diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index dab63060c..a32189b6d 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -11,10 +11,12 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser):
         help="Fully qualified URL to the hub installation"
     )
 
+
 @pytest.fixture
 def binder_url(request):
-    return request.config.getoption('--binder-url')
+    return request.config.getoption("--binder-url").rstrip("/")
+
 
 @pytest.fixture
 def hub_url(request):
-    return request.config.getoption('--hub-url')
+    return request.config.getoption("--hub-url").rstrip("/")
diff --git a/tests/test_http.py b/tests/test_http.py
index 913e2faf4..e75c4dbdd 100644
--- a/tests/test_http.py
+++ b/tests/test_http.py
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
-import requests
+"""Basic HTTP tests to make sure things are running"""
+import pprint
+
 import pytest
+import requests
+
 
 def test_binder_up(binder_url):
     """
@@ -20,6 +24,20 @@ def test_hub_up(hub_url):
     assert resp.status_code == 403
 
 
+def test_hub_health(hub_url):
+    """check JupyterHubHub health endpoint"""
+    resp = requests.get(hub_url + "/hub/health")
+    print(resp.text)
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+
+
+def test_binder_health(binder_url):
+    """check BinderHub health endpoint"""
+    resp = requests.get(binder_url + "/health")
+    pprint.pprint(resp.json())
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+
+
 # the proxy-patches pod can take up to 30 seconds
 # to register its route after a proxy restart
 @pytest.mark.flaky(reruns=3, reruns_delay=10)