diff --git a/cypress/e2e/requests.cy.js b/cypress/e2e/requests.cy.js
index 1e7d730..003ef6a 100644
--- a/cypress/e2e/requests.cy.js
+++ b/cypress/e2e/requests.cy.js
@@ -2,50 +2,103 @@ describe('Viewing all requests', () => {
   describe('as a logged out user', () => {
     it('should show an error message.', () => {
       // Visit a protected route in order to allow cypress to set the cookie and mock the login
-      cy.visit("/requests")
+      cy.visit('/requests')
       cy.get('div.alert-heading').contains('Unauthorized').then(() => {
-        cy.log("A logged out user is not able to view requests.")
+        cy.log('A logged out user is not able to view requests.')
       })
     })
   })
   
   describe('as a logged in user', () => {
     let scientistApiBaseURL = `https://${Cypress.env('NEXT_PUBLIC_PROVIDER_NAME')}.scientist.com/api/v2`
+    // declare variables that can be used to change how the response is intercepted.
     let requestList
+    let loading
+    let error
 
     beforeEach(() => {
       // Call the custom cypress command to log in
       cy.login(Cypress.env('TEST_SCIENTIST_USER'), Cypress.env('TEST_SCIENTIST_PW'))
-
       // Intercept the response from the endpoint to view all requests
+      // TODO(summer-cook): extract out this base url into the config to use as an environment variable. it was not cooperating before
       cy.intercept('GET', `${scientistApiBaseURL}/quote_groups/mine.json`, (req) => {
-        if (requestList === true) {
-          req.reply({fixture: 'all-requests/requests.json'})
-        } else {
-          req.reply({fixture: 'all-requests/no-requests.json'})
+        if ((requestList === undefined) && (loading === true)) {
+          // reply with an empty response: both data and error will be undefined.
+          req.reply()
+        } else if ((requestList === undefined) && (loading === false) && (error === true)) {
+          // error will be defined
+          req.reply({ statusCode: 500 })
+        } else if (requestList === true) {
+          // reply with a request body- default status code is 200
+          req.reply({ fixture: 'all-requests/requests.json' })
+        } else if (requestList === false) {
+          req.reply({ fixture: 'all-requests/no-requests.json' })
         }
-      }).as('useAllRequests')
-      cy.visit("/requests")
+      })
+      // Intercept the response from the endpoint that gets the default ware ID
+      cy.intercept('GET', `${scientistApiBaseURL}/wares.json?q=make-a-request`, { fixture: 'all-requests/make-a-request.json' })
+      cy.visit('/requests')
     })
 
-    context('has requests', () => {
+
+    context('request list is loading', () => {
       before(() => {
-        requestList = true
+        loading = true
       })
-      it("shows the user's request list.", () => {
-        cy.get('article.request-item').should('exist').then(() => {
-          cy.log('Successfully viewing request list.')
+      it('should show a loading spinner.', () => {
+        cy.get("[aria-label='tail-spin-loading']").should('be.visible').then(() => {
+          cy.log('Loading spinner displays correctly.')
         })
       })
     })
 
-    context('has 0 requests', () => {
-      before(() => {
-        requestList = false
+    // TODO: uncomment this and try to make the page it not get an undefined error
+    // context('error while making a request to the api', () => {
+    //   before(() => {
+    //     requestList = undefined
+    //     loading = false
+    //     error = true
+    //   })
+    //   it('should show an error message.', () => {
+    //     cy.get("div[role='alert']").should('be.visible').then(() => {
+    //       cy.log('Successfully hits an error.')
+    //     })
+    //   })
+    // })
+
+    describe('request components are loading successfully, &', () => {
+      context('the user has requests', () => {
+        before(() => {
+          requestList = true
+        })
+        it("should show the user's request list.", () => {
+          cy.get('article.request-item').should('exist').then(() => {
+            cy.log('Successfully viewing request list.')
+          })
+        })
+      })
+
+      context('the user has 0 requests', () => {
+        before(() => {
+          requestList = []
+        })
+        it("should show a message notifying the user they don't have any requests.", () => {
+          cy.get('p.no-requests').contains('You do not have any requests yet.').then(() => {
+            cy.log('Successfully viewing request page with no requests.')
+          })
+        })
       })
-      it("shows a message notifying the user they don't have any requests.", () => {
-        cy.get('p.no-requests').contains('You do not have any requests yet.').then(() => {
-          cy.log('Successfully viewing request page with no requests.')
+
+      context('the user can see the <LinkedButton /> component', () => {
+        [true, false].forEach((value) => {
+          before(() => {
+            requestList = value
+          })
+          it(`should show a button that links to the initialize request page for the default ware ${value ? 'with a request list' : 'with 0 requests'}.`, () => {
+            cy.get("a[data-cy='linked-button']").should('have.attr', 'href', `/requests/new/make-a-request?id=123`).then(() => {
+              cy.log('The <LinkedButton /> component displays correctly')
+            })
+          })
         })
       })
     })
diff --git a/cypress/fixtures/all-requests/make-a-request.json b/cypress/fixtures/all-requests/make-a-request.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6c36641
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cypress/fixtures/all-requests/make-a-request.json
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{
+    "ware_refs": [
+        {
+            "id": 123
+        }
+    ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cypress/fixtures/all-requests/requests.json b/cypress/fixtures/all-requests/requests.json
index ed9d5b4..af6016c 100644
--- a/cypress/fixtures/all-requests/requests.json
+++ b/cypress/fixtures/all-requests/requests.json
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
           "uuid": "596127b7-2356-45aa-aec4-a4f8608ae755",
           "name": "Example Request 3",
           "description": "<p>Here is a 3rd request</p>",
-          "status": "Compliance Required",
+          "status": "SOW Submitted",
           "billing_same_as_shipping": false,
           "proposed_deadline": null,
           "updated_at": "2023-02-23T07:12:44.086Z",