diff --git a/actions/apihelptest.php b/actions/apihelptest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5f32165cf6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/actions/apihelptest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * StatusNet, the distributed open-source microblogging tool
+ *
+ * Test that you can connect to the API
+ *
+ * PHP version 5
+ *
+ * LICENCE: This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ * @category  API
+ * @package   StatusNet
+ * @author    Zach Copley <zach@status.net>
+ * @copyright 2009 StatusNet, Inc.
+ * @license   http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/agpl-3.0.html GNU Affero General Public License version 3.0
+ * @link      http://status.net/
+ */
+
+if (!defined('STATUSNET')) {
+    exit(1);
+}
+
+require_once INSTALLDIR . '/lib/twitterapi.php';
+
+/**
+ * Returns the string "ok" in the requested format with a 200 OK HTTP status code.
+ *
+ * @category API
+ * @package  StatusNet
+ * @author   Zach Copley <zach@status.net>
+ * @license  http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/agpl-3.0.html GNU Affero General Public License version 3.0
+ * @link     http://status.net/
+ */
+
+class ApiHelpTestAction extends TwitterApiAction
+{
+    var $format = null;
+
+    /**
+     * Take arguments for running
+     *
+     * @param array $args $_REQUEST args
+     *
+     * @return boolean success flag
+     *
+     */
+
+    function prepare($args)
+    {
+        parent::prepare($args);
+        $this->format = $this->arg('format');
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Handle the request
+     *
+     * @param array $args $_REQUEST data (unused)
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+
+    function handle($args)
+    {
+        parent::handle($args);
+
+        if ($this->format == 'xml') {
+            $this->init_document('xml');
+            $this->element('ok', null, 'true');
+            $this->end_document('xml');
+        } elseif ($this->format == 'json') {
+            $this->init_document('json');
+            print '"ok"';
+            $this->end_document('json');
+        } else {
+            $this->clientError(
+                _('API method not found!'),
+                404,
+                $this->format
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+}
+
diff --git a/lib/router.php b/lib/router.php
index 3c50fb25ec..cf5c06b26f 100644
--- a/lib/router.php
+++ b/lib/router.php
@@ -480,9 +480,9 @@ class Router
 
         // help
 
-        $m->connect('api/help/:method',
-                    array('action' => 'api',
-                          'apiaction' => 'help'));
+        $m->connect('api/help/test.:format',
+                    array('action' => 'ApiHelpTest',
+                          'format' => '(xml|json)'));
 
         // statusnet