diff --git a/test/completion-test.fnl b/test/completion-test.fnl
index 69528a5..ba6785f 100644
--- a/test/completion-test.fnl
+++ b/test/completion-test.fnl
@@ -3,9 +3,7 @@
 
 (local {: view} (require :fennel))
 (local {: ROOT-URI
-        : open-file
-        : completion-at
-        : setup-server} (require :test.utils))
+        : create-client} (require :test.mock-client))
 
 (local dispatch (require :fennel-ls.dispatch))
 (local message (require :fennel-ls.message))
@@ -13,9 +11,9 @@
 (local filename (.. ROOT-URI "/imaginary-file.fnl"))
 
 (fn check-completion [body line col expected ?unexpected]
-  (local self (doto [] setup-server))
-  (open-file self filename body)
-  (let [response (dispatch.handle* self (completion-at filename line col))
+  (let [client (doto (create-client)
+                 (: :open-file! filename body))
+        response (client:completion filename line col)
         seen (collect [_ suggestion (ipairs (. response 1 :result))]
                 suggestion.label suggestion.label)]
     (if expected
@@ -26,9 +24,9 @@
         (is.nil (. seen exp) (.. exp " was suggested, but shouldn't be"))))))
 
 (fn check-no-completion [body line col expected ?unexpected]
-  (local self (doto [] setup-server))
-  (open-file self filename body)
-  (let [response (dispatch.handle* self (completion-at filename line col))]
+  (let [client (doto (create-client)
+                 (: :open-file! filename body))
+        response (client:completion filename line col)]
     (is-matching (. response 1)
       {:jsonrpc "2.0" :id id :result nil}
       "there shouldn't be a result")))
diff --git a/test/diagnostic-test.fnl b/test/diagnostic-test.fnl
index 507eb82..adb552d 100644
--- a/test/diagnostic-test.fnl
+++ b/test/diagnostic-test.fnl
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@
 
 (local {: view} (require :fennel))
 (local {: ROOT-URI
-        : open-file
-        : setup-server} (require :test.utils))
+        : create-client} (require :test.mock-client))
 
 (local dispatch (require :fennel-ls.dispatch))
 (local message (require :fennel-ls.message))
@@ -24,8 +23,8 @@
 
 (describe "diagnostic messages"
   (it "handles compile errors"
-    (local self (doto [] setup-server))
-    (let [responses (open-file self filename "(do do)")
+    (let [self (create-client)
+          responses (self:open-file! filename "(do do)")
           diagnostic
           (match responses
             [{:params {: diagnostics}}]
@@ -38,8 +37,8 @@
       (is diagnostic "expected a diagnostic")))
 
   (it "handles parse errors"
-    (local self (doto [] setup-server))
-    (let [responses (open-file self filename "(do (print :hello(]")
+    (let [self (create-client)
+          responses (self:open-file! filename "(do (print :hello(]")
           diagnostic
           (match responses
             [{:params {: diagnostics}}]
@@ -52,8 +51,8 @@
       (is diagnostic "expected a diagnostic")))
 
   (it "handles (match)"
-    (local self (doto [] setup-server))
-    (let [responses (open-file self filename "(match)")]
+    (let [self (create-client)
+          responses (self:open-file! filename "(match)")]
       (is-matching responses
         [{:params
           {:diagnostics
@@ -62,8 +61,8 @@
         "diagnostics should always have a range")))
 
   (it "gives more than one error"
-    (local self (doto [] setup-server))
-    (let [responses (open-file self filename "(unknown-global-1 unknown-global-2)")]
+    (let [self (create-client)
+          responses (self:open-file! filename "(unknown-global-1 unknown-global-2)")]
       (is-matching responses
         [{:params {:diagnostics [a b]}}]  "there should be a diagnostic for each one here"))))
 
diff --git a/test/goto-definition-test.fnl b/test/goto-definition-test.fnl
index 2a166cc..b326070 100644
--- a/test/goto-definition-test.fnl
+++ b/test/goto-definition-test.fnl
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 (local is (require :test.is))
 
 (local {: ROOT-URI
-        : setup-server} (require :test.utils))
+        : create-client} (require :test.mock-client))
 
