diff --git a/test/unit/common/test_request_helpers.py b/test/unit/common/test_request_helpers.py
index 1a1f49ae4e..c7f268ea11 100644
--- a/test/unit/common/test_request_helpers.py
+++ b/test/unit/common/test_request_helpers.py
@@ -47,28 +47,28 @@ class TestRequestHelpers(unittest.TestCase):
         actual = rh.validate_params(req, ('limit', 'marker', 'end_marker'))
         self.assertEqual({}, actual)
 
-        req = Request.blank('', query_string='limit=1;junk=here;marker=foo')
+        req = Request.blank('', query_string='limit=1&junk=here&marker=foo')
         actual = rh.validate_params(req, ())
         self.assertEqual({}, actual)
 
-        req = Request.blank('', query_string='limit=1;junk=here;marker=foo')
+        req = Request.blank('', query_string='limit=1&junk=here&marker=foo')
         actual = rh.validate_params(req, ('limit', 'marker', 'end_marker'))
         expected = {'limit': '1', 'marker': 'foo'}
         self.assertEqual(expected, actual)
 
-        req = Request.blank('', query_string='limit=1;junk=here;marker=')
+        req = Request.blank('', query_string='limit=1&junk=here&marker=')
         actual = rh.validate_params(req, ('limit', 'marker', 'end_marker'))
         expected = {'limit': '1', 'marker': ''}
         self.assertEqual(expected, actual)
 
         # ignore bad junk
-        req = Request.blank('', query_string='limit=1;junk=%ff;marker=foo')
+        req = Request.blank('', query_string='limit=1&junk=%ff&marker=foo')
         actual = rh.validate_params(req, ('limit', 'marker', 'end_marker'))
         expected = {'limit': '1', 'marker': 'foo'}
         self.assertEqual(expected, actual)
 
         # error on bad wanted parameter
-        req = Request.blank('', query_string='limit=1;junk=here;marker=%ff')
+        req = Request.blank('', query_string='limit=1&junk=here&marker=%ff')
         with self.assertRaises(HTTPException) as raised:
             rh.validate_params(req, ('limit', 'marker', 'end_marker'))
         self.assertEqual(raised.exception.status_int, 400)
@@ -78,24 +78,24 @@ class TestRequestHelpers(unittest.TestCase):
         actual = rh.validate_container_params(req)
         self.assertEqual({'limit': 10000}, actual)
 
-        req = Request.blank('', query_string='limit=1;junk=here;marker=foo')
+        req = Request.blank('', query_string='limit=1&junk=here&marker=foo')
         actual = rh.validate_container_params(req)
         expected = {'limit': 1, 'marker': 'foo'}
         self.assertEqual(expected, actual)
 
-        req = Request.blank('', query_string='limit=1;junk=here;marker=')
+        req = Request.blank('', query_string='limit=1&junk=here&marker=')
         actual = rh.validate_container_params(req)
         expected = {'limit': 1, 'marker': ''}
         self.assertEqual(expected, actual)
 
         # ignore bad junk
-        req = Request.blank('', query_string='limit=1;junk=%ff;marker=foo')
+        req = Request.blank('', query_string='limit=1&junk=%ff&marker=foo')
         actual = rh.validate_container_params(req)
         expected = {'limit': 1, 'marker': 'foo'}
         self.assertEqual(expected, actual)
 
         # error on bad wanted parameter
-        req = Request.blank('', query_string='limit=1;junk=here;marker=%ff')
+        req = Request.blank('', query_string='limit=1&junk=here&marker=%ff')
         with self.assertRaises(HTTPException) as raised:
             rh.validate_container_params(req)
         self.assertEqual(raised.exception.status_int, 400)
diff --git a/test/unit/proxy/controllers/test_container.py b/test/unit/proxy/controllers/test_container.py
index 34686a1f19..7e3c6029fe 100644
--- a/test/unit/proxy/controllers/test_container.py
+++ b/test/unit/proxy/controllers/test_container.py
@@ -1668,7 +1668,7 @@ class TestContainerController(TestRingBase):
 
     def _build_request(self, headers, params, infocache=None):
         # helper to make a GET request with caches set in environ
-        query_string = '?' + ';'.join('%s=%s' % (k, v)
+        query_string = '?' + '&'.join('%s=%s' % (k, v)
                                       for k, v in params.items())
         container_path = '/v1/a/c' + query_string
         request = Request.blank(container_path, headers=headers)