diff --git a/tests/routes/api/settings/index.js b/tests/routes/api/settings/index.js
index 985e0fe1c..5bcf9de28 100644
--- a/tests/routes/api/settings/index.js
+++ b/tests/routes/api/settings/index.js
@@ -32,29 +32,24 @@ describe('GET /settings', () => {
 
 // update the settings.
 describe('update settings', () => {
+  it('should respond ok to a PUT', () => {
+    return Setting.update({id: '1'}, {$setOnInsert: defaults}, {upsert: true})
+    .then(() => {
+      return chai.request(app)
+        .put('/api/v1/settings')
+        .send({moderation: 'post'})
+        .then(res => {
+          expect(res).to.have.status(204);
 
-  before(() => {
-    return Setting.update({id: '1'}, {$setOnInsert: defaults}, {upsert: true});
-  });
+          return Setting.getSettings();
 
-  it('should respond to a PUT with new settings', () => {
-    chai.request(app)
-    .put('/api/v1/settings')
-    .send({moderation: 'post'}, (err, res) => {
-      expect(err).to.be.null;
-      expect(res).to.have.status(204);
-      done(err);
-    });
-  });
-
-  it('should have updates settings', () => {
-    chai.request(app)
-    .get('/api/v1/settings')
-    .end((err, res) => {
-      expect(err).to.be.null;
-      expect(res).to.have.status(200);
-      expect(res).to.be.json;
-      expect(res.body).to.have.property('moderation', 'post');
+        }).then(settings => {
+          // confirm updated settings in db
+          expect(settings).to.have.property('moderation');
+          expect(settings.moderation).to.equal('post');
+        }).catch(err => {
+          throw err;
+        });
     });
   });
 });