diff --git a/spec/api/abuse_spec.rb b/spec/api/abuse_spec.rb
index 64cd6b3..22a1650 100644
--- a/spec/api/abuse_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/api/abuse_spec.rb
@@ -1,170 +1,72 @@
 require 'spec_helper'
 
-def create_comment_flag(comment_id, user_id)
-  create_flag("/api/v1/comments/" + comment_id + "/abuse_flag", user_id)
-end
+describe 'Abuse API' do
+  before(:each) { set_api_key_header }
 
-def create_thread_flag(thread_id, user_id)
-  create_flag("/api/v1/threads/" + thread_id + "/abuse_flag", user_id)
-end
+  shared_examples 'an abuse endpoint' do
+    let(:affected_entity_id) { affected_entity.id }
+    let(:user_id) { create(:user).id }
 
-def remove_thread_flag(thread_id, user_id)
-  remove_flag("/api/v1/threads/" + thread_id + "/abuse_unflag", user_id)
-end
+    it { should be_ok }
 
-def remove_comment_flag(comment_id, user_id)
-  remove_flag("/api/v1/comments/" + comment_id + "/abuse_unflag", user_id)
-end
+    it 'updates the abuse flaggers' do
+      subject
 
-def create_flag(put_command, user_id)
-  if user_id.nil?
-    put put_command
-  else
-    put put_command, user_id: user_id
+      affected_entity.reload
+      expect(affected_entity.abuse_flaggers).to eq expected_abuse_flaggers
+      expect(non_affected_entity.abuse_flaggers).to have(0).items
+    end
+
+    context 'if the comment does not exist' do
+      let(:affected_entity_id) { 'does_not_exist' }
+      it { should be_bad_request }
+      its(:body) { should eq "[\"#{I18n.t(:requested_object_not_found)}\"]" }
+    end
+
+    context 'if no user_id is provided' do
+      let(:user_id) { nil }
+      it { should be_bad_request }
+      its(:body) { should eq "[\"#{I18n.t(:user_id_is_required)}\"]" }
+    end
   end
-end
 
-def remove_flag(put_command, user_id)
-  if user_id.nil?
-    put put_command
-  else
-    put put_command, user_id: user_id
+  describe 'comment actions' do
+    let(:affected_entity) { create(:comment, abuse_flaggers: []) }
+    let(:non_affected_entity) { affected_entity.comment_thread }
+
+    context 'when flagging a comment for abuse' do
+      let(:expected_abuse_flaggers) { [user_id] }
+      subject { put "/api/v1/comments/#{affected_entity_id}/abuse_flag", user_id: user_id }
+
+      it_behaves_like 'an abuse endpoint'
+    end
+
+    context 'when un-flagging a comment for abuse' do
+      let(:affected_entity) { create(:comment, abuse_flaggers: [user_id]) }
+      let(:expected_abuse_flaggers) { [] }
+      subject { put "/api/v1/comments/#{affected_entity_id}/abuse_unflag", user_id: user_id }
+
+      it_behaves_like 'an abuse endpoint'
+    end
   end
-end
 
-describe "app" do
-  describe "abuse" do
+  describe 'comment thread actions' do
+    let(:affected_entity) { create(:comment_thread, abuse_flaggers: []) }
+    let(:non_affected_entity) { create(:comment, comment_thread: affected_entity) }
 
-    before(:each) do
-      init_without_subscriptions
-      set_api_key_header
+    context 'when flagging a comment thread for abuse' do
+      let(:expected_abuse_flaggers) { [user_id] }
+      subject { put "/api/v1/threads/#{affected_entity_id}/abuse_flag", user_id: user_id }
+
+      it_behaves_like 'an abuse endpoint'
     end
 
-    describe "flag a comment as abusive" do
-      it "create or update the abuse_flags on the comment" do
-        comment = Comment.first
-        prev_abuse_flaggers_count = comment.abuse_flaggers.length
-        create_comment_flag("#{comment.id}", User.first.id)
+    context 'when un-flagging a comment thread for abuse' do
+      let(:affected_entity) { create(:comment_thread, abuse_flaggers: [user_id]) }
+      let(:expected_abuse_flaggers) { [] }
+      subject { put "/api/v1/threads/#{affected_entity_id}/abuse_unflag", user_id: user_id }
 
