diff --git a/example/tests/test_utils.py b/example/tests/test_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0068fa70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+import pytest
+
+from django.contrib.auth import get_user_model
+from rest_framework import serializers
+from rest_framework.response import Response
+from rest_framework.views import APIView
+from rest_framework_json_api import utils
+
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.django_db
+
+class Resource(APIView):
+    pass
+
+class ResourceSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
+    class Meta():
+        fields = ('username',)
+        model = get_user_model()
+
+def test_get_resource_name():
+    view = Resource()
+    context = {'view': view}
+    assert 'resources' == utils.get_resource_name(context), 'derived from view'
+
+    view.model = get_user_model()
+    assert 'users' == utils.get_resource_name(context), 'derived from view model'
+
+    view.resource_name = 'custom'
+    assert 'custom' == utils.get_resource_name(context), 'manually set on view'
+
+    view.response = Response(status=403)
+    assert 'errors' == utils.get_resource_name(context), 'handles 4xx error'
+
+    view.response = Response(status=500)
+    assert 'errors' == utils.get_resource_name(context), 'handles 500 error'
+
+    view = Resource()
+    context = {'view': view}
+    view.serializer_class = ResourceSerializer
+    assert 'users' == utils.get_resource_name(context), 'derived from serializer'
+
+    view.serializer_class.Meta.resource_name = 'rcustom'
+    assert 'rcustom' == utils.get_resource_name(context), 'set on serializer'
+
+def test_format_keys():
+    underscored = {
+        'first_name': 'a',
+        'last_name': 'b',
+    }
+
+    output = {'firstName': 'a', 'lastName': 'b'}
+    assert utils.format_keys(underscored, 'camelize') == output
+
+    output = {'first-name': 'a', 'last-name': 'b'}
+    assert utils.format_keys(underscored, 'dasherize') == output
+
+    new_input = {'firstName': 'a', 'lastName': 'b'}
+    assert utils.format_keys(new_input, 'underscore') == underscored
+
+    output = [{'first-name': 'a', 'last-name': 'b'}]
+    assert utils.format_keys([underscored], 'dasherize') == output
+
+def test_format_value():
+    assert utils.format_value('first_name', 'camelize') == 'FirstName'
+    assert utils.format_value('first_name', 'dasherize') == 'first-name'
+    assert utils.format_value('first-name', 'underscore') == 'first_name'
+
+def test_format_relation_name():
+    assert utils.format_relation_name('first_name', 'camelize') == 'FirstNames'
+
+def test_build_json_resource_obj():
+    resource = {
+        'pk': 1,
+        'username': 'Alice',
+    }
+
+    serializer = ResourceSerializer(data={'username': 'Alice'})
+    serializer.is_valid()
+    resource_instance = serializer.save()
+
+    output = {
+        'type': 'user',
+        'id': '1',
+        'attributes': {
+            'username': 'Alice'
+        },
+    }
+
+    assert utils.build_json_resource_obj(
+            serializer.fields, resource, resource_instance, 'user') == output
+
diff --git a/rest_framework_json_api/utils.py b/rest_framework_json_api/utils.py
index 2cf7379d..9c4c70ef 100644
--- a/rest_framework_json_api/utils.py
+++ b/rest_framework_json_api/utils.py
@@ -118,7 +118,8 @@ def format_keys(obj, format_type=None):
 
 
 def format_value(value, format_type=None):
-    format_type = getattr(settings, 'JSON_API_FORMAT_KEYS', False)
+    if format_type is None:
+        format_type = getattr(settings, 'JSON_API_FORMAT_KEYS', False)
     if format_type == 'dasherize':
         value = inflection.dasherize(value)
     elif format_type == 'camelize':
@@ -129,16 +130,11 @@ def format_value(value, format_type=None):
 
 
 def format_relation_name(value, format_type=None):
-    format_type = getattr(settings, 'JSON_API_FORMAT_RELATION_KEYS', False)
-
-    value = inflection.underscore(value)
+    if format_type is None:
+        format_type = getattr(settings, 'JSON_API_FORMAT_RELATION_KEYS', False)
 
-    if format_type == 'dasherize':
-        value = inflection.dasherize(value)
-    elif format_type == 'camelize':
-        value = inflection.camelize(value)
-    elif format_type == 'underscore':
-        value = inflection.underscore(value)
+    # format_type will never be None here so we can use format_value
+    value = format_value(value, format_type)
 
     return inflection.pluralize(value)