+    this._user1.$frame = $('<iframe>').attr('id', 'user1_pad').attr('src', padUrl);
 
     // place one iframe (visually) below the other
-    this.thisUser.$frame.attr('style', 'height: 50%');
-    this.otherUser.$frame.attr('style', 'height: 50%; top: 50%');
-    this.otherUser.$frame.insertAfter(this.thisUser.$frame);
+    this._user0.$frame.attr('style', 'height: 50%');
+    this._user1.$frame.attr('style', 'height: 50%; top: 50%');
+    this._user1.$frame.insertAfter(this._user0.$frame);
 
-    // wait for other pad to load
-    await new Promise((resolve) => this.otherUser.$frame.one('load', resolve));
+    // wait for user1 pad to load
+    await new Promise((resolve) => this._user1.$frame.one('load', resolve));
 
-    const $editorLoadingMessage = this.otherUser.$frame.contents().find('#editorloadingbox');
-    const $errorMessageModal = this.thisUser.$frame.contents().find('#connectivity .userdup');
+    const $editorLoadingMessage = this._user1.$frame.contents().find('#editorloadingbox');
+    const $errorMessageModal = this._user0.$frame.contents().find('#connectivity .userdup');
 
     await helper.waitForPromise(() => {
-      const finishedLoadingOtherFrame = !$editorLoadingMessage.is(':visible');
+      const loaded = !$editorLoadingMessage.is(':visible');
       // make sure we don't get the userdup by mistake
       const didNotDetectUserDup = !$errorMessageModal.is(':visible');
-
-      return finishedLoadingOtherFrame && didNotDetectUserDup;
+      return loaded && didNotDetectUserDup;
     }, 50000);
 
-    // need to get values for this.otherUser.pad* vars
-    await this._loadJQueryCodeForOtherFrame();
+    // need to get values for this._user1.pad* vars
+    await this._loadJQueryForUser1Frame();
+
+    this._user1.token = getToken();
+    if (this._user0.token === this._user1.token) {
+      throw new Error('expected different token for user1');
+    }
   },
 };
 
 // adapted form helper.js on Etherpad code
-const _getFrameJQuery = (codesToLoad, $iframe) => {
+const getFrameJQuery = (codesToLoad, $iframe) => {
   const win = $iframe[0].contentWindow;
   const doc = win.document;
 
@@ -105,43 +101,21 @@ const _getFrameJQuery = (codesToLoad, $iframe) => {
   return win.$;
 };
 
-const _getDocumentWithCookie = () => (
-  helper.padChrome$
-    ? helper.padChrome$.document
-    : helper.multipleUsers.thisUser.$frame.get(0).contentDocument
-);
+const getCookies =
+    () => helper.padChrome$.window.require('ep_etherpad-lite/static/js/pad_utils').Cookies;
 
-const _setTokenOnCookie = (token) => {
-  _getDocumentWithCookie().cookie = `token=${token};secure`;
-};
+const setToken = (token) => getCookies().set('token', token);
 
-const _getTokenFromCookie = () => {
-  const fullCookie = _getDocumentWithCookie().cookie;
-  return fullCookie.replace(/.*token=([^;]*).*/, '$1').trim();
-};
+const getToken = () => getCookies().get('token');
 
-const _createTokenForCurrentUser = () => (
-  _getTokenFromCookie().replace(/-other_user.*/g, '')
-);
-
-const _createTokenForAnotherUser = () => {
-  const currentToken = _createTokenForCurrentUser();
-  return `${currentToken}-other_user${helper.randomString(4)}`;
-};
-
-const _startActingLike = (user) => {
+const startActingLike = (user) => {
   // update helper references, so other methods will act as if the main frame
   // was the one we're using from now on
   helper.padChrome$ = user.padChrome$;
   helper.padOuter$ = user.padOuter$;
   helper.padInner$ = user.padInner$;
 
-  _setTokenOnCookie(user.token);
+  if (helper.padChrome$) setToken(user.token);
 };
 
-const _removeExistingTokensFromCookie = () => {
-  // Expire cookie, to make sure it is removed by the browser.
-  // See https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Document/cookie#Example_4_Reset_the_previous_cookie
-  _getDocumentWithCookie().cookie = 'token=foo;expires=Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 GMT; path=/p';
-  _getDocumentWithCookie().cookie = 'token=foo;expires=Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 GMT; path=/';
-};
+const clearToken = () => getCookies().remove('token');