diff --git a/basket/tests.py b/basket/tests.py
index 2601ff1..a17491f 100644
--- a/basket/tests.py
+++ b/basket/tests.py
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 from requests.exceptions import ConnectionError, Timeout
 from mock import ANY, Mock, patch
 
-from basket import (BasketException, confirm, confirm_email_change, debug_user, get_newsletters,
-                    lookup_user, request, send_recovery_message,
+from basket import (BasketException, confirm, confirm_email_change, debug_user,
+                    errors, get_newsletters, lookup_user, request, send_recovery_message,
                     start_email_change, subscribe,
                     unsubscribe, update_user, user)
 from basket.base import basket_url, get_env_or_setting, parse_response
@@ -48,8 +48,25 @@ def test_response_error(self):
         content = json.dumps({'status': 'error', 'desc': 'ERROR', 'code': 3})
         res = Mock(status_code=200, content=content,
                    content_type='application/json')
-        with self.assertRaises(BasketException):
+        try:
             parse_response(res)
+        except BasketException as e:
+            self.assertEqual(3, e.code)
+        else:
+            self.fail("parse_response should have raised BasketException")
+
+    def test_response_error_no_code(self):
+        """if response has no code, and is error, then the code in
+        the exception is the UNKNOWN code"""
+        content = json.dumps({'status': 'error', 'desc': 'ERROR'})
+        res = Mock(status_code=200, content=content,
+                   content_type='application/json')
+        try:
+            parse_response(res)
+        except BasketException as e:
+            self.assertEqual(errors.BASKET_UNKNOWN_ERROR, e.code)
+        else:
+            self.fail("parse_response should have raised BasketException")
 
     def test_response_content(self):
         """parse_response() returns parsed response content if no error"""