 (local dispatch (require :fennel-ls.dispatch))
 (local message  (require :fennel-ls.message))
@@ -11,15 +11,12 @@
 (describe "jump to definition"
 
   (fn check [request-file line char response-file start-line start-col end-line end-col]
-    (local self (doto [] setup-server))
-    (let [message (dispatch.handle* self
-                     (message.create-request 2 :textDocument/definition
-                       {:position {:character char :line line}
-                        :textDocument {:uri (.. ROOT-URI "/" request-file)}}))
+    (let [client (create-client)
+          message (client:definition (.. ROOT-URI :/ request-file) line char)
           uri (.. ROOT-URI "/" response-file)]
       (is-matching
         message
-        [{:jsonrpc "2.0" :id 2
+        [{:jsonrpc "2.0" :id client.prev-id
           :result {: uri
                    :range {:start {:line start-line :character start-col}
                            :end   {:line end-line   :character end-col}}}}]
diff --git a/test/hover-test.fnl b/test/hover-test.fnl
index 37589cf..c6ac086 100644
--- a/test/hover-test.fnl
+++ b/test/hover-test.fnl
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 (local {: view} (require :fennel))
 (local {: ROOT-URI
-        : setup-server} (require :test.utils))
+        : create-client} (require :test.mock-client))
 
 (local dispatch (require :fennel-ls.dispatch))
 (local message  (require :fennel-ls.message))
@@ -11,14 +11,11 @@
 (describe "hover"
 
   (fn check [request-file line char response-string]
-    (local self (doto [] setup-server))
-    (let [message (dispatch.handle* self
-                     (message.create-request 2 "textDocument/hover"
-                       {:position {:character char :line line}
-                        :textDocument {:uri (.. ROOT-URI "/" request-file)}}))]
+    (let [self (create-client)
+          message (self:hover (.. ROOT-URI :/ request-file) line char)]
       (is-matching
         message
-        [{:jsonrpc "2.0" :id 2
+        [{:jsonrpc "2.0" :id self.prev-id
           :result
           {:contents
            {:kind "markdown"
@@ -50,12 +47,6 @@
     (check "hover.fnl" 9 14 "```fnl\n{:field1 10 :field2 :colon-string}\n```"))
 
   (it "hovers over literally the very first character"
-    (local state (doto [] setup-server))
-    (let [message (dispatch.handle* state
-                     (message.create-request 2 "textDocument/hover"
-                       {:position {:character 0 :line 0}
-                        :textDocument {:uri (.. ROOT-URI "/hover.fnl")}}))]
-      (is-matching
-        message
-        [{:jsonrpc "2.0" :id 2}]
-        ""))))
+    (let [self (create-client)
+          message (self:hover (.. ROOT-URI "/hover.fnl") 0 0)]
+      (is-matching message [{:jsonrpc "2.0" :id 2}] ""))))
diff --git a/test/init.fnl b/test/init.fnl
index 637dd75..d37d954 100644
--- a/test/init.fnl
+++ b/test/init.fnl
@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@
 (require :test.hover-test)
 (require :test.json-rpc-test)
 (require :test.misc-test)
-(require :test.string-processing-test)
+(require :test.references-test)
 (require :test.settings-test)
+(require :test.string-processing-test)
 
 (let [{: passes : errors} (require :test.lust)]
   (print (.. passes " passes. " errors " errors."))
diff --git a/test/misc-test.fnl b/test/misc-test.fnl
index 5c27364..2c71dff 100644
--- a/test/misc-test.fnl
+++ b/test/misc-test.fnl
@@ -2,10 +2,9 @@
 (local is (require :test.is))
 
 (local {: view &as fennel} (require :fennel))
-(local {: setup-server
-        : open-file
+(local {: create-client
         : ROOT-URI}
-  (require :test.utils))
+  (require :test.mock-client))
 
 (local language (require :fennel-ls.language))
 (local utils    (require :fennel-ls.utils))
@@ -33,22 +32,22 @@
 
