diff --git a/tests/test_iot/test_iot.py b/tests/test_iot/test_iot.py
index edf623532..394317fc6 100644
--- a/tests/test_iot/test_iot.py
+++ b/tests/test_iot/test_iot.py
@@ -9,6 +9,37 @@ from botocore.exceptions import ClientError
 from nose.tools import assert_raises
 
 
+def generate_thing_group_tree(iot_client, tree_dict, _parent=None):
+    """
+    Generates a thing group tree given the input tree structure.
+    :param iot_client: the iot client for boto3
+    :param tree_dict: dictionary with the key being the group_name, and the value being a sub tree.
+        tree_dict = {
+            "group_name_1a":{
+                "group_name_2a":{
+                    "group_name_3a":{} or None
+                },
+            },
+            "group_name_1b":{}
+        }
+    :return: a dictionary of created groups, keyed by group name
+    """
+    if tree_dict is None:
+        tree_dict = {}
+    created_dict = {}
+    for group_name in tree_dict.keys():
+        params = {"thingGroupName": group_name}
+        if _parent:
+            params["parentGroupName"] = _parent
+        created_group = iot_client.create_thing_group(**params)
+        created_dict[group_name] = created_group
+        subtree_dict = generate_thing_group_tree(
+            iot_client=iot_client, tree_dict=tree_dict[group_name], _parent=group_name
+        )
+        created_dict = {**created_dict, **subtree_dict}
+    return created_dict
+
+
 @mock_iot
 def test_attach_policy():
     client = boto3.client("iot", region_name="ap-northeast-1")
@@ -767,57 +798,14 @@ def test_list_thing_groups():
     group_name_3b = "my-group-name-3b"
     group_name_3c = "my-group-name-3c"
     group_name_3d = "my-group-name-3d"
-
-    # --1a
-    #    |--2a
-    #    |   |--3a
-    #    |   |--3b
-    #    |
-    #    |--2b
-    #        |--3c
-    #        |--3d
-    # --1b
-
-    # create thing groups tree
-    # 1
-    thing_group1a = client.create_thing_group(thingGroupName=group_name_1a)
-    thing_group1a.should.have.key("thingGroupName").which.should.equal(group_name_1a)
-    thing_group1a.should.have.key("thingGroupArn")
-    thing_group1b = client.create_thing_group(thingGroupName=group_name_1b)
-    thing_group1b.should.have.key("thingGroupName").which.should.equal(group_name_1b)
-    thing_group1b.should.have.key("thingGroupArn")
-    # 2
-    thing_group2a = client.create_thing_group(
-        thingGroupName=group_name_2a, parentGroupName=group_name_1a
-    )
-    thing_group2a.should.have.key("thingGroupName").which.should.equal(group_name_2a)
-    thing_group2a.should.have.key("thingGroupArn")
-    thing_group2b = client.create_thing_group(
-        thingGroupName=group_name_2b, parentGroupName=group_name_1a
-    )
-    thing_group2b.should.have.key("thingGroupName").which.should.equal(group_name_2b)
-    thing_group2b.should.have.key("thingGroupArn")
-    # 3
-    thing_group3a = client.create_thing_group(
-        thingGroupName=group_name_3a, parentGroupName=group_name_2a
-    )
-    thing_group3a.should.have.key("thingGroupName").which.should.equal(group_name_3a)
-    thing_group3a.should.have.key("thingGroupArn")
-    thing_group3b = client.create_thing_group(
-        thingGroupName=group_name_3b, parentGroupName=group_name_2a
-    )
-    thing_group3b.should.have.key("thingGroupName").which.should.equal(group_name_3b)
-    thing_group3b.should.have.key("thingGroupArn")
-    thing_group3c = client.create_thing_group(
-        thingGroupName=group_name_3c, parentGroupName=group_name_2b
-    )
-    thing_group3c.should.have.key("thingGroupName").which.should.equal(group_name_3c)
-    thing_group3c.should.have.key("thingGroupArn")
-    thing_group3d = client.create_thing_group(
-        thingGroupName=group_name_3d, parentGroupName=group_name_2b
-    )
-    thing_group3d.should.have.key("thingGroupName").which.should.equal(group_name_3d)
-    thing_group3d.should.have.key("thingGroupArn")
+    tree_dict = {
+        group_name_1a: {
+            group_name_2a: {group_name_3a: {} or None, group_name_3b: {} or None},
+            group_name_2b: {group_name_3c: {} or None, group_name_3d: {} or None},
+        },
+        group_name_1b: {},
+    }
+    group_catalog = generate_thing_group_tree(client, tree_dict)
 
     # begin tests
     # should list all groups