diff --git a/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt b/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
index a10dbf21b..f6b940ef2 100644
--- a/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 project(kernel C)
 
 SET(_TEST_FILES
+config.test.c
 ship.test.c
 spell.test.c
 ally.test.c
diff --git a/src/kernel/config.c b/src/kernel/config.c
index b09aa3fff..93fe0a9da 100644
--- a/src/kernel/config.c
+++ b/src/kernel/config.c
@@ -1808,22 +1808,23 @@ int getid(void)
 
 const char *get_param(const struct param *p, const char *key)
 {
-  while (p != NULL) {
-    if (strcmp(p->name, key) == 0)
-      return p->data;
-    p = p->next;
-  }
-  return NULL;
+    while (p != NULL) {
+        int cmp = strcmp(p->name, key);
+        if (cmp == 0) {
+            return p->data;
+        } 
+        else if (cmp>0) {
+            break;
+        }
+        p = p->next;
+    }
+    return NULL;
 }
 
 int get_param_int(const struct param *p, const char *key, int def)
 {
-  while (p != NULL) {
-    if (strcmp(p->name, key) == 0)
-      return atoi(p->data);
-    p = p->next;
-  }
-  return def;
+    const char * str = get_param(p, key);
+    return str ? atoi(str) : def;
 }
 
 static const char *g_datadir;
@@ -1879,19 +1880,26 @@ float get_param_flt(const struct param *p, const char *key, float def)
 
 void set_param(struct param **p, const char *key, const char *data)
 {
-  ++global.cookie;
-  while (*p != NULL) {
-    if (strcmp((*p)->name, key) == 0) {
-      free((*p)->data);
-      (*p)->data = _strdup(data);
-      return;
+    struct param *par;
+
+    ++global.cookie;
+    while (*p != NULL) {
+        int cmp = strcmp((*p)->name, key);
+        if (cmp == 0) {
+            free((*p)->data);
+            (*p)->data = _strdup(data);
+            return;
+        }
+        else if (cmp>0) {
+            break;
+        }
+        p = &(*p)->next;
     }
-    p = &(*p)->next;
-  }
-  *p = malloc(sizeof(param));
-  (*p)->name = _strdup(key);
-  (*p)->data = _strdup(data);
-  (*p)->next = NULL;
+    par = malloc(sizeof(param));
+    par->name = _strdup(key);
+    par->data = _strdup(data);
+    par->next = *p;
+    *p = par;
 }
 
 void kernel_done(void)
diff --git a/src/kernel/config.test.c b/src/kernel/config.test.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..78562f5dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kernel/config.test.c
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#include <platform.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+#include <kernel/config.h>
+
+#include <CuTest.h>
+#include <tests.h>
+
+static void test_get_set_param(CuTest * tc)
+{
+    struct param *par = 0;
+    test_cleanup();
+    CuAssertStrEquals(tc, 0, get_param(par, "foo"));
+    set_param(&par, "foo", "bar");
+    set_param(&par, "bar", "foo");
+    CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "bar", get_param(par, "foo"));
+    CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "foo", get_param(par, "bar"));
+}
+
+static void test_param_int(CuTest * tc)
+{
+    struct param *par = 0;
+    test_cleanup();
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 13, get_param_int(par, "foo", 13));
+    set_param(&par, "foo", "23");
+    set_param(&par, "bar", "42");
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 23, get_param_int(par, "foo", 0));
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 42, get_param_int(par, "bar", 0));
+}
+
+static void test_param_flt(CuTest * tc)
+{
+    struct param *par = 0;
+    test_cleanup();
+    CuAssertDblEquals(tc, 13, get_param_flt(par, "foo", 13), 0.01);
+    set_param(&par, "foo", "23.0");
+    set_param(&par, "bar", "42.0");
+    CuAssertDblEquals(tc, 23.0, get_param_flt(par, "foo", 0.0), 0.01);
+    CuAssertDblEquals(tc, 42.0, get_param_flt(par, "bar", 0.0), 0.01);
+}
+
+CuSuite *get_config_suite(void)
+{
+  CuSuite *suite = CuSuiteNew();
+  SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_get_set_param);
+  SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_param_int);
+  SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_param_flt);
+  return suite;
+}
diff --git a/src/test_eressea.c b/src/test_eressea.c
index 82f75b6c6..b887f0e59 100644
--- a/src/test_eressea.c
+++ b/src/test_eressea.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ CuSuite *get_ship_suite(void);
 CuSuite *get_spellbook_suite(void);
 CuSuite *get_spell_suite(void);
 CuSuite *get_base36_suite(void);
+CuSuite *get_config_suite(void);
 CuSuite *get_bsdstring_suite(void);
 CuSuite *get_functions_suite(void);
 CuSuite *get_umlaut_suite(void);
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ int RunAllTests(void)
   CuSuiteAddSuite(suite, get_skill_suite());
   CuSuiteAddSuite(suite, get_keyword_suite());
   /* util */
+  CuSuiteAddSuite(suite, get_config_suite());
   CuSuiteAddSuite(suite, get_base36_suite());
   CuSuiteAddSuite(suite, get_bsdstring_suite());
   CuSuiteAddSuite(suite, get_functions_suite());