diff --git a/spec/fabricators/topic_fabricator.rb b/spec/fabricators/topic_fabricator.rb
index f6d737cf092..18c37bd6c3e 100644
--- a/spec/fabricators/topic_fabricator.rb
+++ b/spec/fabricators/topic_fabricator.rb
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ Fabricator(:group_private_message_topic, from: :topic) do
 end
 
 Fabricator(:new_reply_topic, from: :topic) do
+  transient count: 1
   transient :current_user
 
   before_create do |topic, transient|
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ Fabricator(:new_reply_topic, from: :topic) do
   end
 
   after_create do |topic, transient|
-    Fabricate.times(2, :post, topic: topic)
+    Fabricate.times(transient[:count] + 1, :post, topic: topic)
     TopicUser.change(
       transient[:current_user].id,
       topic.id,
@@ -55,3 +56,18 @@ Fabricator(:new_reply_topic, from: :topic) do
     TopicUser.update_last_read(transient[:current_user], topic.id, 1, 1, 1)
   end
 end
+
+Fabricator(:read_topic, from: :topic) do
+  transient :current_user
+
+  before_create do |topic, transient|
+    if !transient[:current_user]
+      raise "new_reply_topic fabricator requires the `current_user` param"
+    end
+  end
+
+  after_create do |topic, transient|
+    Fabricate(:post, topic: topic)
+    TopicUser.update_last_read(transient[:current_user], topic.id, 1, 1, 1)
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/requests/list_controller_spec.rb b/spec/requests/list_controller_spec.rb
index 17045a88374..050ce2e0ed4 100644
--- a/spec/requests/list_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/list_controller_spec.rb
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ RSpec.describe ListController do
       it "should display moderator group private messages for a moderator" do
         moderator = Fabricate(:moderator)
         group = Group.find(Group::AUTO_GROUPS[:moderators])
-        topic = Fabricate(:private_message_topic, allowed_groups: [group])
+        Fabricate(:private_message_topic, allowed_groups: [group])
 
         sign_in(moderator)
 
@@ -1518,56 +1518,30 @@ RSpec.describe ListController do
       response.parsed_body["topic_list"]["topics"].map { |topics| topics["id"] }
     end
 
-    def make_topic_with_unread_replies(topic, user)
-      TopicUser.change(
-        user.id,
-        topic.id,
-        notification_level: TopicUser.notification_levels[:tracking],
-      )
-      TopicUser.update_last_read(user, topic.id, 1, 1, 1)
-      Fabricate(:post, topic: topic)
-      topic
-    end
-
-    def make_topic_read(topic, user)
-      TopicUser.update_last_read(user, topic.id, 1, 1, 1)
-      topic
-    end
-
     context "when the user is part of the `experimental_new_new_view_groups` site setting group" do
       fab!(:category)
       fab!(:tag)
 
-      fab!(:new_reply) { make_topic_with_unread_replies(Fabricate(:post).topic, user) }
+      fab!(:new_reply) { Fabricate(:new_reply_topic, current_user: user) }
       fab!(:new_topic) { Fabricate(:post).topic }
-      fab!(:old_topic) { make_topic_read(Fabricate(:post).topic, user) }
+      fab!(:old_topic) { Fabricate(:read_topic, current_user: user) }
 
       fab!(:new_reply_in_category) do
-        make_topic_with_unread_replies(
-          Fabricate(:post, topic: Fabricate(:topic, category: category)).topic,
-          user,
-        )
+        Fabricate(:new_reply_topic, category: category, current_user: user)
       end
       fab!(:new_topic_in_category) do
         Fabricate(:post, topic: Fabricate(:topic, category: category)).topic
       end
       fab!(:old_topic_in_category) do
-        make_topic_read(Fabricate(:post, topic: Fabricate(:topic, category: category)).topic, user)
+        Fabricate(:read_topic, category: category, current_user: user)
       end
 
-      fab!(:new_reply_with_tag) do
-        make_topic_with_unread_replies(
-          Fabricate(:post, topic: Fabricate(:topic, tags: [tag])).topic,
-          user,
-        )
-      end
+      fab!(:new_reply_with_tag) { Fabricate(:new_reply_topic, tags: [tag], current_user: user) }
       fab!(:new_topic_with_tag) { Fabricate(:post, topic: Fabricate(:topic, tags: [tag])).topic }
-      fab!(:old_topic_with_tag) do
-        make_topic_read(Fabricate(:post, topic: Fabricate(:topic, tags: [tag])).topic, user)
-      end
+      fab!(:old_topic_with_tag) { Fabricate(:read_topic, tags: [tag], current_user: user) }
 
       before do
-        make_topic_read(topic, user)
+        TopicUser.update_last_read(user, topic.id, 1, 1, 1)
 
