diff --git a/spec/compiler/codegen/private_spec.cr b/spec/compiler/codegen/private_spec.cr
index c2f490beb978..acce83b67580 100644
--- a/spec/compiler/codegen/private_spec.cr
+++ b/spec/compiler/codegen/private_spec.cr
@@ -2,84 +2,52 @@ require "../../spec_helper"
 
 describe "Codegen: private" do
   it "codegens private def in same file" do
-    compiler = create_spec_compiler
-    sources = [
-      Compiler::Source.new("foo.cr", %(
-                                        private def foo
-                                          1
-                                        end
-
-                                        foo
-                                      )),
-    ]
-    compiler.prelude = "empty"
+    compile(<<-CRYSTAL)
+      private def foo
+        1
+      end
 
-    with_temp_executable "crystal-spec-output" do |output_filename|
-      compiler.compile sources, output_filename
-    end
+      foo
+      CRYSTAL
   end
 
   it "codegens overloaded private def in same file" do
-    compiler = create_spec_compiler
-    sources = [
-      Compiler::Source.new("foo.cr", %(
-                                        private def foo(x : Int32)
-                                          1
-                                        end
-
-                                        private def foo(x : Char)
-                                          2
-                                        end
+    compile(<<-CRYSTAL)
+      private def foo(x : Int32)
+        1
+      end
 
-                                        a = 3 || 'a'
-                                        foo a
-                                      )),
-    ]
-    compiler.prelude = "empty"
+      private def foo(x : Char)
+        2
+      end
 
-    with_temp_executable "crystal-spec-output" do |output_filename|
-      compiler.compile sources, output_filename
-    end
+      a = 3 || 'a'
+      foo a
+      CRYSTAL
   end
 
   it "codegens class var of private type with same name as public type (#11620)" do
-    src1 = Compiler::Source.new("foo.cr", <<-CRYSTAL)
+    compile(<<-CRYSTAL, <<-CRYSTAL)
       module Foo
         @@x = true
       end
-      CRYSTAL
-
-    src2 = Compiler::Source.new("foo_private.cr", <<-CRYSTAL)
+    CRYSTAL
       private module Foo
         @@x = 1
       end
-      CRYSTAL
-
-    compiler = create_spec_compiler
-    compiler.prelude = "empty"
-    with_temp_executable "crystal-spec-output" do |output_filename|
-      compiler.compile [src1, src2], output_filename
-    end
+    CRYSTAL
   end
 
   it "codegens class vars of private types with same name (#11620)" do
-    src1 = Compiler::Source.new("foo1.cr", <<-CRYSTAL)
+    compile(<<-CRYSTAL, <<-CRYSTAL)
       private module Foo
         @@x = true
       end
-      CRYSTAL
-
-    src2 = Compiler::Source.new("foo2.cr", <<-CRYSTAL)
+    CRYSTAL
       private module Foo
         @@x = 1
       end
-      CRYSTAL
-
-    compiler = create_spec_compiler
-    compiler.prelude = "empty"
-    with_temp_executable "crystal-spec-output" do |output_filename|
-      compiler.compile [src1, src2], output_filename
-    end
+    CRYSTAL
   end
 
   it "doesn't include filename for private types" do
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.cr b/spec/spec_helper.cr
index 12ea6220c225..2244abc6fb97 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.cr
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.cr
@@ -228,6 +228,26 @@ def codegen(code, *, inject_primitives = true, single_module = false, debug = Cr
   result.program.codegen(result.node, single_module: single_module, debug: debug)[""].mod
 end
 
+def compile(*codes, prelude = "empty", debug = Crystal::Debug::None, target = nil)
+  sources = codes.map_with_index do |code, index|
+    Compiler::Source.new("file#{index}.cr", code)
+  end.to_a
+
+  compiler = create_spec_compiler
+  compiler.prelude = prelude
+  compiler.debug = debug
+  compiler.stdout = IO::Memory.new # don't print anything
+
+  if target
+    compiler.cross_compile = true # skip linker
+    compiler.codegen_target = Crystal::Codegen::Target.new(target)
+  end
+
+  with_temp_executable("crystal-spec-output") do |output_filename|
+    compiler.compile(sources, output_filename)
+  end
+end
+
 private def new_program
   program = Program.new
   program.color = false