diff --git a/build/automationutils.py b/build/automationutils.py
index 0ceb9dc52d41..1dfd7a470fdb 100644
--- a/build/automationutils.py
+++ b/build/automationutils.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import with_statement
 import glob, logging, os, platform, shutil, subprocess, sys, tempfile, urllib2, zipfile
+import base64
 import re
 from urlparse import urlparse
 
@@ -43,7 +44,8 @@ __all__ = [
   'KeyValueParseError',
   'parseKeyValue',
   'systemMemory',
-  'environment'
+  'environment',
+  'dumpScreen',
   ]
 
 # Map of debugging programs to information about them, like default arguments
@@ -473,3 +475,56 @@ def environment(xrePath, env=None, crashreporter=True):
       log.info(message)
 
   return env
+
+
+def dumpScreen(utilityPath):
+  """dumps the screen to the log file as a data URI"""
+
+  # Need to figure out what tool and whether it write to a file or stdout
+  if mozinfo.isUnix:
+    utility = [os.path.join(utilityPath, "screentopng")]
+    imgoutput = 'stdout'
+  elif mozinfo.isMac:
+    utility = ['/usr/sbin/screencapture', '-C', '-x', '-t', 'png']
+    imgoutput = 'file'
+  elif mozinfo.isWin:
+    utility = [os.path.join(utilityPath, "screenshot.exe")]
+    imgoutput = 'file'
+  else:
+    log.warn("Unable to dump screen on platform '%s'", sys.platform)
+
+  # Run the capture correctly for the type of capture
+  kwargs = {'stdout': subprocess.PIPE}
+  if imgoutput == 'file':
+    tmpfd, imgfilename = tempfile.mkstemp(prefix='mozilla-test-fail_')
+    os.close(tmpfd)
+    utility.append(imgfilename)
+  elif imgoutput == 'stdout':
+    kwargs.update(dict(bufsize=-1, close_fds=True))
+  try:
+    dumper = subprocess.Popen(utility, **kwargs)
+  except OSError, err:
+    log.info("Failed to start %s for screenshot: %s",
+             utility[0], err.strerror)
+    return
+
+  # Check whether the capture utility ran successfully
+  stdout, _ = dumper.communicate()
+  returncode = dumper.poll()
+  if returncode:
+    log.info("%s exited with code %d", utility, returncode)
+    return
+
+  try:
+    if imgoutput == 'stdout':
+      image = stdout
+    elif imgoutput == 'file':
+      with open(imgfilename, 'rb') as imgfile:
+        image = imgfile.read()
+  except IOError, err:
+    log.info("Failed to read image from %s", imgoutput)
+
+  encoded = base64.b64encode(image)
+  uri = "data:image/png;base64,%s" %  encoded
+  log.info("SCREENSHOT: %s", uri)
+  return uri
diff --git a/build/dumpScreen.py b/build/dumpScreen.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..70efe0189f8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/dumpScreen.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+"""
+test dumpScreen functionality
+"""
+
+import automationutils
+import optparse
+import os
+import sys
+
+
+def main(args=sys.argv[1:]):
+
+    # parse CLI options
+    usage = '%prog [options] path/to/OBJDIR/dist/bin'
+    parser = optparse.OptionParser(usage=usage)
+    options, args = parser.parse_args(args)
+    if len(args) != 1:
+        parser.error("Please provide utility path")
+    utilityPath = args[0]
+
+    # dump the screen to a data: URL
+    uri = automationutils.dumpScreen(utilityPath)
+
+    # print the uri
+    print uri
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()
diff --git a/testing/mochitest/runtests.py b/testing/mochitest/runtests.py
index 9da730d0ae70..0940db70ce20 100644
--- a/testing/mochitest/runtests.py
+++ b/testing/mochitest/runtests.py
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import sys
 SCRIPT_DIR = os.path.abspath(os.path.realpath(os.path.dirname(__file__)))
 sys.path.insert(0, SCRIPT_DIR);
 
-import base64
 import json
 import mozcrash
 import mozinfo
@@ -29,7 +28,7 @@ import time
 import traceback
 import urllib2
 
-from automationutils import environment, getDebuggerInfo, isURL, KeyValueParseError, parseKeyValue, processLeakLog, systemMemory
+from automationutils import environment, getDebuggerInfo, isURL, KeyValueParseError, parseKeyValue, processLeakLog, systemMemory, dumpScreen
 from datetime import datetime
 from manifestparser import TestManifest
 from mochitest_options import MochitestOptions
@@ -650,59 +649,11 @@ class Mochitest(MochitestUtilsMixin):
     del self.profile
 
   def dumpScreen(self, utilityPath):
-    # TODO: this code may be moved to automationutils.py
-    # see also: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=749421
-
     if self.haveDumpedScreen:
       log.info("Not taking screenshot here: see the one that was previously logged")
       return
-
     self.haveDumpedScreen = True
-
-    # Need to figure out what tool and whether it write to a file or stdout
-    if mozinfo.isUnix:
-      utility = [os.path.join(utilityPath, "screentopng")]
-      imgoutput = 'stdout'
-    elif mozinfo.isMac:
-      utility = ['/usr/sbin/screencapture', '-C', '-x', '-t', 'png']
-      imgoutput = 'file'
-    elif mozinfo.isWin:
-      utility = [os.path.join(utilityPath, "screenshot.exe")]
-      imgoutput = 'file'
-
-    # Run the capture correctly for the type of capture
-    if imgoutput == 'file':
-      tmpfd, imgfilename = tempfile.mkstemp(prefix='mozilla-test-fail_')
-      os.close(tmpfd)
-      utility.append(imgfilename)
-      kwargs = {}
-    elif imgoutput == 'stdout':
-      kwargs=dict(bufsize=-1, close_fds=True)
-    try:
-      dumper = mozprocess.ProcessHandler(utility, **kwargs)
-      dumper.run()
-    except OSError, err:
-      log.info("Failed to start %s for screenshot: %s",
-               utility[0], err.strerror)
-      return
-
-    # Check whether the capture utility ran successfully
-    returncode = dumper.wait()
-    if returncode:
-      log.info("%s exited with code %d", utility, returncode)
-      return
-
-    try:
-      if imgoutput == 'stdout':
-        image = '\n'.join(dumper.output)
-      elif imgoutput == 'file':
-        with open(imgfilename, 'rb') as imgfile:
-          image = imgfile.read()
-    except IOError, err:
-        log.info("Failed to read image from %s", imgoutput)
-
-    encoded = base64.b64encode(image)
-    log.info("SCREENSHOT: data:image/png;base64,%s", encoded)
+    dumpScreen(utilityPath)
 
   def killAndGetStack(self, processPID, utilityPath, debuggerInfo, dump_screen=False):
     """