diff --git a/client/tests/sdk/test_api.py b/client/tests/sdk/test_api.py
index 5424cc6649..c7870aae49 100644
--- a/client/tests/sdk/test_api.py
+++ b/client/tests/sdk/test_api.py
@@ -6,10 +6,9 @@
 import pyotp
 import pytest
 import vcr
-from requests.exceptions import ConnectTimeout, ReadTimeout
 from test_shared import TestShared
 
-from securedrop_client.sdk import API, RequestTimeoutError
+from securedrop_client.sdk import API, RequestTimeoutError, ServerConnectionError
 from securedrop_client.sdk.sdlocalobjects import AuthError, Reply, Submission
 
 NUM_REPLIES_PER_SOURCE = 2
@@ -247,21 +246,21 @@ def test_zlogout(self):
 
 def test_request_connect_timeout(mocker):
     api = API("mock", "mock", "mock", "mock", proxy=False)
-    mocker.patch("securedrop_client.sdk.requests.request", side_effect=ConnectTimeout)
-    with pytest.raises(RequestTimeoutError):
+    mocker.patch("securedrop_client.sdk.API._send_json_request", side_effect=ServerConnectionError)
+    with pytest.raises(ServerConnectionError):
         api.authenticate()
 
 
 def test_request_read_timeout(mocker):
     api = API("mock", "mock", "mock", "mock", proxy=False)
-    mocker.patch("securedrop_client.sdk.requests.request", side_effect=ReadTimeout)
+    mocker.patch("securedrop_client.sdk.API._send_json_request", side_effect=RequestTimeoutError)
     with pytest.raises(RequestTimeoutError):
         api.authenticate()
 
 
 def test_download_reply_timeout(mocker):
     api = API("mock", "mock", "mock", "mock", proxy=False)
-    mocker.patch("securedrop_client.sdk.requests.request", side_effect=RequestTimeoutError)
+    mocker.patch("securedrop_client.sdk.API._send_json_request", side_effect=RequestTimeoutError)
     with pytest.raises(RequestTimeoutError):
         r = Reply(uuid="humanproblem", filename="secret.txt")
         api.download_reply(r)
@@ -269,7 +268,7 @@ def test_download_reply_timeout(mocker):
 
 def test_download_submission_timeout(mocker):
     api = API("mock", "mock", "mock", "mock", proxy=False)
-    mocker.patch("securedrop_client.sdk.requests.request", side_effect=RequestTimeoutError)
+    mocker.patch("securedrop_client.sdk.API._send_json_request", side_effect=RequestTimeoutError)
     with pytest.raises(RequestTimeoutError):
         s = Submission(uuid="climateproblem")
         api.download_submission(s)