diff --git a/tests/__init__.py b/tests/__init__.py
index 4896364..fc9fca9 100644
--- a/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/__init__.py
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ vdirsyncer.log.set_level(vdirsyncer.log.logging.DEBUG)
 def normalize_item(item):
     if not isinstance(item, text_type):
         item = item.raw
-    return tuple(sorted(_normalize_item(item).splitlines()))
+    return tuple(sorted(_normalize_item(
+        item, use_icalendar=False).splitlines()))
 
 
 def assert_item_equals(a, b):
diff --git a/tests/utils/test_vobject.py b/tests/utils/test_vobject.py
index 506f0d5..227c65d 100644
--- a/tests/utils/test_vobject.py
+++ b/tests/utils/test_vobject.py
@@ -10,22 +10,21 @@
 from vdirsyncer.utils.vobject import split_collection, join_collection, \
     hash_item
 
-from .. import normalize_item, SIMPLE_TEMPLATE, BARE_EVENT_TEMPLATE, \
+from .. import normalize_item, VCARD_TEMPLATE, BARE_EVENT_TEMPLATE, \
     EVENT_TEMPLATE
 
-
 _simple_joined = u'\r\n'.join((
     u'BEGIN:VADDRESSBOOK',
-    SIMPLE_TEMPLATE.format(r=123),
-    SIMPLE_TEMPLATE.format(r=345),
-    SIMPLE_TEMPLATE.format(r=678),
+    VCARD_TEMPLATE.format(r=123),
+    VCARD_TEMPLATE.format(r=345),
+    VCARD_TEMPLATE.format(r=678),
     u'END:VADDRESSBOOK'
 ))
 
 _simple_split = [
-    SIMPLE_TEMPLATE.format(r=123),
-    SIMPLE_TEMPLATE.format(r=345),
-    SIMPLE_TEMPLATE.format(r=678)
+    VCARD_TEMPLATE.format(r=123),
+    VCARD_TEMPLATE.format(r=345),
+    VCARD_TEMPLATE.format(r=678)
 ]
 
 
@@ -36,10 +35,7 @@ def test_split_collection_simple():
 
 
 def test_join_collection_simple():
-    item_type = _simple_split[0].splitlines()[0][len(u'BEGIN:'):]
-    given = join_collection(_simple_split, wrappers={
-        item_type: (u'VADDRESSBOOK', ())
-    })
+    given = join_collection(_simple_split)
     print(given)
     print(_simple_joined)
     assert normalize_item(given) == normalize_item(_simple_joined)
diff --git a/vdirsyncer/utils/vobject.py b/vdirsyncer/utils/vobject.py
index 19bc7b4..f0b1006 100644
--- a/vdirsyncer/utils/vobject.py
+++ b/vdirsyncer/utils/vobject.py
@@ -27,8 +27,10 @@ IGNORE_PROPS = frozenset((
 ))
 
 
-def normalize_item(text, ignore_props=IGNORE_PROPS):
+def normalize_item(text, ignore_props=IGNORE_PROPS, use_icalendar=True):
     try:
+        if not use_icalendar:
+            raise Exception()
         lines = to_unicode_lines(icalendar.cal.Component.from_ical(text))
     except Exception:
         lines = sorted(text.splitlines())