diff --git a/gulp/gulp-tests.js b/gulp/gulp-tests.js
index c3445874fa..d61ead1c98 100644
--- a/gulp/gulp-tests.js
+++ b/gulp/gulp-tests.js
@@ -3,9 +3,7 @@ import { exec } from 'child_process';
 import gulp from 'gulp';
 import os from 'os';
 import nconf from 'nconf';
-import {
-  pipe,
-} from './taskHelper';
+import { pipe } from './taskHelper';
 import {
   getDevelopmentConnectionUrl,
   getDefaultConnectionOptions,
@@ -21,15 +19,16 @@ const TEST_DB_URI = nconf.get('TEST_DB_URI');
 const SANITY_TEST_COMMAND = 'npm run test:sanity';
 const COMMON_TEST_COMMAND = 'npm run test:common';
 const CONTENT_TEST_COMMAND = 'npm run test:content';
-const CONTENT_OPTIONS = { maxBuffer: 1024 * 500 };
+const LIMIT_MAX_BUFFER_OPTIONS = { maxBuffer: 1024 * 500 };
 
-/* Helper methods for reporting test summary */
+/* Helper method for reporting test summary */
 const testResults = [];
 const testCount = (stdout, regexp) => {
   const match = stdout.match(regexp);
   return parseInt(match && (match[1] || 0), 10);
 };
 
+/* Helper methods to correctly run child test processes */
 const testBin = (string, additionalEnvVariables = '') => {
   if (os.platform() === 'win32') {
     if (additionalEnvVariables !== '') {
@@ -41,6 +40,15 @@ const testBin = (string, additionalEnvVariables = '') => {
   return `NODE_ENV=test ${additionalEnvVariables} ${string}`;
 };
 
+function runInChildProcess (command, options = {}, envVariables = '') {
+  return done => pipe(exec(testBin(command, envVariables), options, done));
+}
+
+function integrationTestCommand (testDir, coverageDir) {
+  return `istanbul cover --dir coverage/${coverageDir} --report lcovonly node_modules/mocha/bin/_mocha -- ${testDir} --recursive --require ./test/helpers/start-server`;
+}
+
+/* Test task definitions */
 gulp.task('test:nodemon', gulp.series(done => {
   process.env.PORT = TEST_SERVER_PORT; // eslint-disable-line no-process-env
   process.env.NODE_DB_URI = TEST_DB_URI; // eslint-disable-line no-process-env
@@ -82,31 +90,9 @@ gulp.task('test:prepare', gulp.series(
   done => done(),
 ));
 
-gulp.task('test:sanity', cb => {
-  const runner = exec(
-    testBin(SANITY_TEST_COMMAND),
-    err => {
-      if (err) {
-        process.exit(1);
-      }
-      cb();
-    },
-  );
-  pipe(runner);
-});
+gulp.task('test:sanity', runInChildProcess(SANITY_TEST_COMMAND));
 
-gulp.task('test:common', gulp.series('test:prepare:build', cb => {
-  const runner = exec(
-    testBin(COMMON_TEST_COMMAND),
-    err => {
-      if (err) {
-        process.exit(1);
-      }
-      cb();
-    },
-  );
-  pipe(runner);
-}));
+gulp.task('test:common', gulp.series('test:prepare:build', runInChildProcess(COMMON_TEST_COMMAND)));
 
 gulp.task('test:common:clean', cb => {
   pipe(exec(testBin(COMMON_TEST_COMMAND), () => cb()));
@@ -130,22 +116,11 @@ gulp.task('test:common:safe', gulp.series('test:prepare:build', cb => {
   pipe(runner);
 }));
 
-gulp.task('test:content', gulp.series('test:prepare:build', cb => {
-  const runner = exec(
-    testBin(CONTENT_TEST_COMMAND),
-    CONTENT_OPTIONS,
-    err => {
-      if (err) {
-        process.exit(1);
-      }
-      cb();
-    },
-  );
-  pipe(runner);
-}));
+gulp.task('test:content', gulp.series('test:prepare:build',
+  runInChildProcess(CONTENT_TEST_COMMAND, LIMIT_MAX_BUFFER_OPTIONS)));
 
 gulp.task('test:content:clean', cb => {
-  pipe(exec(testBin(CONTENT_TEST_COMMAND), CONTENT_OPTIONS, () => cb()));
+  pipe(exec(testBin(CONTENT_TEST_COMMAND), LIMIT_MAX_BUFFER_OPTIONS, () => cb()));
 });
 
 gulp.task('test:content:watch', gulp.series('test:content:clean', () => gulp.watch(['common/script/content/**', 'test/**'], gulp.series('test:content:clean', done => done()))));
@@ -153,7 +128,7 @@ gulp.task('test:content:watch', gulp.series('test:content:clean', () => gulp.wat
 gulp.task('test:content:safe', gulp.series('test:prepare:build', cb => {
   const runner = exec(
     testBin(CONTENT_TEST_COMMAND),
-    CONTENT_OPTIONS,
+    LIMIT_MAX_BUFFER_OPTIONS,
     (err, stdout) => { // eslint-disable-line handle-callback-err
       testResults.push({
         suite: 'Content Specs\t',
@@ -167,76 +142,39 @@ gulp.task('test:content:safe', gulp.series('test:prepare:build', cb => {
   pipe(runner);
 }));
 
