diff --git a/tests/functional/configservice/test_subscribe.py b/tests/functional/configservice/test_subscribe.py
index 92c13b1764af..bbaeaf286218 100644
--- a/tests/functional/configservice/test_subscribe.py
+++ b/tests/functional/configservice/test_subscribe.py
@@ -10,7 +10,10 @@
 # distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF
 # ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific
 # language governing permissions and limitations under the License.
+import mock
+
 from awscli.testutils import BaseAWSCommandParamsTest
+from awscli.customizations.configservice.subscribe import S3BucketHelper
 
 
 class TestSubscribe(BaseAWSCommandParamsTest):
@@ -122,25 +125,30 @@ def test_subscribe_when_bucket_exists_and_sns_topic_arn_provided(self):
         self.assertEqual(self.operations_called[5][1], {})
 
     def test_subscribe_when_bucket_needs_to_be_created(self):
-        # Make the HeadObject request fail now and should try to create a new
-        # bucket.
-        self.parsed_responses = None
-        self.http_response.status_code = 404
-        self.parsed_response = {'Error': {'Code': 404, 'Message': ''}}
+        with mock.patch('botocore.endpoint.Session.send') as \
+                http_session_send_patch:
+            # Mock for HeadBucket request
+            head_bucket_response = mock.Mock()
+            head_bucket_response.status_code = 404
+            head_bucket_response.content = b''
+            head_bucket_response.headers = {}
 
-        self.prefix += ' --s3-bucket mybucket --sns-topic arn:mytopic'
-        self.prefix += ' --iam-role myrole'
-        self.run_cmd(self.prefix, expected_rc=255)
-        # This will fail because there is no current way to specify
-        # a change in status code in BaseAWSCommandParamsTest
-        # As of now only one status code applies to all parsed responses.
-        # Therefore the CreateBucket will be the one that receives the 404.
-        # But it does not matter because we are just checking that the bucket
-        # is attempted to be made if we determine the bucket does not exist
-        self.assertEqual(len(self.operations_called), 2)
+            # Mock for CreateBucket request
+            create_bucket_response = mock.Mock()
+            create_bucket_response.status_code = 200
+            create_bucket_response.content = b''
+            create_bucket_response.headers = {}
+
+            http_session_send_patch.side_effect = [
+                head_bucket_response, create_bucket_response
+            ]
+
+            s3_client = self.driver.session.create_client('s3')
+            bucket_helper = S3BucketHelper(s3_client)
+            bucket_helper.prepare_bucket('mybucket')
+            send_call_list = http_session_send_patch.call_args_list
+            self.assertEqual(send_call_list[0][0][0].method, 'HEAD')
+            # Since the HeadObject fails with 404, the CreateBucket which is
+            # is a PUT request should be made.
+            self.assertEqual(send_call_list[1][0][0].method, 'PUT')
 
-        self.assertEqual(self.operations_called[0][0].name, 'HeadBucket')
-        self.assertEqual(self.operations_called[0][1], {'Bucket': 'mybucket'})
-        self.assertEqual(self.operations_called[1][0].name, 'CreateBucket')
-        self.assertEqual(
-            self.operations_called[1][1]['Bucket'], 'mybucket')