diff --git a/api/api.go b/api/api.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3cd88d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/api.go
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+package api
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"log"
+	"net/http"
+
+	"github.com/bitly/go-simplejson"
+)
+
+func Request(req *http.Request) (*simplejson.Json, error) {
+	httpclient := &http.Client{}
+	resp, err := httpclient.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	body, err := ioutil.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+	resp.Body.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if resp.StatusCode != 200 {
+		log.Printf("got response code %d - %s", resp.StatusCode, body)
+		return nil, errors.New("api request returned non 200 status code")
+	}
+	data, err := simplejson.NewJson(body)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return data, nil
+}
diff --git a/api/api_test.go b/api/api_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2494131
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/api_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+package api
+
+import (
+	"github.com/bitly/go-simplejson"
+	"github.com/bmizerany/assert"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func testBackend(response_code int, payload string) *httptest.Server {
+	return httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(
+		func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+			w.WriteHeader(response_code)
+			w.Write([]byte(payload))
+		}))
+}
+
+func TestRequest(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := testBackend(200, "{\"foo\": \"bar\"}")
+	defer backend.Close()
+
+	req, _ := http.NewRequest("GET", backend.URL, nil)
+	response, err := Request(req)
+	assert.Equal(t, nil, err)
+	result, err := response.Get("foo").String()
+	assert.Equal(t, nil, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "bar", result)
+}
+
+func TestRequestFailure(t *testing.T) {
+	// Create a backend to generate a test URL, then close it to cause a
+	// connection error.
+	backend := testBackend(200, "{\"foo\": \"bar\"}")
+	backend.Close()
+
+	req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", backend.URL, nil)
+	assert.Equal(t, nil, err)
+	resp, err := Request(req)
+	assert.Equal(t, (*simplejson.Json)(nil), resp)
+	assert.NotEqual(t, nil, err)
+	if !strings.HasSuffix(err.Error(), "connection refused") {
+		t.Error("expected error when a connection fails")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestHttpErrorCode(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := testBackend(404, "{\"foo\": \"bar\"}")
+	defer backend.Close()
+
+	req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", backend.URL, nil)
+	assert.Equal(t, nil, err)
+	resp, err := Request(req)
+	assert.Equal(t, (*simplejson.Json)(nil), resp)
+	assert.NotEqual(t, nil, err)
+}
+
+func TestJsonParsingError(t *testing.T) {
+	backend := testBackend(200, "not well-formed JSON")
+	defer backend.Close()
+
+	req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", backend.URL, nil)
+	assert.Equal(t, nil, err)
+	resp, err := Request(req)
+	assert.Equal(t, (*simplejson.Json)(nil), resp)
+	assert.NotEqual(t, nil, err)
+}
diff --git a/oauthproxy.go b/oauthproxy.go
index e089b55..a5bd71c 100644
--- a/oauthproxy.go
+++ b/oauthproxy.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"html/template"
-	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
@@ -16,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/18F/google_auth_proxy/api"
 	"github.com/bitly/go-simplejson"
 )
 
@@ -171,28 +171,6 @@ func (p *OauthProxy) GetLoginURL(host, redirect string) string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%s?%s", p.oauthLoginUrl, params.Encode())
 }
 
-func apiRequest(req *http.Request) (*simplejson.Json, error) {
-	httpclient := &http.Client{}
-	resp, err := httpclient.Do(req)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	body, err := ioutil.ReadAll(resp.Body)
-	resp.Body.Close()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	if resp.StatusCode != 200 {
-		log.Printf("got response code %d - %s", resp.StatusCode, body)
-		return nil, errors.New("api request returned non 200 status code")
-	}
-	data, err := simplejson.NewJson(body)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return data, nil
-}
-
 func (p *OauthProxy) displayCustomLoginForm() bool {
 	return p.HtpasswdFile != nil && p.DisplayHtpasswdForm
 }
@@ -213,7 +191,7 @@ func (p *OauthProxy) redeemCode(host, code string) (string, string, error) {
 		return "", "", err
 	}
 	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/x-www-form-urlencoded")
-	json, err := apiRequest(req)
+	json, err := api.Request(req)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("failed making request %s", err)
 		return "", "", err