-        comment = Comment.find(comment.id)
-        comment.abuse_flaggers.count.should == prev_abuse_flaggers_count + 1
-        # verify that the thread doesn't automatically get flagged
-        comment.comment_thread.abuse_flaggers.length.should == 0
-      end
-      it "returns 400 when the comment does not exist" do
-        create_comment_flag("does_not_exist", User.first.id)
-        last_response.status.should == 400
-        parse(last_response.body).first.should == I18n.t(:requested_object_not_found)
-      end
-      it "returns 400 when user_id is not provided" do
-        create_comment_flag("#{Comment.first.id}", nil)
-        last_response.status.should == 400
-        parse(last_response.body).first.should == I18n.t(:user_id_is_required)
-      end
-      #Would like to test the output of to_hash, but not sure how to deal with a Moped::BSON::Document object
-      #it "has a correct hash" do
-      #  create_flag("#{Comment.first.id}", User.first.id)
-      #  Comment.first.to_hash
-      #end
-    end
-    describe "flag a thread as abusive" do
-      it "create or update the abuse_flags on the comment" do
-        comment = Comment.first
-        thread = comment.comment_thread
-        prev_abuse_flaggers_count = thread.abuse_flaggers.count
-        create_thread_flag("#{thread.id}", User.first.id)
-
-        comment = Comment.find(comment.id)
-        comment.comment_thread.abuse_flaggers.count.should == prev_abuse_flaggers_count + 1
-        # verify that the comment doesn't automatically get flagged
-        comment.abuse_flaggers.length.should == 0
-      end
-      it "returns 400 when the thread does not exist" do
-        create_thread_flag("does_not_exist", User.first.id)
-        last_response.status.should == 400
-        parse(last_response.body).first.should == I18n.t(:requested_object_not_found)
-      end
-      it "returns 400 when user_id is not provided" do
-        create_thread_flag("#{Comment.first.comment_thread.id}", nil)
-        last_response.status.should == 400
-        parse(last_response.body).first.should == I18n.t(:user_id_is_required)
-      end
-      #Would like to test the output of to_hash, but not sure how to deal with a Moped::BSON::Document object
-      #it "has a correct hash" do
-      #  create_thread_flag("#{Comment.first.comment_thread.id}", User.first.id)
-      #  Comment.first.comment_thread.to_hash
-      #end
-    end
-    describe "unflag a comment as abusive" do
-      it "removes the user from the existing abuse_flaggers" do
-        comment = Comment.first
-        create_comment_flag("#{comment.id}", User.first.id)
-        
-        comment = Comment.first
-        prev_abuse_flaggers       = comment.abuse_flaggers
-        prev_abuse_flaggers_count = prev_abuse_flaggers.count
-        
-        prev_abuse_flaggers.should include User.first.id 
-        
-        remove_comment_flag("#{comment.id}", User.first.id)
-
-        comment = Comment.find(comment.id)
-        comment.abuse_flaggers.count.should == prev_abuse_flaggers_count - 1 
-        comment.abuse_flaggers.to_a.should_not include User.first.id
-      end
-      it "returns 400 when the comment does not exist" do
-        remove_comment_flag("does_not_exist", User.first.id)
-        last_response.status.should == 400
-        parse(last_response.body).first.should == I18n.t(:requested_object_not_found)
-      end
-      it "returns 400 when the thread does not exist" do
-        remove_thread_flag("does_not_exist", User.first.id)
-        last_response.status.should == 400
-        parse(last_response.body).first.should == I18n.t(:requested_object_not_found)
-      end
-      it "returns 400 when user_id is not provided" do
-        remove_thread_flag("#{Comment.first.comment_thread.id}", nil)
-        last_response.status.should == 400
-        parse(last_response.body).first.should == I18n.t(:user_id_is_required)
-      end
-      #Would like to test the output of to_hash, but not sure how to deal with a Moped::BSON::Document object
-      #it "has a correct hash" do
-      #  create_thread_flag("#{Comment.first.comment_thread.id}", User.first.id)
-      #  Comment.first.comment_thread.to_hash
-      #end
-    end
-    describe "unflag a thread as abusive" do
-      it "removes the user from the existing abuse_flaggers" do
-        thread = CommentThread.first
-        create_thread_flag("#{thread.id}", User.first.id)
-        
-        thread = CommentThread.first
-        prev_abuse_flaggers = thread.abuse_flaggers
-        prev_abuse_flaggers_count = prev_abuse_flaggers.count
-        
-        prev_abuse_flaggers.should include User.first.id 
-        
-        remove_thread_flag("#{thread.id}", User.first.id)
-
-        thread = CommentThread.find(thread.id)
-        thread.abuse_flaggers.count.should == prev_abuse_flaggers_count - 1 
-        thread.abuse_flaggers.to_a.should_not include User.first.id
-      end
-      it "returns 400 when the thread does not exist" do
-        remove_thread_flag("does_not_exist", User.first.id)
-        last_response.status.should == 400
-        parse(last_response.body).first.should == I18n.t(:requested_object_not_found)
-      end
-      it "returns 400 when user_id is not provided" do
-        remove_thread_flag("#{Comment.first.comment_thread.id}", nil)
-        last_response.status.should == 400
-        parse(last_response.body).first.should == I18n.t(:user_id_is_required)
-      end
-      #Would like to test the output of to_hash, but not sure how to deal with a Moped::BSON::Document object
-      #it "has a correct hash" do
-      #  create_thread_flag("#{Comment.first.comment_thread.id}", User.first.id)
-      #  Comment.first.comment_thread.to_hash
-      #end
+      it_behaves_like 'an abuse endpoint'
     end
   end
 end