diff --git a/tests/meson.build b/tests/meson.build
index a2335e5..9171ce8 100644
--- a/tests/meson.build
+++ b/tests/meson.build
@@ -193,4 +193,17 @@ t = executable('contacts', test_sources,
                )
 test('contacts', t, env: test_env)
 
+test_sources = [ 'test-settings.c' ]
+t = executable('settings', test_sources,
+               c_args : test_cflags,
+               link_args: test_link_args,
+               pie: true,
+               link_with : [calls_vala, libcalls],
+               dependencies: calls_deps,
+               include_directories : [
+                   calls_includes,
+                 ]
+               )
+test('settings', t, env: test_env)
+
 endif
diff --git a/tests/test-settings.c b/tests/test-settings.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4934d01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test-settings.c
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2022 Purism SPC
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0+
+ */
+
+#include "calls-settings.h"
+
+#define G_SETTINGS_ENABLE_BACKEND
+#include <gio/gsettingsbackend.h>
+
+#include <gtk/gtk.h>
+
+static void
+test_default (void)
+{
+  g_autoptr (GSettings) gsettings = g_settings_new ("org.gnome.Calls");
+  g_autoptr (CallsSettings) calls_settings = NULL;
+
+  g_assert_null (g_settings_get_user_value (gsettings, "autoload-plugins"));
+  g_assert_null (g_settings_get_user_value (gsettings, "preferred-audio-codecs"));
+
+  /* we're testing if CallsSettings has the sideeffect of writing to the settings */
+  calls_settings = calls_settings_get_default ();
+
+  g_assert_null (g_settings_get_user_value (gsettings, "autoload-plugins"));
+  g_assert_null (g_settings_get_user_value (gsettings, "preferred-audio-codecs"));
+}
+
+
+int
+main (gint   argc,
+      gchar *argv[])
+{
+  gtk_test_init (&argc, &argv, NULL);
+
+  g_test_add_func ("/Calls/Settings/default", test_default);
+
+  return g_test_run ();
+}