 (describe "find-symbol"
   (it "finds a symbol and parents"
-    (local state (doto [] setup-server))
-    (open-file state filename "(match [1 2 4] [1 2 sym-one] sym-one)")
-    (local file (. state.files filename))
-    (local (symbol parents) (language.find-symbol file.ast 23))
-    (is.equal symbol (fennel.sym :sym-one))
-    (is-matching
-      ;; awful way to check AST equality, but I don't mind
-      parents [[1 2 [:sym-one]] [[:match] [1 2 4] [1 2 [:sym-one]] [:sym-one]]]
-      "bad parents"))
+    (let [state (doto (create-client)
+                  (: :open-file! filename "(match [1 2 4] [1 2 sym-one] sym-one)"))
+          file (. state.server.files filename)
+          (symbol parents) (language.find-symbol file.ast 23)]
+      (is.equal symbol (fennel.sym :sym-one))
+      (is-matching
+        ;; awful way to check AST equality, but I don't mind
+        parents [[1 2 [:sym-one]] [[:match] [1 2 4] [1 2 [:sym-one]] [:sym-one]]]
+        "bad parents")))
 
   (it "finds nothing, but still gives parents"
-    (local state (doto [] setup-server))
-    (open-file state filename "(match [1 2 4] [1 2 sym-one] sym-one)")
-    (local file (. state.files filename))
-    (local (symbol parents) (language.find-symbol file.ast 18))
-    (is.equal symbol nil)
-    (is-matching
-      parents [[1 2 [:sym-one]] [[:match] [1 2 4] [1 2 [:sym-one]] [:sym-one]]]
-      "bad parents")))
+    (let [state (doto (create-client)
+                  (: :open-file! filename "(match [1 2 4] [1 2 sym-one] sym-one)"))
+          file (. state.server.files filename)
+          (symbol parents) (language.find-symbol file.ast 18)]
+      (is.equal symbol nil)
+      (is-matching
+        parents [[1 2 [:sym-one]] [[:match] [1 2 4] [1 2 [:sym-one]] [:sym-one]]]
+        "bad parents"))))
diff --git a/test/mock-client.fnl b/test/mock-client.fnl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d5ffd0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/mock-client.fnl
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+(local dispatch (require :fennel-ls.dispatch))
+(local message (require :fennel-ls.message))
+
+(local ROOT-PATH
+  (-> (io.popen "pwd")
+      (: :read :*a)
+      (: :sub 1 -2) ;; take off newline
+      (.. "/test/test-project")))
+(local ROOT-URI
+  (.. "file://" ROOT-PATH))
+
+(local initialization-message
+  {:id 1
+   :jsonrpc "2.0"
+   :method "initialize"
+   :params
+   {:capabilities {}
+    :clientInfo {:name "Neovim" :version "0.7.2"}
+    :initializationOptions {}
+    :processId 16245
+    :rootPath ROOT-PATH
+    :rootUri ROOT-URI
+    :trace "off"
+    :workspaceFolders [{:name ROOT-PATH
+                        :uri ROOT-URI}]}})
+
+(local mt {})
+(fn create-client [?config]
+  (let [self (doto {:server [] :prev-id 1} (setmetatable mt))]
+    (dispatch.handle* self.server initialization-message)
+    (if ?config
+      (dispatch.handle* self.server {:jsonrpc "2.0"
+                                     :method :workspace/didChangeConfiguration
+                                     :params ?config}))
+    self))
+
+(fn next-id! [self]
+  (set self.prev-id (+ self.prev-id 1))
+  self.prev-id)
+
+(fn open-file! [self name text]
+  (dispatch.handle* self.server
+    (message.create-notification :textDocument/didOpen
+      {:textDocument
+       {:uri name
+        :languageId "fennel"
+        :version 1
+        : text}})))
+
+(fn completion [self file line character]
+  (dispatch.handle* self.server
+    (message.create-request (next-id! self) :textDocument/completion
+     {:position {: line : character}
+      :textDocument {:uri file}})))
+
+(fn definition [self file line character]
+  (dispatch.handle* self.server
+    (message.create-request (next-id! self) :textDocument/definition
+      {:position {: line : character}
+       :textDocument {:uri file}})))
+
+(fn hover [self file line character]
+  (dispatch.handle* self.server
+     (message.create-request (next-id! self) :textDocument/hover
+       {:position {: line : character}
+        :textDocument {:uri file}})))
+
+(fn references [self file line character ?includeDeclaration]
+  (dispatch.handle* self.server
+    (message.create-request (next-id! self) :textDocument/references
+     {:position {: line : character}
+      :textDocument {:uri file}
+      :context {:includeDeclaration ?includeDeclaration}})))
+
+(set mt.__index
+     {: open-file!
+      : completion
+      : definition
+      : hover
+      : references})
+
+{: create-client
+ : ROOT-URI}
diff --git a/test/references-test.fnl b/test/references-test.fnl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..647b3ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/references-test.fnl
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+(import-macros {: is-matching : describe : it : before-each} :test)
+(local is (require :test.is))
+
+(local {: view} (require :fennel))
+(local {: ROOT-URI
+        : create-client} (require :test.mock-client))
+
+(local filename (.. ROOT-URI "/imaginary-file.fnl"))
+
+(fn check-references [body line col expected]
+  (let [client (doto (create-client)
+                 (: :open-file! filename body))
+        response (client:references filename line col)]
+    (is.same response [])))
+
+(describe "references")
+  ; (it "finds a reference from let"
+  ;   (check-references "(let [x 10] x)" 0 1))) 
diff --git a/test/settings-test.fnl b/test/settings-test.fnl
index f78c932..fb5cbc3 100644
--- a/test/settings-test.fnl
+++ b/test/settings-test.fnl
@@ -3,21 +3,17 @@
 
