--- a/agent/src/main/java/com/redhat/thermostat/agent/storage/BackendInformation.java	Wed Feb 22 22:57:35 2012 +0100
+++ b/agent/src/main/java/com/redhat/thermostat/agent/storage/BackendInformation.java	Wed Feb 22 22:59:15 2012 +0100
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 
 package com.redhat.thermostat.agent.storage;
 
+import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@
     private String description;
     private boolean observeNewJvm;
     private List<Integer> pids;
-    private Map<String, String> configuration;
+    private Map<String, String> configuration = new HashMap<String,String>();
 
     public String getName() {
         return name;

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/agent/src/test/java/com/redhat/thermostat/agent/storage/BackendInformationTest.java	Wed Feb 22 22:59:15 2012 +0100
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2012 Red Hat, Inc.
+ *
+ * This file is part of Thermostat.
+ *
+ * Thermostat is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published
+ * by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your
+ * option) any later version.
+ *
+ * Thermostat is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with Thermostat; see the file COPYING.  If not see
+ * <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ * Linking this code with other modules is making a combined work
+ * based on this code.  Thus, the terms and conditions of the GNU
+ * General Public License cover the whole combination.
+ *
+ * As a special exception, the copyright holders of this code give
+ * you permission to link this code with independent modules to
+ * produce an executable, regardless of the license terms of these
+ * independent modules, and to copy and distribute the resulting
+ * executable under terms of your choice, provided that you also
+ * meet, for each linked independent module, the terms and conditions
+ * of the license of that module.  An independent module is a module
+ * which is not derived from or based on this code.  If you modify
+ * this code, you may extend this exception to your version of the
+ * library, but you are not obligated to do so.  If you do not wish
+ * to do so, delete this exception statement from your version.
+ */
+
+package com.redhat.thermostat.agent.storage;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
+
+import java.util.Map;
+
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+public class BackendInformationTest {
+
+    @Test
+    public void testConfigurationNotNull() {
+        BackendInformation backendInfo = new BackendInformation();
+        Map<String,String> config = backendInfo.getConfiguration();
+        assertNotNull(config);
+    }
+
+}