diff --git a/src/adapter.js b/src/adapter.js
index 0eed39a..760dd09 100644
--- a/src/adapter.js
+++ b/src/adapter.js
@@ -141,15 +141,26 @@ class SymphonyAdapter extends Adapter {
 
   run () {
     this.robot.logger.info('Initialising...');
-    const host: string = process.env.HUBOT_SYMPHONY_HOST;
+
+    const getEnv = function(key: string, defaultVal: ?string): string {
+      const value = process.env[key]
+      if (value) {
+        return value;
+      }
+      if (defaultVal) {
+        return defaultVal;
+      }
+      throw new Error(`${key} undefined`);
+    };
+    const host: string = getEnv('HUBOT_SYMPHONY_HOST');
     this.symphony = new Symphony({
       host: host,
-      privateKey: process.env.HUBOT_SYMPHONY_PRIVATE_KEY,
-      publicKey: process.env.HUBOT_SYMPHONY_PUBLIC_KEY,
-      passphrase: process.env.HUBOT_SYMPHONY_PASSPHRASE,
-      keyManagerHost: process.env.HUBOT_SYMPHONY_KM_HOST || host,
-      sessionAuthHost: process.env.HUBOT_SYMPHONY_SESSIONAUTH_HOST || host,
-      agentHost: process.env.HUBOT_SYMPHONY_AGENT_HOST || host
+      privateKey: getEnv('HUBOT_SYMPHONY_PRIVATE_KEY'),
+      publicKey: getEnv('HUBOT_SYMPHONY_PUBLIC_KEY'),
+      passphrase: getEnv('HUBOT_SYMPHONY_PASSPHRASE'),
+      keyManagerHost: getEnv('HUBOT_SYMPHONY_KM_HOST', host),
+      sessionAuthHost: getEnv('HUBOT_SYMPHONY_SESSIONAUTH_HOST', host),
+      agentHost: getEnv('HUBOT_SYMPHONY_AGENT_HOST', host)
     });
     this.symphony.whoAmI()
       .then((response) => {
diff --git a/test/symphony-test.js b/test/symphony-test.js
index a54ff65..35921f3 100644
--- a/test/symphony-test.js
+++ b/test/symphony-test.js
@@ -143,16 +143,6 @@ describe('REST API test suite', () => {
       });
   });
 
-  it('getUser should fail if called with just a string arg', (done) => {
-    symphony.getUser(nock.realUserId)
-      .then((response) => {
-        done('Expecting failure');
-      })
-      .catch((error) => {
-        done();
-      });
-  });
-
   it('sendMessage should obtain session and key tokens and get message ack', (done) => {
     let msg = '<messageML>Testing 123...</messageML>';
     symphony.sendMessage(nock.streamId, msg, 'MESSAGEML')