diff --git a/tests/bootstrap.php b/tests/bootstrap.php
index fa4bf9ab5de..aebb20063c6 100644
--- a/tests/bootstrap.php
+++ b/tests/bootstrap.php
@@ -10,14 +10,13 @@ class WC_Unit_Tests_Bootstrap {
 	protected static $instance = null;
 
 	/** @var string directory where wordpress-tests-lib is installed */
-	protected $wp_tests_dir;
+	public $wp_tests_dir;
 
 	/** @var string testing directory */
-	protected $tests_dir;
+	public $tests_dir;
 
 	/** @var string plugin directory */
-	protected $plugin_dir;
-
+	public $plugin_dir;
 
 	/**
 	 * Setup the unit testing environment
@@ -33,36 +32,50 @@ class WC_Unit_Tests_Bootstrap {
 		$this->plugin_dir   = dirname( $this->tests_dir );
 		$this->wp_tests_dir = getenv( 'WP_TESTS_DIR' ) ? getenv( 'WP_TESTS_DIR' ) : $this->plugin_dir . '/tmp/wordpress-tests-lib';
 
+		// load test function so tests_add_filter() is available
+		require_once( $this->wp_tests_dir . '/includes/functions.php' );
+
+		// load WC
+		tests_add_filter( 'muplugins_loaded', array( $this, 'load_wc' ) );
+
+		// install WC
+		tests_add_filter( 'setup_theme', array( $this, 'install_wc' ) );
+
 		// load the WP testing environment
 		require_once( $this->wp_tests_dir . '/includes/bootstrap.php' );
 
-		$this->install_wc();
-
-		activate_plugin( 'woocommerce/woocommerce.php' );
-
+		// load WC testing framework
 		$this->includes();
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Load WooCommerce
+	 *
+	 * @since 2.2
+	 */
+	public function load_wc() {
+		require_once( $this->plugin_dir . '/woocommerce.php' );
+	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Install WooCommerce after the test environment has loaded, but prior
-	 * to activating the plugin
+	 * Install WooCommerce after the test environment and WC have been loaded
 	 *
 	 * @since 2.2
 	 */
 	public function install_wc() {
 
-		echo 'Installing WooCommerce...' . PHP_EOL;
-
-		require_once( $this->plugin_dir . '/woocommerce.php' );
+		// clean existing install first
+		define( 'WP_UNINSTALL_PLUGIN', true );
+		include( $this->plugin_dir . '/uninstall.php' );
 
 		$installer = include( $this->plugin_dir . '/includes/class-wc-install.php' );
 		$installer->install();
 
-		$GLOBALS['current_user'] = new WP_User(1);
-		$GLOBALS['current_user']->set_role('administrator');
-	}
+		// reload capabilities after install, see https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/28374
+		$GLOBALS['wp_roles']->reinit();
 
+		echo "Installing WooCommerce..." . PHP_EOL;
+	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Load WC-specific test cases and factories
@@ -76,7 +89,6 @@ class WC_Unit_Tests_Bootstrap {
 		require_once( $this->tests_dir . '/framework/class-wc-api-unit-test-case.php' );
 	}
 
-
 	/**
 	 * Get the single class instance
 	 *