diff --git a/tests/unit/test_views.py b/tests/unit/test_views.py
index 0725e061c65d..3137b8f03655 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_views.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_views.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 import elasticsearch
 import pretend
 import pytest
+import sqlalchemy
 
 from pyramid.httpexceptions import (
     HTTPBadRequest,
@@ -601,7 +602,13 @@ def test_health():
     )
 
     assert health(request) == "OK"
-    assert request.db.execute.calls == [pretend.call("SELECT 1")]
+    assert len(request.db.execute.calls) == 1
+    assert len(request.db.execute.calls[0].args) == 1
+    assert len(request.db.execute.calls[0].kwargs) == 0
+    assert isinstance(
+        request.db.execute.calls[0].args[0], sqlalchemy.sql.expression.TextClause
+    )
+    assert request.db.execute.calls[0].args[0].text == "SELECT 1"
 
 
 class TestForceStatus:
diff --git a/warehouse/views.py b/warehouse/views.py
index b88869abec31..cbc26cb5f2ea 100644
--- a/warehouse/views.py
+++ b/warehouse/views.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
     view_config,
     view_defaults,
 )
-from sqlalchemy import func
+from sqlalchemy import func, text
 from sqlalchemy.sql import exists, expression
 from trove_classifiers import deprecated_classifiers, sorted_classifiers
 from webob.multidict import MultiDict
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ def sidebar_sponsor_logo(request):
 def health(request):
     # This will ensure that we can access the database and run queries against
     # it without doing anything that will take a lock or block other queries.
-    request.db.execute("SELECT 1")
+    request.db.execute(text("SELECT 1"))
 
     # Nothing will actually check this, but it's a little nicer to have
     # something to return besides an empty body.