 (local {: view} (require :fennel))
 (local {: ROOT-URI
-        : open-file
-        : setup-server} (require :test.utils))
+        : create-client} (require :test.mock-client))
 
 (local dispatch (require :fennel-ls.dispatch))
 (local message (require :fennel-ls.message))
 
 (describe "settings"
   (it "can set the path"
-    (local self (doto [] (setup-server {:fennel-ls {:fennel-path "./?/?.fnl"}})))
-    (open-file self (.. ROOT-URI :/test.fnl) "(local {: this-is-in-modname} (require :modname))")
-    (let [[{:result {:range message}}]
-          (dispatch.handle* self
-            (message.create-request 2 :textDocument/definition
-              {:position {:character 12 :line 0}
-               :textDocument {:uri (.. ROOT-URI :/test.fnl)}}))]
+    (let [client (doto (create-client {:fennel-ls {:fennel-path "./?/?.fnl"}})
+                   (: :open-file! (.. ROOT-URI :/test.fnl) "(local {: this-is-in-modname} (require :modname))"))
+          [{:result {:range message}}]
+          (client:definition (.. ROOT-URI :/test.fnl) 0 12)]
       (is.not.nil message)
       "body")))
 
diff --git a/test/utils.fnl b/test/utils.fnl
deleted file mode 100644
index 9b30b68..0000000
--- a/test/utils.fnl
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,50 +0,0 @@
-(local dispatch (require :fennel-ls.dispatch))
-(local message (require :fennel-ls.message))
-
-(local ROOT-PATH
-  (-> (io.popen "pwd")
-      (: :read :*a)
-      (: :sub 1 -2) ;; take off newline
-      (.. "/test/test-project")))
-(local ROOT-URI
-  (.. "file://" ROOT-PATH))
-
-(local initialization-message
-  {:id 1
-   :jsonrpc "2.0"
-   :method "initialize"
-   :params
-   {:capabilities {}
-    :clientInfo {:name "Neovim" :version "0.7.2"}
-    :initializationOptions {}
-    :processId 16245
-    :rootPath ROOT-PATH
-    :rootUri ROOT-URI
-    :trace "off"
-    :workspaceFolders [{:name ROOT-PATH
-                        :uri ROOT-URI}]}})
-
-(fn setup-server [self ?config]
-  (dispatch.handle* self initialization-message)
-  (if ?config
-    (dispatch.handle* self {:jsonrpc "2.0"
-                            :method :workspace/didChangeConfiguration
-                            :params ?config})))
-
-(fn open-file [self name text]
-  (dispatch.handle* self
-    (message.create-notification :textDocument/didOpen
-      {:textDocument
-       {:uri name
-        :languageId "fennel"
-        :version 1
-        : text}})))
-
-(fn completion-at [file line character]
-  (message.create-request 2 :textDocument/completion
-   {:position {: line : character} :textDocument {:uri file}}))
-
-{: ROOT-URI
- : setup-server
- : open-file
- : completion-at}