diff --git a/test/util.js b/test/util.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..eebe663d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/util.js
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+
+// Tests for config.util functions
+
+// Dependencies
+var vows = require('vows'),
+    assert = require('assert'),
+    config = require('../lib/config'),
+    initParam = config.util.initParam;
+
+vows.describe('Tests for config util functions')
+.addBatch({
+    'Tests for util.initParam': {
+        'When no command line or env var is set, default value is returned.': function () {
+          assert(initParam('EMPTY','mydefault'),'mydefault');
+        },
+        'When process.env is set and cmdline is not, process.env is used ': function () {
+          process.env.ENV_ONLY = 'in-the-env';
+          assert(initParam('ENV_ONLY','mydefault'),'in-the-env');
+        },
+        'When process.env is set and cmdline *is* set, cmd-line is used ': function () {
+          process.env.BOTH = 'in-the-env';
+          process.argv=['--BOTH=in-the-argv'];
+          assert(initParam('BOTH','mydefault'),'in-the-argv');
+        },
+        'After calling initParam, value is reflected in getEnv() even if it did not come from process.env': function () {
+          process.argv=['ignore','ignore','--FROMARG=in-the-argv'];
+          assert(initParam('FROMARG','mydefault'),'in-the-argv');
+          assert(config.util.getEnv('FROMARG'),'in-the-argv');
+        },
+        'Setting a zero value in the process.env works (process.env inherently casts values to strings)': function () {
+          process.env.ENV_ONLY = '0';
+          assert.strictEqual(initParam('ENV_ONLY','mydefault'),'0');
+        },
+        'Setting a zero value on the command line works. ': function () {
+          process.argv=['ignore','ignore','--FROMARG=0'];
+          assert.strictEqual(initParam('FROMARG','mydefault'),'0');
+        },
+    }
+})
+.export(module);
+