diff --git a/test/test_helpers/controller_helper.rb b/test/test_helpers/controller_helper.rb
index 716bfaa97..35796d6de 100644
--- a/test/test_helpers/controller_helper.rb
+++ b/test/test_helpers/controller_helper.rb
@@ -9,28 +9,37 @@ module ControllerHelper
   #   setup { @touhou = create(:tag, name: "touhou") }
   #   should respond_to_search(name: "touhou").with { @touhou }
   #
-  def respond_to_search(search_params)
-    RespondToSearchMatcher.new(search_params)
+  def respond_to_search(search_params, other_params: {})
+    RespondToSearchMatcher.new(search_params, other_params)
   end
 
-  class RespondToSearchMatcher < Struct.new(:params)
+  class RespondToSearchMatcher < Struct.new(:params, :other_params)
     def description
       "should respond to a search for #{params}"
     end
 
     def matches?(subject, &block)
-      search_params = { search: params }
+      search_params = other_params.merge({ search: params })
       expected_items = @test_case.instance_eval(&@expected)
 
       @test_case.instance_eval do
         # calls e.g. "wiki_pages_path" if we're in WikiPagesControllerTest.
         index_url = send("#{subject.controller_path}_path")
-        get index_url, as: :json, params: search_params
+        # Allows for different authorization levels to be used, instead of just anonymous
+        if CurrentUser.user.present?
+          get_auth index_url, CurrentUser.user, as: :json, params: search_params
+        else
+          get index_url, as: :json, params: search_params
+        end
 
+        # Don't continue processing if there was an error
+        assert_response :success
+
+        # Some fields like :updated_at do not get finalized until later, so allow lambda functions
+        # to evaluate expressions like a sort after the network call has completed
+        expected_items = expected_items.call if expected_items.respond_to?(:call)
         expected_ids = Array(expected_items).map(&:id)
         responded_ids = response.parsed_body.map { |item| item["id"] }
-
-        assert_response :success
         assert_equal(expected_ids, responded_ids)
       end
     end