diff --git a/PyOpenWorm/__init__.py b/PyOpenWorm/__init__.py
index b42ed63d7..571f5903b 100644
--- a/PyOpenWorm/__init__.py
+++ b/PyOpenWorm/__init__.py
@@ -106,17 +106,26 @@ def disconnect(c=False):
     m.connected = False
 
 
-def loadData(data='OpenWormData/WormData.n3', dataFormat='n3'):
-    """ 
+def loadData(data='OpenWormData/WormData.n3', dataFormat='n3', skipIfNewer=False):
+    """
     Load data into the underlying database of this library.
 
+    XXX: This is only guaranteed to work with the ZODB database.
+
     :param data: (Optional) Specify the file to load into the library
     :param dataFormat: (Optional) Specify the file format to load into the library.  Currently n3 is supported
-    :return:
+    :param skipIfNewer: (Optional) Skips loading of data if the database file is newer
+                        than the data to be loaded in. This is determined by the modified time on the main
+                        database file compared to the modified time on the data file.
     """
-    if data:
-        sys.stderr.write("[PyOpenWorm] Loading data into the graph; this may take several minutes!!\n")
-        config()['rdf.graph'].parse(data, format=dataFormat)
+    if skipIfNewer:
+        import os
+        data_file_time=os.path.getmtime(data)
+        db_file_time=os.path.getmtime(config('rdf.store_conf'))
+        if data_file_time < db_file_time:
+            return
+    sys.stderr.write("[PyOpenWorm] Loading data into the graph; this may take several minutes!!\n")
+    config('rdf.graph').parse(data, format=dataFormat)
 
 def connect(configFile='PyOpenWorm/default.conf',
             conf=False,
@@ -131,7 +140,6 @@ def connect(configFile='PyOpenWorm/default.conf',
     :param do_logging: (Optional) If true, turn on debug level logging
     :param data: (Optional) If provided, specify the file to load into the library
     :param dataFormat: (Optional) If provided, specify the file format to load into the library. Currently n3 is supported
-    :return:
     """
     import logging
     import atexit
diff --git a/examples/default.conf b/examples/default.conf
index 6d5746416..484182ac1 100644
--- a/examples/default.conf
+++ b/examples/default.conf
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 {
     "rdf.source" : "ZODB",
-    "rdf.store_conf" : "../worm.db",
+    "rdf.store_conf" : "../worm.db"
 }
diff --git a/tests/test.py b/tests/test.py
index f5383687c..15975bc92 100644
--- a/tests/test.py
+++ b/tests/test.py
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
+import sys
+sys.path.insert(0,".")
 import unittest
 import neuroml
 import neuroml.writers as writers
-import sys
-sys.path.insert(0,".")
 import PyOpenWorm
 from PyOpenWorm import *
 import test_data as TD
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class ExampleRunnerTest(unittest.TestCase):
     @classmethod
     def setUpClass(self):
         PyOpenWorm.connect()
-        PyOpenWorm.loadData()
+        PyOpenWorm.loadData(skipIfNewer=True)
         PyOpenWorm.disconnect()
         os.chdir('examples')
 
@@ -74,8 +74,12 @@ def tearDownClass(self):
         os.chdir('..')
 
     def execfile(self, example_file_name):
-        with open("/dev/null", "w") as out:
-            self.assertEqual(0, SP.call(["python", example_file_name], stdout=out, stderr=out))
+        fname = tempfile.mkstemp()[1]
+        with open(fname, 'w+') as out:
+            stat = SP.call(["python", example_file_name], stdout=out, stderr=out)
+            out.seek(0)
+            self.assertEqual(0, stat, out.read())
+        os.unlink(fname)
 
     def test_run_NeuronBasicInfo(self):
         self.execfile("NeuronBasicInfo.py")
@@ -1392,13 +1396,15 @@ def runTests(suite):
         return unittest.TextTestRunner().run(suite)
 
     all_tests = []
-    for x in glob("tests/test_*.conf"):
+    configs = glob("tests/test_*.conf")
+    if not has_bsddb:
+        configs = [x for x in configs if 'Sleepycat' not in x]
+    print "Testing with configs:",configs
+    for x in configs:
         TEST_CONFIG = x
-        print "config", x
-        if not ((x == "tests/test_Sleepycat.conf") and (not has_bsddb)):
-            suite = unittest.TestSuite()
-            suite.addTests(getTests(x) for x in _DataTest.__subclasses__())
-            all_tests.append(suite)
+        suite = unittest.TestSuite()
+        suite.addTests(getTests(x) for x in _DataTest.__subclasses__())
+        all_tests.append(suite)
 
     suite = unittest.TestSuite()
     classes = filter(lambda x : isinstance(x, type), globals().values())