         SiteSetting.experimental_new_new_view_groups = group.name
         group.add(user)
diff --git a/spec/system/new_topic_list_spec.rb b/spec/system/new_topic_list_spec.rb
index a80f3bdf029..c52e716ebbd 100644
--- a/spec/system/new_topic_list_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/system/new_topic_list_spec.rb
@@ -6,65 +6,23 @@ describe "New topic list", type: :system do
   fab!(:category)
   fab!(:tag)
 
-  fab!(:new_reply) do
-    Fabricate(:post).topic.tap do |topic|
-      TopicUser.change(
-        user.id,
-        topic.id,
-        notification_level: TopicUser.notification_levels[:tracking],
-      )
-      TopicUser.update_last_read(user, topic.id, 1, 1, 1)
-      Fabricate(:post, topic: topic)
-    end
-  end
-
+  fab!(:new_reply) { Fabricate(:new_reply_topic, current_user: user) }
   fab!(:new_topic) { Fabricate(:post).topic }
-
-  fab!(:old_topic) do
-    Fabricate(:post).topic.tap { |topic| TopicUser.update_last_read(user, topic.id, 1, 1, 1) }
-  end
+  fab!(:old_topic) { Fabricate(:read_topic, current_user: user) }
 
   fab!(:new_reply_in_category) do
-    Fabricate(:post, topic: Fabricate(:topic, category: category)).topic.tap do |topic|
-      TopicUser.change(
-        user.id,
-        topic.id,
-        notification_level: TopicUser.notification_levels[:tracking],
-      )
-      TopicUser.update_last_read(user, topic.id, 1, 1, 1)
-      Fabricate(:post, topic: topic)
-    end
+    Fabricate(:new_reply_topic, category: category, current_user: user)
   end
 
   fab!(:new_topic_in_category) do
     Fabricate(:post, topic: Fabricate(:topic, category: category)).topic
   end
 
-  fab!(:old_topic_in_category) do
-    Fabricate(:post, topic: Fabricate(:topic, category: category)).topic.tap do |topic|
-      TopicUser.update_last_read(user, topic.id, 1, 1, 1)
-    end
-  end
-
-  fab!(:new_reply_with_tag) do
-    Fabricate(:post, topic: Fabricate(:topic, tags: [tag])).topic.tap do |topic|
-      TopicUser.change(
-        user.id,
-        topic.id,
-        notification_level: TopicUser.notification_levels[:tracking],
-      )
-      TopicUser.update_last_read(user, topic.id, 1, 1, 1)
-      Fabricate(:post, topic: topic)
-    end
-  end
+  fab!(:old_topic_in_category) { Fabricate(:read_topic, category: category, current_user: user) }
+  fab!(:new_reply_with_tag) { Fabricate(:new_reply_topic, tags: [tag], current_user: user) }
 
   fab!(:new_topic_with_tag) { Fabricate(:post, topic: Fabricate(:topic, tags: [tag])).topic }
-
-  fab!(:old_topic_with_tag) do
-    Fabricate(:post, topic: Fabricate(:topic, tags: [tag])).topic.tap do |topic|
-      TopicUser.update_last_read(user, topic.id, 1, 1, 1)
-    end
-  end
+  fab!(:old_topic_with_tag) { Fabricate(:read_topic, tags: [tag], current_user: user) }
 
   let(:topic_list) { PageObjects::Components::TopicList.new }
   let(:tabs_toggle) { PageObjects::Components::NewTopicListToggle.new }
diff --git a/spec/system/topic_list/glimmer_spec.rb b/spec/system/topic_list/glimmer_spec.rb
index e3db3e7e518..f838b026908 100644
--- a/spec/system/topic_list/glimmer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/system/topic_list/glimmer_spec.rb
@@ -60,17 +60,7 @@ describe "glimmer topic list", type: :system do
     it "shows the list" do
       topic1 = Fabricate(:post).topic
       topic2 = Fabricate(:post).topic
-
-      new_reply =
-        Fabricate(:post).topic.tap do |topic|
-          TopicUser.change(
-            user.id,
-            topic.id,
-            notification_level: TopicUser.notification_levels[:tracking],
-          )
-          TopicUser.update_last_read(user, topic.id, 1, 1, 1)
-          Fabricate.times(3, :post, topic: topic)
-        end
+      new_reply = Fabricate(:new_reply_topic, current_user: user, count: 3)
 
       visit(topic1.relative_url)