diff --git a/IPython/html/services/kernels/tests/test_kernels_api.py b/IPython/html/services/kernels/tests/test_kernels_api.py
index 1322878..d04a577 100644
--- a/IPython/html/services/kernels/tests/test_kernels_api.py
+++ b/IPython/html/services/kernels/tests/test_kernels_api.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import json
 
 import requests
 
+from IPython.html.utils import url_path_join
 from IPython.html.tests.launchnotebook import NotebookTestBase
 
 
@@ -14,7 +15,7 @@ class KernelAPITest(NotebookTestBase):
     """Test the kernels web service API"""
 
     def base_url(self):
-        return super(KernelAPITest,self).base_url() + 'api/kernels'
+        return url_path_join(super(KernelAPITest,self).base_url(), 'api/kernels')
 
     def mkkernel(self):
         r = requests.post(self.base_url())
diff --git a/IPython/html/services/notebooks/filenbmanager.py b/IPython/html/services/notebooks/filenbmanager.py
index 17fc9a9..69b6d9e 100644
--- a/IPython/html/services/notebooks/filenbmanager.py
+++ b/IPython/html/services/notebooks/filenbmanager.py
@@ -117,7 +117,20 @@ class FileNotebookManager(NotebookManager):
         return os.path.isfile(path)
 
     def list_notebooks(self, path):
-        """List all notebooks in the notebook dir."""
+        """Returns a list of dictionaries that are the standard model
+        for all notebooks in the relative 'path'.
+        
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        path : str
+            the URL path that describes the relative path for the
+            listed notebooks
+        
+        Returns
+        -------
+        notebooks : list of dicts
+            a list of the notebook models without 'content'
+        """
         notebook_names = self.get_notebook_names(path)
         notebooks = []
         for name in notebook_names:
@@ -127,7 +140,22 @@ class FileNotebookManager(NotebookManager):
         return notebooks
 
     def get_notebook_model(self, name, path='/', content=True):
-        """read a notebook object from a path"""
+        """ Takes a path and name for a notebook and returns it's model
+        
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        name : str
+            the name of the notebook
+        path : str
+            the URL path that describes the relative path for
+            the notebook
+            
+        Returns
+        -------
+        model : dict
+            the notebook model. If contents=True, returns the 'contents' 
+            dict in the model as well.
+        """
         os_path = self.get_os_path(name, path)
         if not os.path.isfile(os_path):
             raise web.HTTPError(404, u'Notebook does not exist: %s' % name)
diff --git a/IPython/html/services/notebooks/tests/test_notebooks_api.py b/IPython/html/services/notebooks/tests/test_notebooks_api.py
index aff2075..50236a4 100644
--- a/IPython/html/services/notebooks/tests/test_notebooks_api.py
+++ b/IPython/html/services/notebooks/tests/test_notebooks_api.py
@@ -8,13 +8,14 @@ from zmq.utils import jsonapi
 
 import requests
 
+from IPython.html.utils import url_path_join
 from IPython.html.tests.launchnotebook import NotebookTestBase
 
 class APITest(NotebookTestBase):
     """Test the kernels web service API"""
 
     def notebook_url(self):
-        return super(APITest,self).base_url() + 'api/notebooks'
+        return url_path_join(super(APITest,self).base_url(), 'api/notebooks')
 
     def mknb(self, name='', path='/'):
         url = self.notebook_url() + path
diff --git a/IPython/html/services/sessions/tests/test_sessions_api.py b/IPython/html/services/sessions/tests/test_sessions_api.py
index eca503a..e195919 100644
--- a/IPython/html/services/sessions/tests/test_sessions_api.py
+++ b/IPython/html/services/sessions/tests/test_sessions_api.py
@@ -8,14 +8,14 @@ from zmq.utils import jsonapi
 
 import requests
 
+from IPython.html.utils import url_path_join
 from IPython.html.tests.launchnotebook import NotebookTestBase
 
-
 class SessionAPITest(NotebookTestBase):
     """Test the sessions web service API"""
     
     def notebook_url(self):
-        return super(SessionAPITest,self).base_url() + 'api/notebooks'
+        return url_path_join(super(SessionAPITest,self).base_url(), 'api/notebooks')
 
     def session_url(self):
         return super(SessionAPITest,self).base_url() + 'api/sessions'