diff --git a/test/unit/controller/suggest.js b/test/unit/controller/suggest.js
index 453e22c8..8aade740 100644
--- a/test/unit/controller/suggest.js
+++ b/test/unit/controller/suggest.js
@@ -93,32 +93,32 @@ module.exports.tests.functional_success = function(test, common) {
 };
 
 // functionally test controller (backend failure)
-// module.exports.tests.functional_failure = function(test, common) {
-//   test('functional failure', function(t) {
-//     var backend = mockBackend( 'client/suggest/fail/1', function( cmd ){
-//       if( cmd.body.docs ){
-//         t.deepEqual(cmd, { 
-//           body: { docs: [ 
-//             { _id: 'mockid1', _index: 'pelias', _type: 'mocktype' }, 
-//             { _id: 'mockid2', _index: 'pelias', _type: 'mocktype' }] 
-//           } 
-//         }, 'correct mget command');
-//       } else if (cmd.body.layers) {
-//         // layers are set exclusively for admin: test for admin-only layers
-//         t.deepEqual(cmd, { body: { a: 'b', layers: [ 'admin0', 'admin1', 'admin2' ] }, index: 'pelias' }, 
-  //       'correct suggest/admin command');
-//       } else {
-//         t.deepEqual(cmd, { body: { a: 'b' }, index: 'pelias' }, 'correct suggest command');
-//       }
-//     });
-//     var controller = setup( backend, mockQuery() );
-//     var next = function( message ){
-//       t.equal(message,'a backend error occurred','error passed to errorHandler');
-//       t.end();
-//     };
-//     controller( { clean: { a: 'b' } }, undefined, next );
-//   });
-// };
+module.exports.tests.functional_failure = function(test, common) {
+  test('functional failure', function(t) {
+    var backend = mockBackend( 'client/suggest/fail/1', function( cmd ){
+      if( cmd.body.docs ){
+        t.deepEqual(cmd, { 
+          body: { docs: [ 
+            { _id: 'mockid1', _index: 'pelias', _type: 'mocktype' }, 
+            { _id: 'mockid2', _index: 'pelias', _type: 'mocktype' }] 
+          } 
+        }, 'correct mget command');
+      } else if (cmd.body.layers) {
+        // layers are set exclusively for admin: test for admin-only layers
+        t.deepEqual(cmd, { body: { a: 'b', layers: [ 'admin0', 'admin1', 'admin2' ] }, index: 'pelias' }, 
+        'correct suggest/admin command');
+      } else {
+        t.deepEqual(cmd, { body: { a: 'b' }, index: 'pelias' }, 'correct suggest command');
+      }
+    });
+    var controller = setup( backend, mockQuery() );
+    var next = function( message ){
+      t.equal(message,'a backend error occurred','error passed to errorHandler');
+    };
+    controller( { clean: { a: 'b' } }, undefined, next );
+    t.end();
+  });
+};
 
 module.exports.all = function (tape, common) {