diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yaml b/.github/workflows/test.yaml
index 05ec0e7aae..49e67166d5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yaml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         os: [ubuntu-latest]
-        node: [14, 16]
+        node: [14, 16, 18]
         database: [mongo-dev, mongo, redis, postgres]
         include:
           # only run coverage once
diff --git a/src/routes/helpers.js b/src/routes/helpers.js
index 8bcad07b22..cea52ee050 100644
--- a/src/routes/helpers.js
+++ b/src/routes/helpers.js
@@ -1,17 +1,18 @@
 'use strict';
 
 const helpers = module.exports;
+const winston = require('winston');
 const middleware = require('../middleware');
 const controllerHelpers = require('../controllers/helpers');
 
-function _handleArgs(middleware, middlewares, controller) {
-	if (typeof middlewares === 'function') {
-		if (controller) {
-			middlewares = [middlewares];
-		} else {
-			controller = middlewares;
-			middlewares = [];
-		}
+// router, name, middleware(deprecated), middlewares(optional), controller
+helpers.setupPageRoute = function (...args) {
+	const [router, name] = args;
+	let middlewares = args.length > 3 ? args[args.length - 2] : [];
+	const controller = args[args.length - 1];
+
+	if (args.length === 5) {
+		winston.warn('[helpers.setupPageRotue] passing middleware as third param is deprecated');
 	}
 
 	middlewares = [
@@ -20,15 +21,9 @@ function _handleArgs(middleware, middlewares, controller) {
 		middleware.registrationComplete,
 		middleware.pluginHooks,
 		...middlewares,
+		middleware.pageView,
 	];
 
-	return { middlewares, controller };
-}
-
-helpers.setupPageRoute = function (router, name, middleware, middlewares, controller) {
-	({ middlewares, controller } = _handleArgs(middleware, middlewares, controller));
-	middlewares.push(middleware.pageView);
-
 	router.get(
 		name,
 		middleware.busyCheck,
@@ -39,13 +34,31 @@ helpers.setupPageRoute = function (router, name, middleware, middlewares, contro
 	router.get(`/api${name}`, middlewares, helpers.tryRoute(controller));
 };
 
-helpers.setupAdminPageRoute = function (router, name, middleware, middlewares, controller) {
+// router, name, middleware(deprecated), middlewares(optional), controller
+helpers.setupAdminPageRoute = function (...args) {
+	const [router, name] = args;
+	const middlewares = args.length > 3 ? args[args.length - 2] : [];
+	const controller = args[args.length - 1];
+	if (args.length === 5) {
+		winston.warn('[helpers.setupAdminPageRoute] passing middleware as third param is deprecated');
+	}
 	router.get(name, middleware.admin.buildHeader, middlewares, helpers.tryRoute(controller));
 	router.get(`/api${name}`, middlewares, helpers.tryRoute(controller));
 };
 
-helpers.setupApiRoute = function (router, verb, name, middlewares, controller) {
-	({ middlewares, controller } = _handleArgs(middleware, middlewares, controller));
+// router, verb, name, middlewares(optional), controller
+helpers.setupApiRoute = function (...args) {
+	const [router, verb, name] = args;
+	let middlewares = args.length > 4 ? args[args.length - 2] : [];
+	const controller = args[args.length - 1];
+
+	middlewares = [
+		middleware.authenticateRequest,
+		middleware.maintenanceMode,
+		middleware.registrationComplete,
+		middleware.pluginHooks,
+		...middlewares,
+	];
 
 	router[verb](name, middlewares, helpers.tryRoute(controller, (err, res) => {
 		controllerHelpers.formatApiResponse(400, res, err);