diff --git a/src/bmconfigparser.py b/src/bmconfigparser.py
index b824b7e5..5d6ea5d4 100644
--- a/src/bmconfigparser.py
+++ b/src/bmconfigparser.py
@@ -172,6 +172,13 @@ class BMConfigParser(SafeConfigParser):
             return [x for x in BMConfigParser().sections() if x.startswith('BM-') and (
                     hidden or not BMConfigParser().safeGetBoolean(x, 'hidden'))]
 
+        def _reset(self):
+            """Reset current config. There doesn't appear to be a built in
+               method for this"""
+            sections = self.sections()
+            for x in sections:
+                self.remove_section(x)
+
         def read(self, filenames):
             SafeConfigParser.read(self, filenames)
             for section in self.sections():
diff --git a/src/tests/test_config.py b/src/tests/test_config.py
index 83a8d9a1..efcf78a3 100644
--- a/src/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/src/tests/test_config.py
@@ -1,13 +1,60 @@
+# pylint: disable=no-member
 """
 Various tests for config
 """
-
 import unittest
+import tempfile
+import sys
+import os
+
+# from six.moves import configparser
 from pybitmessage.bmconfigparser import BMConfigParser
 
+test_config = {
+    "bitmessagesettings": {
+        "maxaddrperstreamsend": 100,
+        "maxbootstrapconnections": 20,
+        "maxdownloadrate": 0,
+        "maxoutboundconnections": 8,
+        "maxtotalconnections": 200,
+        "maxuploadrate": 0,
+        "apiinterface": "127.0.0.1",
+        "apiport": 8442,
+        "udp": "True"
+    },
+    "threads": {
+        "receive": 3,
+    },
+    "network": {
+        "bind": "",
+        "dandelion": 90,
+    },
+    "inventory": {
+        "storage": "sqlite",
+        "acceptmismatch": "False",
+    },
+    "knownnodes": {
+        "maxnodes": 20000,
+    },
+    "zlib": {
+        "maxsize": 1048576
+    }
+}
+
 
 class TestConfig(unittest.TestCase):
     """A test case for bmconfigparser"""
+    config_backup = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(suffix='.cfg').name
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        """creates a backup of BMConfigparser current state"""
+        with open(self.config_backup, 'wb') as configfile:
+            BMConfigParser().write(configfile)
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        """restore to the backup of BMConfigparser"""
+        BMConfigParser().read(self.config_backup)
+        os.remove(self.config_backup)
 
     def test_safeGet(self):
         """safeGet retuns provided default for nonexistent option or None"""
@@ -41,3 +88,16 @@ class TestConfig(unittest.TestCase):
             BMConfigParser().safeGetFloat('nonexistent', 'nonexistent'), 0.0)
         self.assertEqual(
             BMConfigParser().safeGetFloat('nonexistent', 'nonexistent', 42.0), 42.0)
+
+    def test_reset(self):
+        """safeGetInt retuns provided default for bitmessagesettings option or 0"""
+        if sys.version_info[0] >= 3:
+            BMConfigParser().read_dict(test_config)
+        else:
+            BMConfigParser().read('src/tests/test_config.ini')
+        self.assertEqual(
+            BMConfigParser().safeGetInt('bitmessagesettings', 'maxaddrperstreamsend'), 100)
+        # pylint: disable=protected-access
+        BMConfigParser()._reset()
+        self.assertEqual(
+            BMConfigParser().safeGetInt('bitmessagesettings', 'maxaddrperstreamsend'), 500)
diff --git a/src/tests/test_pattern/test_config.ini b/src/tests/test_pattern/test_config.ini
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e17b4a6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/test_pattern/test_config.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+[bitmessagesettings]
+maxaddrperstreamsend=100
+maxbootstrapconnections=10
+maxdownloadrate=0
+maxoutboundconnections=8
+maxtotalconnections=100
+maxuploadrate=0
+apiinterface=127.0.0.1
+apiport=8442
+udp=True
+
+[threads]
+receive=3
+
+[network]
+bind=None
+dandelion= 90
+
+[inventory]
+storage= sqlite
+acceptmismatch= False
+
+[knownnodes]
+maxnodes= 15000
+
+[zlib]
+maxsize= 1048576
\ No newline at end of file