diff --git a/s3tests/functional/__init__.py b/s3tests/functional/__init__.py
index 7a5eb57..4bfc580 100644
--- a/s3tests/functional/__init__.py
+++ b/s3tests/functional/__init__.py
@@ -405,7 +405,9 @@ def _make_request(method, bucket, key, body=None, authenticated=False, response_
     """
     issue a request for a specified method, on a specified <bucket,key>,
     with a specified (optional) body (encrypted per the connection), and
-    return the response (status, reason)
+    return the response (status, reason).
+
+    If key is None, then this will be treated as a bucket-level request.
     """
     if response_headers is None:
         response_headers = {}
@@ -416,44 +418,48 @@ def _make_request(method, bucket, key, body=None, authenticated=False, response_
         request_headers['Host'] = conn.calling_format.build_host(conn.server_name(), bucket.name)
 
     if authenticated:
-        url = key.generate_url(expires_in, method=method, response_headers=response_headers, headers=request_headers)
+        urlobj = None
+        if key is not None:
+            urlobj = key
+        elif bucket is not None:
+            urlobj = bucket
+        else:
+            raise RuntimeError('Unable to find bucket name')
+        url = urlobj.generate_url(expires_in, method=method, response_headers=response_headers, headers=request_headers)
         o = urlparse(url)
         path = o.path + '?' + o.query
     else:
-        if path_style:
-            path = '/{bucket}/{obj}'.format(bucket=key.bucket.name, obj=key.name)
+        bucketobj = None
+        if key is not None:
+            path = '/{obj}'.format(obj=key.name)
+            bucketobj = key.bucket
+        elif bucket is not None:
+            path = '/'
+            bucketobj = bucket
         else:
-            path = '/{obj}'.format(bucket=key.bucket.name, obj=key.name)
+            raise RuntimeError('Unable to find bucket name')
+        if path_style:
+            path = '/{bucket}'.format(bucket=bucketobj.name) + path
 
     return _make_raw_request(host=s3.main.host, port=s3.main.port, method=method, path=path, body=body, request_headers=request_headers, secure=s3.main.is_secure, timeout=timeout)
 
 def _make_bucket_request(method, bucket, body=None, authenticated=False, response_headers=None, request_headers=None, expires_in=100000, path_style=True, timeout=None):
     """
-    issue a request for a specified method, on a specified <bucket,key>,
+    issue a request for a specified method, on a specified <bucket>,
     with a specified (optional) body (encrypted per the connection), and
     return the response (status, reason)
     """
-    if response_headers is None:
-        response_headers = {}
-    if request_headers is None:
-        request_headers = {}
-    if not path_style:
-        conn = bucket.connection
-        request_headers['Host'] = conn.calling_format.build_host(conn.server_name(), bucket.name)
-
-    if authenticated:
-        url = bucket.generate_url(expires_in, method=method, response_headers=response_headers, headers=request_headers)
-        o = urlparse(url)
-        path = o.path + '?' + o.query
-    else:
-        if path_style:
-            path = '/{bucket}'.format(bucket=bucket.name)
-        else:
-            path = '/'
-
-    return _make_raw_request(host=s3.main.host, port=s3.main.port, method=method, path=path, body=body, request_headers=request_headers, secure=s3.main.is_secure, timeout=timeout)
+    return _make_request(method=method, bucket=bucket, key=None, body=body, authenticated=authenticated, response_headers=response_headers, request_headers=request_headers, expires_in=expires_in, path_style=path_style, timeout=timeout)
 
 def _make_raw_request(host, port, method, path, body=None, request_headers=None, secure=False, timeout=None):
+    """
+    issue a request to a specific host & port, for a specified method, on a
+    specified path with a specified (optional) body (encrypted per the
+    connection), and return the response (status, reason).
+
+    This allows construction of special cases not covered by the bucket/key to
+    URL mapping of _make_request/_make_bucket_request.
+    """
     if secure:
         class_ = HTTPSConnection
     else: