diff --git a/ghost/api-framework/lib/pipeline.js b/ghost/api-framework/lib/pipeline.js
index 8d4a4b1e15..bf60b5d03b 100644
--- a/ghost/api-framework/lib/pipeline.js
+++ b/ghost/api-framework/lib/pipeline.js
@@ -160,6 +160,8 @@ const STAGES = {
     }
 };
 
+const controllerMap = new Map();
+
 /**
  * @description The pipeline runs the request through all stages (validation, serialisation, permissions).
  *
@@ -180,12 +182,16 @@ const STAGES = {
  * @return {Object}
  */
 const pipeline = (apiController, apiUtils, apiType) => {
+    if (controllerMap.has(apiController)) {
+        return controllerMap.get(apiController);
+    }
+
     const keys = Object.keys(apiController);
     const docName = apiController.docName;
 
     // CASE: api controllers are objects with configuration.
     //       We have to ensure that we expose a functional interface e.g. `api.posts.add` has to be available.
-    return keys.reduce((obj, method) => {
+    const result = keys.reduce((obj, method) => {
         const apiImpl = _.cloneDeep(apiController)[method];
 
         Object.freeze(apiImpl.headers);
@@ -267,6 +273,10 @@ const pipeline = (apiController, apiUtils, apiType) => {
         Object.assign(obj[method], apiImpl);
         return obj;
     }, {});
+
+    controllerMap.set(apiController, result);
+
+    return result;
 };
 
 module.exports = pipeline;
diff --git a/ghost/core/test/regression/mock-express-style/api-vs-frontend.test.js b/ghost/core/test/regression/mock-express-style/api-vs-frontend.test.js
index c6685ed1cb..5f8b56451f 100644
--- a/ghost/core/test/regression/mock-express-style/api-vs-frontend.test.js
+++ b/ghost/core/test/regression/mock-express-style/api-vs-frontend.test.js
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ describe('Frontend behavior tests', function () {
 
         beforeEach(function () {
             sinon.stub(themeEngine.getActive(), 'config').withArgs('posts_per_page').returns(2);
-            const postsAPI = require('../../../core/server/api/endpoints/posts-public');
-            postSpy = sinon.spy(postsAPI.browse, 'query');
+            const postsAPI = require('../../../core/server/api/endpoints').postsPublic;
+            postSpy = sinon.spy(postsAPI, 'browse');
         });
 
         afterEach(function () {
@@ -143,22 +143,20 @@ describe('Frontend behavior tests', function () {
                     });
             });
 
-            it('serve tag', function () {
+            it('serve tag', async function () {
                 const req = {
                     method: 'GET',
                     url: '/tag/bacon/',
                     host: 'example.com'
                 };
 
-                return localUtils.mockExpress.invoke(app, req)
-                    .then(function (response) {
-                        response.statusCode.should.eql(200);
-                        response.template.should.eql('tag');
+                const response = await localUtils.mockExpress.invoke(app, req);
+                response.statusCode.should.eql(200);
+                response.template.should.eql('tag');
 
-                        postSpy.args[0][0].options.filter.should.eql('(tags:\'bacon\'+tags.visibility:public)+type:post');
-                        postSpy.args[0][0].options.page.should.eql(1);
-                        postSpy.args[0][0].options.limit.should.eql(2);
-                    });
+                postSpy.args[0][0].filter.should.eql('tags:\'bacon\'+tags.visibility:public');
+                postSpy.args[0][0].page.should.eql(1);
+                postSpy.args[0][0].limit.should.eql(2);
             });
 
             it('serve tag rss', function () {