Index: src/test/java/org/openmrs/api/db/SerializedObjectDAOTest.java
===================================================================
--- src/test/java/org/openmrs/api/db/SerializedObjectDAOTest.java	(revision 17590)
+++ src/test/java/org/openmrs/api/db/SerializedObjectDAOTest.java	(working copy)
@@ -27,15 +27,12 @@
 import org.openmrs.report.ReportSchema;
 import org.openmrs.test.BaseContextSensitiveTest;
 import org.openmrs.test.StartModule;
-import org.openmrs.test.StartModuleExecutionListener;
 import org.openmrs.test.Verifies;
-import org.springframework.test.annotation.DirtiesContext;
 
 /**
  * This class tests the {@link SerializedObjectDAO} linked to from the Context. Currently that file
  * is the {@link HibernateSerializedObjectDAO}.
  */
-// The @StartModule also requires @DirtiesContext on last method in class
 @StartModule( { "org/openmrs/api/db/include/serialization.xstream-0.1.1.omod" })
 public class SerializedObjectDAOTest extends BaseContextSensitiveTest {
 	
@@ -141,15 +138,4 @@
 		assertEquals(1, l.size());
 	}
 	
-	/**
-	 * Must be the last method in this class so that the next class gets a clean spring app context
-	 * 
-	 * @see StartModuleExecutionListener
-	 * @see StartModule
-	 */
-	@DirtiesContext
-	@Test
-	public void shouldMarkContextAsDirty() {
-		// this is a dummy test just so the @DirtiesContext annotation is the last method
-	}
 }
Index: src/test/java/org/openmrs/module/ModuleInteroperabilityTest.java
===================================================================
--- src/test/java/org/openmrs/module/ModuleInteroperabilityTest.java	(revision 17590)
+++ src/test/java/org/openmrs/module/ModuleInteroperabilityTest.java	(working copy)
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 import org.openmrs.test.SkipBaseSetup;
 import org.openmrs.test.StartModule;
 import org.openmrs.util.OpenmrsClassLoader;
-import org.springframework.test.annotation.DirtiesContext;
 
 /**
  * Tests how modules interact and call each other. Both when loaded by Spring during OpenMRS startup
@@ -64,16 +63,4 @@
 		
 	}
 	
-	/**
-	 * Must be the last method in this class so that the next class gets a clean spring app context
-	 * 
-	 * @see StartModuleExecutionListener
-	 * @see StartModule
-	 */
-	@DirtiesContext
-	@Test
-	public void shouldMarkContextAsDirty() {
-		// this is a dummy test just so the @DirtiesContext annotation is the last method
-	}
-	
 }
Index: src/test/java/org/openmrs/test/StartModuleExecutionListener.java
===================================================================
--- src/test/java/org/openmrs/test/StartModuleExecutionListener.java	(revision 17590)
+++ src/test/java/org/openmrs/test/StartModuleExecutionListener.java	(working copy)
@@ -19,22 +19,19 @@
 import org.junit.Assert;
 import org.openmrs.api.context.Context;
 import org.openmrs.api.db.SerializedObjectDAOTest;
-import org.openmrs.module.Module;
-import org.openmrs.module.ModuleClassLoader;
 import org.openmrs.module.ModuleConstants;
 import org.openmrs.module.ModuleFactory;
 import org.openmrs.module.ModuleInteroperabilityTest;
 import org.openmrs.module.ModuleUtil;
-import org.springframework.context.support.ClassPathXmlApplicationContext;
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.xml.XmlBeanDefinitionReader;
+import org.springframework.context.support.GenericApplicationContext;
+import org.springframework.core.io.ClassPathResource;
 import org.springframework.test.context.TestContext;
 import org.springframework.test.context.support.AbstractTestExecutionListener;
 
 /**
- * To use this annotation:
- * <ol>
- * <li>Add the @StartModule( { "/path/to/your/module.omod" } ) annotation to the test class
- * <li>Add the @DirtiesContext method to the last test method in the class
- * </ol>
+ * To use this annotation, add the @StartModule( { "/path/to/your/module.omod" } ) annotation to the
+ * test class
  * 
  * @see SerializedObjectDAOTest
  * @see ModuleInteroperabilityTest
@@ -83,9 +80,16 @@
 				        + " modules started instead of " + startModuleAnnotation.value().length, startModuleAnnotation
 				        .value().length <= ModuleFactory.getStartedModules().size());
 				
-				// refresh spring so the Services are recreated (aka serializer gets put into the SerializationService)
-				new ClassPathXmlApplicationContext(new String[] { "applicationContext-service.xml",
-				        "classpath*:moduleApplicationContext.xml" });
+				/*
+				 * Refresh spring so the Services are recreated (aka serializer gets put into the SerializationService)
+				 * To do this, wrap the applicationContext from the testContext into a GenericApplicationContext, allowing
+				 * loading beans from moduleApplicationContext into it and then calling ctx.refresh()
+				 * This approach ensures that the application context remains consistent
+				 */
+				GenericApplicationContext ctx = new GenericApplicationContext(testContext.getApplicationContext());
+				XmlBeanDefinitionReader xmlReader = new XmlBeanDefinitionReader(ctx);
+				xmlReader.loadBeanDefinitions(new ClassPathResource("moduleApplicationContext.xml"));
+				ctx.refresh();
 				
 				// session is closed by the test framework
 				//Context.closeSession();