diff --git a/test/api/v3/integration/user/POST-user_buy.test.js b/test/api/v3/integration/user/POST-user_buy.test.js
index cd97ec37fe..af40621b49 100644
--- a/test/api/v3/integration/user/POST-user_buy.test.js
+++ b/test/api/v3/integration/user/POST-user_buy.test.js
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ describe('POST /user/buy/:key', () => {
         message: t('messageHealthAlreadyMax'),
       });
   });
+
   it('buys a piece of gear', async () => {
     let key = 'armor_warrior_1';
 
@@ -64,4 +65,21 @@ describe('POST /user/buy/:key', () => {
 
     expect(user.items.gear.owned.armor_warrior_1).to.eql(true);
   });
+
+  it('buys a special spell', async () => {
+    let key = 'spookySparkles';
+    let item = content.special[key];
+
+    await user.update({'stats.gp': 250});
+    let res = await user.post(`/user/buy/${key}`);
+    await user.sync();
+
+    expect(res.data).to.eql({
+      items: JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(user.items)), // otherwise dates can't be compared
+      stats: user.stats,
+    });
+    expect(res.message).to.equal(t('messageBought', {
+      itemText: item.text(),
+    }));
+  });
 });
diff --git a/website/server/controllers/api-v3/user.js b/website/server/controllers/api-v3/user.js
index f5fe843277..172c0a8e18 100644
--- a/website/server/controllers/api-v3/user.js
+++ b/website/server/controllers/api-v3/user.js
@@ -870,7 +870,16 @@ api.buy = {
   url: '/user/buy/:key',
   async handler (req, res) {
     let user = res.locals.user;
-    let buyRes = common.ops.buy(user, req, res.analytics);
+
+    let buyRes;
+    let specialKeys = ['snowball', 'spookySparkles', 'shinySeed', 'seafoam'];
+
+    if (specialKeys.indexOf(req.params.key) !== -1) {
+      buyRes = common.ops.buySpecialSpell(user, req);
+    } else {
+      buyRes = common.ops.buy(user, req, res.analytics);
+    }
+
     await user.save();
     res.respond(200, ...buyRes);
   },