diff --git a/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-bootstrap.php b/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-bootstrap.php
index c87881c3..a1b2e086 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-bootstrap.php
+++ b/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-bootstrap.php
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class Bootstrap {
         $this->setup_server();
         $this->setup_paths();
         $this->setup_cache();
-        $this->setup_ext_cmds();
+        $this->setup_cmds();
 
         $app = new App();
         if (Util::is_post_request()) {
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ class Bootstrap {
         define("HAS_WRITABLE_CACHE", @is_writable(CACHE_PATH));
     }
 
-    private function setup_ext_cmds() {
+    private function setup_cmds() {
 
         define("CMDS_PATH", Util::normalize_path(CACHE_PATH . "/cmds.json", false));
 
diff --git a/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/core/class-util.php b/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/core/class-util.php
index 98057c21..44f23d43 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/core/class-util.php
+++ b/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/core/class-util.php
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class Util {
 
     public static function is_post_request() {
 
-        return (strtolower($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"]) === "post");
+        return (strtolower(getenv("REQUEST_METHOD")) === "post");
     }
 
 
diff --git a/test/tests/unit/view/viewmode.js b/test/tests/unit/view/viewmode.js
index fcf64c11..b765c5e2 100644
--- a/test/tests/unit/view/viewmode.js
+++ b/test/tests/unit/view/viewmode.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var ID = 'view/viewmode';
-var DEPS = ['_', '$', 'core/event', 'core/resource', 'view/sidebar', 'view/topbar', 'view/view'];
+var DEPS = ['_', '$', 'core/event', 'core/resource', 'core/settings', 'view/sidebar', 'view/topbar', 'view/view'];
 
 describe('module \'' + ID + '\'', function () {
 
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ describe('module \'' + ID + '\'', function () {
         this.xResource = {
             image: sinon.stub().returns(util.uniqPath('-image.png'))
         };
+        this.xSettings = {view: {
+            viewmodeToggle: false
+        }};
         this.xSidebar = {$el: null};
         this.xTopbar = {$el: null};
         this.xView = {
@@ -41,7 +44,7 @@ describe('module \'' + ID + '\'', function () {
             this.xView.getSize.reset();
             this.xView.setSize.reset();
 
-            return this.definition.fn(_, $, this.xEvent, this.xResource, this.xSidebar, this.xTopbar, this.xView);
+            return this.definition.fn(_, $, this.xEvent, this.xResource, this.xSettings, this.xSidebar, this.xTopbar, this.xView);
         };
     });