diff --git a/app/controllers/spotlight/searches_controller.rb b/app/controllers/spotlight/searches_controller.rb
index 452f33595d..b2ca90a756 100644
--- a/app/controllers/spotlight/searches_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/spotlight/searches_controller.rb
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ class SearchesController < Spotlight::ApplicationController
 
     def create
       @search.attributes = search_params
-      @search.query_params = params.to_unsafe_h.except(:exhibit_id, :search, *blacklisted_search_session_params).reject { |_k, v| v.blank? }
+      @search.query_params = params.to_unsafe_h.with_indifferent_access.except(:exhibit_id, :search, *blacklisted_search_session_params).reject { |_k, v| v.blank? }
 
       if @search.save
         redirect_to :back, notice: t(:'helpers.submit.search.created', model: @search.class.model_name.human.downcase)
diff --git a/spec/controllers/spotlight/solr_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/spotlight/solr_controller_spec.rb
index 4758acf267..a7942bea57 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/spotlight/solr_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/spotlight/solr_controller_spec.rb
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
           doc = arr.first
         end
 
-        post :update, body: { a: 1 }.to_json, params: { exhibit_id: exhibit }, as: :json
+        post_update_with_json_body(exhibit, a: 1)
 
         expect(response).to be_successful
         expect(doc).to include 'a' => 1
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
         end
 
         it 'raises an error' do
-          post :update, body: { a: 1 }.to_json, params: { exhibit_id: exhibit }, as: :json
+          post_update_with_json_body(exhibit, a: 1)
 
           expect(response.code).to eq '409'
         end
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
           doc = arr.first
         end
 
-        post :update, body: { a: 1 }.to_json, params: { exhibit_id: exhibit }, as: :json
+        post_update_with_json_body(exhibit, a: 1)
 
         expect(response).to be_successful
         expect(doc).to include exhibit.solr_data
@@ -67,11 +67,19 @@
 
         allow_any_instance_of(SolrDocument).to receive(:to_solr).and_return(b: 1)
 
-        post :update, body: { a: 1 }.to_json, params: { exhibit_id: exhibit }, as: :json
+        post_update_with_json_body(exhibit, a: 1)
 
         expect(response).to be_successful
         expect(doc).to include b: 1
       end
     end
   end
+
+  def post_update_with_json_body(exhibit, hash)
+    if Rails::VERSION::MAJOR >= 5
+      post :update, body: hash.to_json, params: { exhibit_id: exhibit }, as: :json
+    else
+      post :update, hash.to_json, content_type: :json, exhibit_id: exhibit
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index ce228e4101..50766157c1 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@
 
 Internal::Application.config.active_job.queue_adapter = :inline
 
+require 'rails-controller-testing' if Rails::VERSION::MAJOR >= 5
 require 'rspec/collection_matchers'
 require 'rspec/its'
 require 'rspec/rails'
 require 'rspec/active_model/mocks'
-require 'rails-controller-testing'
 
 require 'capybara/poltergeist'
 
@@ -91,8 +91,10 @@
   config.after(:each, type: :feature) { Warden.test_reset! }
   config.include Controllers::EngineHelpers, type: :controller
   config.include Capybara::DSL
-  config.include ::Rails.application.routes.url_helpers
-  config.include ::Rails.application.routes.mounted_helpers
+  if Rails::VERSION::MAJOR >= 5
+    config.include ::Rails.application.routes.url_helpers
+    config.include ::Rails.application.routes.mounted_helpers
+  end
   config.include Spotlight::TestFeaturesHelpers, type: :feature
 end
 
diff --git a/spec/support/helpers/controller_level_helpers.rb b/spec/support/helpers/controller_level_helpers.rb
index 9e5b6499a7..1806689a35 100644
--- a/spec/support/helpers/controller_level_helpers.rb
+++ b/spec/support/helpers/controller_level_helpers.rb
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@ def blacklight_configuration_context
 
   def initialize_controller_helpers(helper)
     helper.extend ControllerLevelHelpers
+    initialize_routing_helpers(helper)
+  end
+
+  def initialize_routing_helpers(helper)
+    return unless Rails::VERSION::MAJOR >= 5
+
     helper.class.include ::Rails.application.routes.url_helpers
 
     if ::Rails.application.routes.respond_to?(:mounted_helpers)
diff --git a/spec/support/views/test_view_helpers.rb b/spec/support/views/test_view_helpers.rb
index b48ce92707..4d2e3d2356 100644
--- a/spec/support/views/test_view_helpers.rb
+++ b/spec/support/views/test_view_helpers.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ module TestViewHelpers
 
     included do
       before do
+        view.send(:extend, Spotlight::MainAppHelpers)
         view.send(:extend, Spotlight::CrudLinkHelpers)
         view.send(:extend, Spotlight::TitleHelper)
         view.send(:extend, Spotlight::NavbarHelper)
diff --git a/spec/test_app_templates/Gemfile.extra b/spec/test_app_templates/Gemfile.extra
index d4a54e7e51..cc2e637172 100644
--- a/spec/test_app_templates/Gemfile.extra
+++ b/spec/test_app_templates/Gemfile.extra
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 gem 'acts-as-taggable-on', github: 'mbleigh/acts-as-taggable-on'
-gem 'rails-controller-testing'
+gem 'rails-controller-testing', require: false
 gem 'friendly_id', github: 'norman/friendly_id'
 gem 'social-share-button', github: 'cbeer/social-share-button', branch: 'on_load'