diff --git a/abe/resource_models/event_resources.py b/abe/resource_models/event_resources.py
index 0c7b823b..4c42fc48 100644
--- a/abe/resource_models/event_resources.py
+++ b/abe/resource_models/event_resources.py
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ def get(self, event_id=None, rec_id=None):
 
         rec_id          the rec_id of the sub_event information requested to be retrieved
         """
-
         if event_id:  # use event id if present
             logging.debug('Event requested: ' + event_id)
             result = db.Event.objects(id=event_id).first()
@@ -98,7 +97,7 @@ def get(self, event_id=None, rec_id=None):
             events_list = []
             for event in results:
 
-                if 'recurrence' in event:  # checks for recurrent events
+                if 'recurrence' in event and request.args.get('expand') != 'false': # checks for recurrent events
                     # expands a recurring event defintion into a json response with individual events
                     events_list = recurring_to_full(event, events_list, start, end)
                 else:  # appends the event information as a dictionary
diff --git a/tests/test_app.py b/tests/test_app.py
index 8528a42d..54990340 100644
--- a/tests/test_app.py
+++ b/tests/test_app.py
@@ -50,4 +50,31 @@ def test_add_sample_labels(self):
                 data=flask.json.dumps(event),
                 content_type='application/json'
             )
-            self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 201)
+            self.assertEqual(response._status_code, 201)
+
+    def test_date_range(self):
+        from abe import database as db
+        sample_data.load_data(db)
+
+        with self.subTest("a six-month query returns some events"):
+            response = self.app.get('/events/?start=2017-01-01&end=2017-07-01')
+            self.assertEqual(response._status_code, 200)
+            self.assertEqual(len(flask.json.loads(response.data)), 25)
+
+        with self.subTest("a one-year query returns all events"):
+            response = self.app.get('/events/?start=2017-01-01&end=2018-01-01')
+            self.assertEqual(response._status_code, 200)
+            self.assertEqual(len(flask.json.loads(response.data)), 69)
+
+        with self.subTest("a two-year query is too long"):
+            response = self.app.get('/events/?start=2017-01-01&end=2019-01-01')
+            self.assertEqual(response._status_code, 404)
+
+        with self.subTest("a one-year query works for leap years"):
+            response = self.app.get('/events/?start=2020-01-01&end=2021-01-01')
+            self.assertEqual(response._status_code, 200)
+
+        with self.subTest("a query that doesn't expand recurrent events works"):
+            response = self.app.get('/events/?start=2017-06-01&end=2017-06-10&expand=false')
+            self.assertEqual(response._status_code, 200)
+            self.assertEqual(len(flask.json.loads(response.data)), 2)