diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index 041ca48e2e..44f59fa555 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ Changelog
 2.2.0 (unreleased)
 ------------------
 
+- #2008 Import demo data in tests with Generic Setup
 - #2002 Allow string results for calculation dependencies
 - #2004 Added behavior to allow sharing objects across clients users
 - #2001 Fix Traceback when rendering UIDReferenceWidget with limited privileges
diff --git a/src/senaite/core/exportimport/genericsetup/structure.py b/src/senaite/core/exportimport/genericsetup/structure.py
index 0752070ed6..d669d3bdee 100644
--- a/src/senaite/core/exportimport/genericsetup/structure.py
+++ b/src/senaite/core/exportimport/genericsetup/structure.py
@@ -582,8 +582,10 @@ def import_xml(context):
 
     qi = api.get_tool("portal_quickinstaller")
     installed = qi.isProductInstalled("senaite.core")
+    request = api.get_request()
 
-    if not installed:
+    # tests call it w/o request
+    if request and not installed:
         logger.debug("Nothing to import.")
         return
 
diff --git a/src/senaite/core/tests/layers.py b/src/senaite/core/tests/layers.py
index 111d84d08e..97aff36ca3 100644
--- a/src/senaite/core/tests/layers.py
+++ b/src/senaite/core/tests/layers.py
@@ -18,8 +18,10 @@
 # Copyright 2018-2021 by it's authors.
 # Some rights reserved, see README and LICENSE.
 
+import os
+
 import transaction
-from senaite.core.exportimport.load_setup_data import LoadSetupData
+from bika.lims import api
 from plone.app.testing import PLONE_FIXTURE
 from plone.app.testing import SITE_OWNER_NAME
 from plone.app.testing import FunctionalTesting
@@ -28,6 +30,7 @@
 from plone.app.testing import login
 from plone.app.testing import logout
 from plone.testing import zope
+from Products.GenericSetup.context import TarballImportContext
 
 
 class BaseLayer(PloneSandboxLayer):
@@ -73,20 +76,30 @@ class DataLayer(BaseLayer):
     """
 
     def setup_data_load(self, portal, request):
-        login(portal.aq_parent, SITE_OWNER_NAME)  # again
+        """Provision site with demo data
+        """
+        login(portal.aq_parent, SITE_OWNER_NAME)
+
+        setup_tool = api.get_tool("portal_setup")
+        curdir = os.path.dirname(__file__)
+        path = os.path.join(curdir, "setup_tool-demodata.tar.gz")
+
+        with open(path, "rb") as tarball:
+            context = TarballImportContext(
+                tool=setup_tool,
+                archive_bits=tarball.read(),
+                encoding="UTF-8",
+                should_purge=True)
+            setup_tool._doRunImportStep("senaite.core.import", context)
+
+        transaction.commit()
 
-        # load test data
-        request.form["setupexisting"] = 1
-        request.form["existing"] = "bika.lims:test"
-        lsd = LoadSetupData(portal, request)
-        lsd()
         logout()
 
     def setUpPloneSite(self, portal):
         super(DataLayer, self).setUpPloneSite(portal)
         # Install Demo Data
         self.setup_data_load(portal, portal.REQUEST)
-        transaction.commit()
 
 
 BASE_LAYER_FIXTURE = BaseLayer()
diff --git a/src/senaite/core/tests/setup_tool-demodata.tar.gz b/src/senaite/core/tests/setup_tool-demodata.tar.gz
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2ad2b3484c
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/senaite/core/tests/setup_tool-demodata.tar.gz differ