diff --git a/colab/accounts/views.py b/colab/accounts/views.py
index c21bcc8..c8152b6 100644
--- a/colab/accounts/views.py
+++ b/colab/accounts/views.py
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 
 from collections import OrderedDict
 
+from haystack.exceptions import SearchBackendError
+
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.contrib import messages
 from django.db import transaction
@@ -106,7 +108,10 @@ class UserProfileDetailView(UserProfileBaseMixin, DetailView):
         for filter_or in fields_or_lookup:
             sqs = sqs.filter_or(**filter_or).exclude(type='thread')
 
-        context['results'] = sqs.order_by('-modified', '-created')[:10]
+        try:
+            context['results'] = sqs.order_by('-modified', '-created')[:10]
+        except SearchBackendError:
+            context['results'] = sqs.order_by('-modified')[:10]
 
         email_pks = [addr.pk for addr in user.emails.iterator()]
         query = Message.objects.filter(from_address__in=email_pks)
diff --git a/colab/tests/__init__.py b/colab/tests/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/colab/tests/__init__.py
diff --git a/colab/tests/settings.py b/colab/tests/settings.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9220720
--- /dev/null
+++ b/colab/tests/settings.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+from ..settings import *
+
+
+import os
+HAYSTACK_CONNECTIONS = {
+    'default': {
+        'ENGINE': 'haystack.backends.whoosh_backend.WhooshEngine',
+        'PATH': os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'whoosh_index'),
+    },
+}
diff --git a/requirements_test.txt b/requirements_test.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fbe185c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/requirements_test.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Whoosh==2.5.7
--
libgit2 0.21.2