-gulp.task('test:api:unit:run', done => {
-  const runner = exec(
-    testBin('istanbul cover --dir coverage/api-unit node_modules/mocha/bin/_mocha -- test/api/unit --recursive --require ./test/helpers/start-server'),
-    err => {
-      if (err) {
-        process.exit(1);
-      }
-      done();
-    },
-  );
-
-  pipe(runner);
-});
+gulp.task('test:api:unit:run',
+  runInChildProcess(integrationTestCommand('test/api/unit', 'coverage/api-unit')));
 
 gulp.task('test:api:unit:watch', () => gulp.watch(['website/server/libs/*', 'test/api/unit/**/*', 'website/server/controllers/**/*'], gulp.series('test:api:unit:run', done => done())));
 
-gulp.task('test:api-v3:integration', gulp.series('test:prepare:mongo', done => {
-  const runner = exec(
-    testBin('istanbul cover --dir coverage/api-v3-integration --report lcovonly node_modules/mocha/bin/_mocha -- test/api/v3/integration --recursive --require ./test/helpers/start-server'),
-    { maxBuffer: 500 * 1024 },
-    err => {
-      if (err) {
-        process.exit(1);
-      }
-      done();
-    },
-  );
-
-  pipe(runner);
-}));
+gulp.task('test:api-v3:integration', gulp.series('test:prepare:mongo',
+  runInChildProcess(
+    integrationTestCommand('test/api/v3/integration', 'coverage/api-v3-integration'),
+    LIMIT_MAX_BUFFER_OPTIONS,
+  )));
 
 gulp.task('test:api-v3:integration:watch', () => gulp.watch([
   'website/server/controllers/api-v3/**/*', 'common/script/ops/*', 'website/server/libs/*.js',
   'test/api/v3/integration/**/*',
 ], gulp.series('test:api-v3:integration', done => done())));
 
-gulp.task('test:api-v3:integration:separate-server', done => {
-  const runner = exec(
-    testBin('mocha test/api/v3/integration --recursive --require ./test/helpers/start-server', 'LOAD_SERVER=0'),
-    { maxBuffer: 500 * 1024 },
-    err => done(err),
-  );
+gulp.task('test:api-v3:integration:separate-server', runInChildProcess(
+  'mocha test/api/v3/integration --recursive --require ./test/helpers/start-server',
+  LIMIT_MAX_BUFFER_OPTIONS,
+  'LOAD_SERVER=0',
+));
 
-  pipe(runner);
-});
+gulp.task('test:api-v4:integration', gulp.series('test:prepare:mongo',
+  runInChildProcess(
+    integrationTestCommand('test/api/v4', 'api-v4-integration'),
+    LIMIT_MAX_BUFFER_OPTIONS,
+  )));
 
-gulp.task('test:api-v4:integration', gulp.series('test:prepare:mongo', done => {
-  const runner = exec(
-    testBin('istanbul cover --dir coverage/api-v4-integration --report lcovonly node_modules/mocha/bin/_mocha -- test/api/v4 --recursive --require ./test/helpers/start-server'),
-    { maxBuffer: 500 * 1024 },
-    err => {
-      if (err) {
-        process.exit(1);
-      }
-      done();
-    },
-  );
-
-  pipe(runner);
-}));
-
-gulp.task('test:api-v4:integration:separate-server', done => {
-  const runner = exec(
-    testBin('mocha test/api/v4 --recursive --require ./test/helpers/start-server', 'LOAD_SERVER=0'),
-    { maxBuffer: 500 * 1024 },
-    err => done(err),
-  );
-
-  pipe(runner);
-});
+gulp.task('test:api-v4:integration:separate-server', runInChildProcess(
+  'mocha test/api/v4 --recursive --require ./test/helpers/start-server',
+  LIMIT_MAX_BUFFER_OPTIONS,
+  'LOAD_SERVER=0',
+));
 
 gulp.task('test:api:unit', gulp.series(
   'test:prepare:mongo',
diff --git a/test/api/unit/libs/xmlMarshaller.test.js b/test/api/unit/libs/xmlMarshaller.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..73633a4c30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/api/unit/libs/xmlMarshaller.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+import * as xmlMarshaller from '../../../../website/server/libs/xmlMarshaller';
+
+describe('xml marshaller marshalls user data', () => {
+  const minimumUser = {
+    pinnedItems: [],
+    unpinnedItems: [],
+    inbox: {},
+  };
+
+  function userDataWith (fields) {
+    return { ...minimumUser, ...fields };
+  }
+
+  it('maps the newMessages field to have id as a value in a list.', () => {
+    const userData = userDataWith({
+      newMessages: {
+        '283171a5-422c-4991-bc78-95b1b5b51629': {
+          name: 'The Language Hackers',
+          value: true,
+        },
+        '283171a6-422c-4991-bc78-95b1b5b51629': {
+          name: 'The Bug Hackers',
+          value: false,
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    const xml = xmlMarshaller.marshallUserData(userData);
+
+    expect(xml).to.equal(`<user>
+    <inbox/>
+    <newMessages>
+        <id>283171a5-422c-4991-bc78-95b1b5b51629</id>
+        <name>The Language Hackers</name>
+        <value>true</value>
+    </newMessages>
+    <newMessages>
+        <id>283171a6-422c-4991-bc78-95b1b5b51629</id>
+        <name>The Bug Hackers</name>
+        <value>false</value>
+    </newMessages>
+</user>`);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/website/server/controllers/top-level/dataexport.js b/website/server/controllers/top-level/dataexport.js
index 2a17f4e5e4..fd9a10c8bf 100644
--- a/website/server/controllers/top-level/dataexport.js
+++ b/website/server/controllers/top-level/dataexport.js
@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
 import _ from 'lodash';
 import moment from 'moment';
-import * as js2xml from 'js2xmlparser';
 // import Pageres from 'pageres';
 // import nconf from 'nconf';
 // import got from 'got';
 import md from 'habitica-markdown';
 import csvStringify from '../../libs/csvStringify';
-import {
-  NotFound,
-} from '../../libs/errors';
+import { marshallUserData } from '../../libs/xmlMarshaller';
+import { NotFound } from '../../libs/errors';
 import * as Tasks from '../../models/task';
 import * as inboxLib from '../../libs/inbox';
 // import { model as User } from '../../models/user';
@@ -85,7 +83,7 @@ api.exportUserHistory = {
 
 // Convert user to json and attach tasks divided by type and inbox messages
 // at user.tasks[`${taskType}s`] (user.tasks.{dailys/habits/...})
-async function _getUserDataForExport (user, xmlMode = false) {
+async function _getUserDataForExport (user) {
   const userData = user.toJSON();
   userData.tasks = {};
 
@@ -108,29 +106,6 @@ async function _getUserDataForExport (user, xmlMode = false) {
       userData.tasks[`${taskType}s`] = tasksPerType;
     });
 
-  if (xmlMode) {
-    // object maps cant be parsed
-    userData.inbox.messages = _(userData.inbox.messages)
-      .map(m => {
-        const flags = Object.keys(m.flags);
-        m.flags = flags;
-
-        return m;
-      })
-      .value();
-
-    // _id gets parsed as an bytearray => which gets casted to a chararray => "weird chars"
-    userData.unpinnedItems = userData.unpinnedItems.map(i => ({
-      path: i.path,
-      type: i.type,
-    }));
-
-    userData.pinnedItems = userData.pinnedItems.map(i => ({
-      path: i.path,
-      type: i.type,
-    }));
-  }
-
   return userData;
 }
 
@@ -171,13 +146,8 @@ api.exportUserDataXml = {
   url: '/export/userdata.xml',
   middlewares: [authWithSession],
   async handler (req, res) {
-    const userData = await _getUserDataForExport(res.locals.user, true);
-    const xmlData = js2xml.parse('user', userData, {
-      cdataInvalidChars: true,
-      declaration: {
-        include: false,
-      },
-    });
+    const userData = await _getUserDataForExport(res.locals.user);
+    const xmlData = marshallUserData(userData);
 
     res.set({
       'Content-Type': 'text/xml',
diff --git a/website/server/libs/xmlMarshaller.js b/website/server/libs/xmlMarshaller.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5e7bb96095
--- /dev/null
+++ b/website/server/libs/xmlMarshaller.js
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import _ from 'lodash';
+import * as js2xml from 'js2xmlparser';
+
+export function marshallUserData (userData) {
+  // object maps can't be marshalled to XML
+  userData.inbox.messages = _(userData.inbox.messages)
+    .map(m => {
+      m.flags = Object.keys(m.flags);
+      return m;
+    })
+    .value();
+
+  userData.newMessages = _.map(userData.newMessages, (msg, id) => ({ id, ...msg }));
+
+  // _id gets parsed as a bytearray => which gets cast to a chararray => "weird chars"
+  userData.unpinnedItems = userData.unpinnedItems.map(i => ({
+    path: i.path,
+    type: i.type,
+  }));
+
+  userData.pinnedItems = userData.pinnedItems.map(i => ({
+    path: i.path,
+    type: i.type,
+  }));
+
+  return js2xml.parse('user', userData, {
+    cdataInvalidChars: true,
+    declaration: {
+      include: false,
+    },
+  });
+}
diff --git a/website/server/models/user/schema.js b/website/server/models/user/schema.js
index f671479dc9..abc6426a56 100644
--- a/website/server/models/user/schema.js
+++ b/website/server/models/user/schema.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import mongoose from 'mongoose';
+import { Schema } from 'mongoose';
 import validator from 'validator';
 import shared from '../../../common';
 import { // eslint-disable-line import/no-cycle
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ import { schema as TagSchema } from '../tag';
 import { schema as UserNotificationSchema } from '../userNotification';
 import { schema as WebhookSchema } from '../webhook';
 
-const { Schema } = mongoose;
-
 const RESTRICTED_EMAIL_DOMAINS = Object.freeze(['habitica.com', 'habitrpg.com']);
 
 // User schema definition