diff --git a/master/buildbot/steps/subunit.py b/master/buildbot/steps/subunit.py
index 1bbacb72a8c..f4f0ca19c4c 100644
--- a/master/buildbot/steps/subunit.py
+++ b/master/buildbot/steps/subunit.py
@@ -24,11 +24,15 @@ class SubunitShellCommand(ShellCommand):
     def __init__(self, failureOnNoTests=False, *args, **kwargs):
         ShellCommand.__init__(self, *args, **kwargs)
         self.failureOnNoTests = failureOnNoTests
+        self.addFactoryArguments(failureOnNoTests=failureOnNoTests)
+
         # importing here gets around an import loop
         from buildbot.process import subunitlogobserver
+        
         self.ioObverser = subunitlogobserver.SubunitLogObserver()
         self.addLogObserver('stdio', self.ioObverser)
         self.progressMetrics = self.progressMetrics + ('tests', 'tests failed')
+
     def commandComplete(self, cmd):
         # figure out all statistics about the run
         ob = self.ioObverser
@@ -49,10 +53,9 @@ def commandComplete(self, cmd):
                           (total,
                           total == 1 and "test" or "tests"),
                           "passed"]
-            elif self.failureOnNoTests:
-                results = FAILURE
-                text += ["no test is found"]
             else:
+                if self.failureOnNoTests:
+                    results = FAILURE
                 text += ["no tests", "run"]
         else:
             results = FAILURE
@@ -65,7 +68,7 @@ def commandComplete(self, cmd):
                 text.append("%d %s" % \
                             (errors,
                              errors == 1 and "error" or "errors"))
-            text2 = "%d tes%s" % (count, (count == 1 and 't' or 'ts'))
+            text2 = "%d %s" % (count, (count == 1 and 'test' or 'tests'))
 
 
         if skips:
diff --git a/master/buildbot/test/unit/test_steps_subunit.py b/master/buildbot/test/unit/test_steps_subunit.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a639b071a58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/master/buildbot/test/unit/test_steps_subunit.py
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+# This file is part of Buildbot.  Buildbot is free software: you can
+# redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public
+# License as published by the Free Software Foundation, version 2.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more
+# details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
+# this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51
+# Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+#
+# Copyright Buildbot Team Members
+
+import mock
+import StringIO
+from zope.interface import implements
+from twisted.trial import unittest
+from buildbot import interfaces
+from buildbot.steps import subunit
+from buildbot.process import subunitlogobserver
+from buildbot.status.results import SUCCESS, FAILURE
+from buildbot.test.fake.remotecommand import ExpectShell
+from buildbot.test.util import steps
+
+class StubLogObserver(mock.Mock):
+    implements(interfaces.ILogObserver)
+
+class TestSetPropertiesFromEnv(steps.BuildStepMixin, unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.logobserver = StubLogObserver()
+        self.logobserver.failures = []
+        self.logobserver.errors = []
+        self.logobserver.skips = []
+        self.logobserver.testsRun = 0
+        self.logobserver.warningio = StringIO.StringIO()
+        self.patch(subunitlogobserver, 'SubunitLogObserver',
+                                lambda : self.logobserver)
+        return self.setUpBuildStep()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        return self.tearDownBuildStep()
+
+    def test_empty(self):
+        self.setupStep(subunit.SubunitShellCommand(command='test'))
+        self.expectCommands(
+            ExpectShell(workdir='wkdir', usePTY='slave-config',
+                        command="test")
+            + 0
+        )
+        self.expectOutcome(result=SUCCESS,
+                status_text=["shell", "no tests", "run"])
+        return self.runStep()
+
+    def test_empty_error(self):
+        self.setupStep(subunit.SubunitShellCommand(command='test',
+                failureOnNoTests=True))
+        self.expectCommands(
+            ExpectShell(workdir='wkdir', usePTY='slave-config',
+                        command="test")
+            + 0
+        )
+        self.expectOutcome(result=FAILURE,
+                status_text=["shell", "no tests", "run"])
+        return self.runStep()
+
+    def test_warnings(self):
+        self.setupStep(subunit.SubunitShellCommand(command='test'))
+        self.expectCommands(
+            ExpectShell(workdir='wkdir', usePTY='slave-config',
+                        command="test")
+            + 0
+        )
+        self.logobserver.warnings.append('not quite up to snuff (list)')
+        self.logobserver.warningio.write('not quite up to snuff (io)\n')
+        self.logobserver.testsRun = 3
+        self.expectOutcome(result=SUCCESS, # N.B. not WARNINGS
+                status_text=["shell", "3 tests", "passed"])
+        # note that the warnings list is ignored..
+        self.expectLogfile('warnings', 'not quite up to snuff (io)\n')
+        return self.runStep()
+
+    # TODO: test text2 generation?
+    # TODO: tests are represented as objects?!