diff --git a/tests/io/vasp/test_help.py b/tests/io/vasp/test_help.py
index b5b4b8ae229..234aa51576a 100644
--- a/tests/io/vasp/test_help.py
+++ b/tests/io/vasp/test_help.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 
 try:
     website_down = requests.get("https://www.vasp.at", timeout=5).status_code != 200
-except requests.exceptions.ConnectionError:
+except (requests.exceptions.ConnectionError, requests.exceptions.ReadTimeout):
     website_down = True
 
 
@@ -37,4 +37,5 @@ def test_get_help(self, tag):
 
     def test_get_incar_tags(self):
         incar_tags = VaspDoc.get_incar_tags()
+        assert isinstance(incar_tags, list)
         assert incar_tags