diff --git a/perceval/backends/core/zulip.py b/perceval/backends/core/zulip.py
index cf91b42e8..a0c1bfeed 100644
--- a/perceval/backends/core/zulip.py
+++ b/perceval/backends/core/zulip.py
@@ -134,6 +134,38 @@ def parse_messages(self, raw_messages):
 
         return anchor, found_newest, messages
 
+    # def fetch_items(self, category, **kwargs):
+    #     """Fetch the messages.
+    #
+    #     :param category: the category of items to fetch
+    #     :param kwargs: backend arguments
+    #
+    #     :return: a generator of items
+    #     """
+    #
+    #     anchor = 'oldest'
+    #     fetching = True
+    #
+    #     while fetching:
+    #         raw_messages = self.client.get_messages(anchor)
+    #
+    #         found_newest, messages = self.parse_messages(raw_messages)
+    #
+    #         for message in messages:
+    #             yield message
+    #             anchor = message['id']
+    #
+    #         if found_newest:
+    #             fetching = False
+    #
+    # def parse_messages(self, raw_messages):
+    #     result = json.loads(raw_messages)
+    #
+    #     found_newest = result.get('found_newest', False)
+    #     messages = result.get('messages', None)
+    #
+    #     return found_newest, messages
+
     @classmethod
     def has_archiving(cls):
         """Returns whether it supports archiving items on the fetch process.
diff --git a/tests/test_zulip.py b/tests/test_zulip.py
index dfe306643..80817c15b 100644
--- a/tests/test_zulip.py
+++ b/tests/test_zulip.py
@@ -34,10 +34,14 @@
                                           ZulipCommand)
 
 
-ZULIP_CHAT_URL = 'https://example.zulipchat.com/'
+ZULIP_CHAT_URL = 'https://example.zulipchat.com'
 ZULIP_CHAT_API_URL = '/api/v1/messages'
 ZULIP_MESSAGE_URL = ZULIP_CHAT_URL + ZULIP_CHAT_API_URL
 
+email='bot@zulipchat.com'
+api_token='aaaa'
+AUTH = (email, api_token)
+
 
 def read_file(filename):
     with open(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), filename), 'rb') as f:
@@ -63,6 +67,18 @@ def setup_http_server():
                            status=200)
 
 
+class MockedZulipClient(ZulipClient):
+    """Mocked Zulip client for testing"""
+
+    def __init__(self, url, stream, email, api_token, archive=None,
+                 from_archive=False, ssl_verify=True):
+        super().__init__(url, stream, email, api_token,
+                         archive=archive,
+                         from_archive=from_archive,
+                         ssl_verify=ssl_verify
+                         )
+
+
 class TestZulipBackend(unittest.TestCase):
     """Zulip backend tests"""