diff --git a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/fixtures/test_city_not_found.json b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/fixtures/test_city_not_found.json
index 9965b20..c6a203c 100644
--- a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/fixtures/test_city_not_found.json
+++ b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/fixtures/test_city_not_found.json
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 {
     "request":{
-        "api_url":"http://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather?q=fghjklasdfgh&APPID=123456"
+        "api_url":"http://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather",
+        "params": {
+            "q": "fghjklasdfgh",
+            "APPID": "123456"
+        }
     },
     "response":{
         "cod":"404",
diff --git a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/fixtures/test_city_with_country.json b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/fixtures/test_city_with_country.json
index 1bacfea..f745959 100644
--- a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/fixtures/test_city_with_country.json
+++ b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/fixtures/test_city_with_country.json
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 {
     "request":{
-        "api_url":"http://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather?q=New Delhi, India&APPID=123456"
+        "api_url":"http://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather",
+        "params": {
+            "q": "New Delhi, India",
+            "APPID": "123456"
+        }
     },
     "response":{
         "coord":{
diff --git a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/fixtures/test_only_city.json b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/fixtures/test_only_city.json
index 9e5c1dc..8c048e5 100644
--- a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/fixtures/test_only_city.json
+++ b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/fixtures/test_only_city.json
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 {
     "request":{
-        "api_url":"http://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather?q=New York&APPID=123456"
+        "api_url":"http://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather",
+        "params": {
+            "q": "New York",
+            "APPID": "123456"
+        }
     },
     "response":{
         "coord":{
diff --git a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/fixtures/test_only_country.json b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/fixtures/test_only_country.json
index 5d27801..28a0e51 100644
--- a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/fixtures/test_only_country.json
+++ b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/fixtures/test_only_country.json
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 {
     "request":{
-        "api_url":"http://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather?q=United Kingdom&APPID=123456"
+        "api_url":"http://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather",
+        "params": {
+            "q": "United Kingdom",
+            "APPID": "123456"
+        }
     },
     "response":{
         "coord":{
diff --git a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/weather.py b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/weather.py
index 9df10c1..8ad12c9 100644
--- a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/weather.py
+++ b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots/weather/weather.py
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import logging
 
 from typing import Any, Dict
 
+api_url = 'http://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather'
+
 class WeatherHandler(object):
     def initialize(self, bot_handler: Any) -> None:
         self.api_key = bot_handler.get_config_info('weather')['key']
@@ -12,8 +14,8 @@ class WeatherHandler(object):
         self.check_api_key(bot_handler)
 
     def check_api_key(self, bot_handler: Any) -> None:
-        url = 'http://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather?q=nyc&APPID=' + self.api_key
-        test_response = requests.get(url)
+        api_params = dict(q='nyc', APPID=self.api_key)
+        test_response = requests.get(api_url, params=api_params)
         try:
             test_response_data = test_response.json()
             if test_response_data['cod'] == 401:
@@ -40,8 +42,8 @@ class WeatherHandler(object):
         if (message['content'] == 'help') or (message['content'] == ''):
             response = help_content
         else:
-            url = 'http://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather?q=' + message['content'] + '&APPID='
-            r = requests.get(url + self.api_key)
+            api_params = dict(q=message['content'], APPID=self.api_key)
+            r = requests.get(api_url, params=api_params)
             if r.json()['cod'] == "404":
                 response = "Sorry, city not found"
             else: