diff --git a/tests/test_search.py b/tests/test_search.py
index 160dd1827..212ce778c 100644
--- a/tests/test_search.py
+++ b/tests/test_search.py
@@ -28,6 +28,17 @@ def setup_module():
     parser = rst.Parser()
 
 
+def jsload(path):
+    searchindex = path.text()
+    assert searchindex.startswith('Search.setIndex(')
+
+    return jsdump.loads(searchindex[16:-2])
+
+
+def is_registered_term(index, keyword):
+    return index['terms'].get(keyword, []) != []
+
+
 FILE_CONTENTS = '''\
 .. test that comments are not indexed: boson
 
@@ -54,25 +65,28 @@ def test_objects_are_escaped(app, status, warning):
     index = jsdump.loads(searchindex[16:-2])
     assert 'n::Array&lt;T, d&gt;' in index.get('objects').get('')  # n::Array<T,d> is escaped
 
-def assert_lang_agnostic_key_words(searchindex):
-    assert 'thisnoteith' not in searchindex
-    assert 'thisonetoo' in searchindex
 
 @with_app(testroot='search')
 def test_meta_keys_are_handled_for_language_en(app, status, warning):
-    os.remove(app.outdir / 'searchindex.js')
     app.builder.build_all()
-    searchindex = (app.outdir / 'searchindex.js').text()
-    assert_lang_agnostic_key_words(searchindex)
-    assert 'findthiskei' in searchindex
-    assert 'onlygerman' not in searchindex
-    assert 'thistoo' in searchindex
+    searchindex = jsload(app.outdir / 'searchindex.js')
+    assert not is_registered_term(searchindex, 'thisnoteith')
+    assert is_registered_term(searchindex, 'thisonetoo')
+    assert is_registered_term(searchindex, 'findthiskei')
+    assert is_registered_term(searchindex, 'thistoo')
+    assert not is_registered_term(searchindex, 'onlygerman')
+    assert is_registered_term(searchindex, 'notgerman')
+    assert not is_registered_term(searchindex, 'onlytoogerman')
+
 
 @with_app(testroot='search', confoverrides={'html_search_language': 'de'})
 def test_meta_keys_are_handled_for_language_de(app, status, warning):
     app.builder.build_all()
-    searchindex = (app.outdir / 'searchindex.js').text()
-    assert_lang_agnostic_key_words(searchindex)
-    assert 'onlygerman' in searchindex
-    assert 'notgerman' not in searchindex
-    assert 'onlytoogerman' in searchindex
\ No newline at end of file
+    searchindex = jsload(app.outdir / 'searchindex.js')
+    assert not is_registered_term(searchindex, 'thisnoteith')
+    assert is_registered_term(searchindex, 'thisonetoo')
+    assert not is_registered_term(searchindex, 'findthiskei')
+    assert not is_registered_term(searchindex, 'thistoo')
+    assert is_registered_term(searchindex, 'onlygerman')
+    assert not is_registered_term(searchindex, 'notgerman')
+    assert is_registered_term(searchindex, 'onlytoogerman')