diff --git a/src/redux/session.js b/src/redux/session.js
index 68f0b9edc..c2dffa1da 100644
--- a/src/redux/session.js
+++ b/src/redux/session.js
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 const keyMirror = require('keymirror');
 const defaults = require('lodash.defaults');
 
-const api = require('../lib/api');
 const sessionLib = require('../lib/session');
 const messageCountActions = require('./message-count.js');
 const permissionsActions = require('./permissions.js');
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/session.test.js b/test/unit/lib/session.test.js
index 120365742..3b1bbe7a2 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/session.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/lib/session.test.js
@@ -1,56 +1,92 @@
 describe('session library', () => {
-//    let mockAPIRequest = {};
-    let mockAPIRequestNoSession = jest.fn((opts, callback) => {
-        console.log(`mocked has been called ${mockAPIRequestNoSession.mock.calls.length} times`);
+    // respond to session requests with empty session object
+    let sessionNoUser = jest.fn((opts, callback) => {
         callback(null, {}, {statusCode: 200});
     });
-    // let mockAPIRequestYesSession = jest.fn((opts, callback) => {
-    //     console.log(`Yes Session mocked has been called ${mockAPIRequestNoSession.mock.calls.length} times`);
-    //     callback(null, {}, {statusCode: 200});
-    // });
-    // let whichMockAPIRequest = mockAPIRequestNoSession;
-    // const mockCurrentAPIRequest = (() => {
-    //     whichMockAPIRequest();
-    // })();
-    jest.mock('../../../src/lib/api', () => (
-        mockAPIRequestNoSession
-    ));
+    // respond to session requests with session object that indicates
+    // successfully logged-in user
+    let sessionYesUser = jest.fn((opts, callback) => {
+        callback(null, {user: {username: 'test_username'}}, {statusCode: 200});
+    });
+    // respond to first two requests with empty session object; after that,
+    // respond with user in object
+    let sessionNoThenYes = jest.fn((opts, callback) => {
+        if (sessionNoThenYes.mock.calls.length <= 2) {
+            callback(null, {}, {statusCode: 200});
+        } else {
+            callback(null, {user: {username: 'test_username'}}, {statusCode: 200});
+        }
+    });
+    // respond to session requests with response code 404, indicating no session
+    // found for that user
+    let sessionNotFound = jest.fn((opts, callback) => {
+        callback(null, null, {statusCode: 404});
+    });
+    // respond to session requests with response code 503, indicating connection failure
+    let sessionConnectFailure = jest.fn((opts, callback) => {
+        callback(null, null, {statusCode: 503});
+    });
+
+    // by changing whichMockAPIRequest, we can simulate different api responses
+    let whichMockAPIRequest = null;
+    let mockAPIRequest = (opts, callback) => {
+        whichMockAPIRequest(opts, callback);
+    };
+
+    // mock lib/api.js, and include our mocked version in lib/session.js
+    jest.mock('../../../src/lib/api', () => {
+        return mockAPIRequest;
+    });
     const sessionLib = require('../../../src/lib/session'); // eslint-disable-line global-require
+
     afterEach(() => {
         jest.clearAllMocks();
     });
 
-    test('requestSessionOnce calls api 1 time', done => {
-        //whichMockAPIRequest = mockAPIRequestNoSession;
-        // mockAPIRequest = jest.fn((opts, callback) => {
-        //     callback(null, {}, {statusCode: 200});
-        // });
+    test('requestSessionOnce can call api 1 time, when session found', done => {
+        whichMockAPIRequest = sessionYesUser;
         new Promise((resolve, reject) => { // eslint-disable-line no-undef
             sessionLib.requestSessionOnce(resolve, reject);
-        }).then(() => {
-            expect(mockAPIRequestNoSession).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+        }).then(body => {
+            expect(sessionYesUser).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+            expect(body).toEqual({user: {username: 'test_username'}});
+            done();
+        });
+    });
+
+    test('requestSessionOnce can call api 1 time, when session not found', done => {
+        whichMockAPIRequest = sessionNoUser;
+        new Promise((resolve, reject) => { // eslint-disable-line no-undef
+            sessionLib.requestSessionOnce(resolve, reject);
+        }).then(body => {
+            expect(sessionNoUser).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+            expect(body).toEqual({});
+            done();
+        });
+    });
+
+    test('requestSessionWithRetry can call api once', done => {
+        whichMockAPIRequest = sessionNoUser;
+        new Promise((resolve, reject) => { // eslint-disable-line no-undef
+            sessionLib.requestSessionWithRetry(resolve, reject, 0, 0);
+        }).then(() => {
+            expect(sessionNoUser).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
             done();
-        }, () => {
-            console.log('sessionLib test: err');
         });
     });
 
     test('requestSessionWithRetry can call api multiple times', done => {
-        // mockAPIRequest = jest.fn((opts, callback) => {
-        //     callback(null, {}, {statusCode: 200});
-        // });
+        whichMockAPIRequest = sessionNoUser;
         new Promise((resolve, reject) => { // eslint-disable-line no-undef
             sessionLib.requestSessionWithRetry(resolve, reject, 2, 0);
         }).then(() => {
-            expect(mockAPIRequestNoSession).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+            expect(sessionNoUser).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
             done();
         });
     });
 
     test('requestSessionWithRetry respects total delay time param within a reasonable tolerance', done => {
-        // mockAPIRequest = jest.fn((opts, callback) => {
-        //     callback(null, {}, {statusCode: 200});
-        // });
+        whichMockAPIRequest = sessionNoUser;
         const startTime = new Date().getTime();
         new Promise((resolve, reject) => { // eslint-disable-line no-undef
             sessionLib.requestSessionWithRetry(resolve, reject, 2, 2500);
@@ -61,4 +97,37 @@ describe('session library', () => {
             done();
         });
     });
+
+    test('requestSessionWithRetry will retry if no user found, then stop when user is found', done => {
+        whichMockAPIRequest = sessionNoThenYes;
+        new Promise((resolve, reject) => { // eslint-disable-line no-undef
+            sessionLib.requestSessionWithRetry(resolve, reject, 4, 3000);
+        }).then(body => {
+            expect(body).toEqual({user: {username: 'test_username'}});
+            expect(sessionNoThenYes).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+            done();
+        });
+    });
+
+    test('requestSessionWithRetry handles session not found as immediate error', done => {
+        whichMockAPIRequest = sessionNotFound;
+        new Promise((resolve, reject) => { // eslint-disable-line no-undef
+            sessionLib.requestSessionWithRetry(resolve, reject, 2, 0);
+        }).then(() => {}, err => {
+            expect(err).toBeFalsy();
+            done();
+        });
+    });
+
+    test('requestSessionWithRetry handles connection failure by retrying', done => {
+        whichMockAPIRequest = sessionConnectFailure;
+        new Promise((resolve, reject) => { // eslint-disable-line no-undef
+            sessionLib.requestSessionWithRetry(resolve, reject, 2, 0);
+        }).then(body => {
+            expect(sessionConnectFailure).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+            expect(body).toBeFalsy();
+            done();
+        });
+    });
+
 });