diff --git a/api_internal_test.go b/api_internal_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c3f7b8849
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api_internal_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+package pilosa
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"reflect"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestTranslateIndexDbOnNilIndex(t *testing.T) {
+	api := API{}
+	api.holder = &Holder{}
+	r := strings.NewReader("not important tbh")
+	err := api.TranslateIndexDB(context.Background(), "nonExistentIndex", 0, r)
+	expected := fmt.Errorf("index %q not found", "nonExistentIndex")
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(err, expected) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected '%#v', got '%#v'", expected, err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestTranslateIndexDbOnNilTranslateStore(t *testing.T) {
+	api := API{}
+	indexes := make(map[string]*Index)
+	indexes["index"] = &Index{name: "index"}
+	api.holder = &Holder{indexes: indexes}
+	r := strings.NewReader("not important tbh")
+	err := api.TranslateIndexDB(context.Background(), "index", 0, r)
+	expected := fmt.Errorf("index %q has no translate store", "index")
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(err, expected) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected '%#v', got '%#v'", expected, err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestTranslateFieldDbOnNilIndex(t *testing.T) {
+	api := API{}
+	api.holder = &Holder{}
+	r := strings.NewReader("not important tbh")
+	err := api.TranslateFieldDB(context.Background(), "nonExistentIndex", "field", r)
+	expected := fmt.Errorf("index %q not found", "nonExistentIndex")
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(err, expected) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected '%#v', got '%#v'", expected, err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestTranslateFieldDbOnNilField(t *testing.T) {
+	api := API{}
+	indexes := make(map[string]*Index)
+	indexes["index"] = &Index{name: "index"}
+	api.holder = &Holder{indexes: indexes}
+	r := strings.NewReader("not important tbh")
+	err := api.TranslateFieldDB(context.Background(), "index", "nonExistentField", r)
+	expected := fmt.Errorf("field %q/%q not found", "index", "nonExistentField")
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(err, expected) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected '%#v', got '%#v'", expected, err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestTranslateFieldDbOnNilFieldWithFieldName_keys(t *testing.T) {
+	api := API{}
+	indexes := make(map[string]*Index)
+	indexes["index"] = &Index{name: "index"}
+	api.holder = &Holder{indexes: indexes}
+	r := strings.NewReader("not important tbh")
+	err := api.TranslateFieldDB(context.Background(), "index", "_keys", r)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected 'nil', got '%#v'", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestTranslateFieldDbOnNilTranslateStore(t *testing.T) {
+	api := API{}
+	indexes := make(map[string]*Index)
+	fields := make(map[string]*Field)
+	fields["field"] = &Field{}
+	indexes["index"] = &Index{name: "index", fields: fields}
+	api.holder = &Holder{indexes: indexes}
+	r := strings.NewReader("not important tbh")
+	err := api.TranslateFieldDB(context.Background(), "index", "field", r)
+	expected := fmt.Errorf("field %q/%q has no translate store", "index", "field")
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(err, expected) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected '%#v', got '%#v'", expected, err)
+	}
+}