diff --git a/tests/org.eclipse.wtp.releng.tests/src/org/eclipse/wtp/releng/tests/BuildTests.java b/tests/org.eclipse.wtp.releng.tests/src/org/eclipse/wtp/releng/tests/BuildTests.java
index ab3d5686ed64af3185273717906f30a2688479a1..24745f5f9fbfa038161c663424e8b98c3aa881aa 100644
--- a/tests/org.eclipse.wtp.releng.tests/src/org/eclipse/wtp/releng/tests/BuildTests.java
+++ b/tests/org.eclipse.wtp.releng.tests/src/org/eclipse/wtp/releng/tests/BuildTests.java
@@ -491,11 +491,11 @@ public class BuildTests extends TestCase {
 		try {
 			propertyStream = new FileInputStream(propFile);
 			testProperties.load(propertyStream);
-			qualifierArg = (String) testProperties.get("qualifierArgValue");
-			testToReferenceArg = (String) testProperties.get("testToReferenceArgValue");
-			referenceIDArg = (String) testProperties.get("referenceIDArgValue");
-			referenceURLArg = (String) testProperties.get("referenceURLArgValue");
-			listToReferenceFileArg = (String) testProperties.get("listToReferenceFileArgValue");
+			qualifierArg = (String) testProperties.getProperty("qualifierArgValue", "");
+			testToReferenceArg = (String) testProperties.getProperty("testToReferenceArgValue", TEST_TO_REFERENCE); 
+			referenceIDArg = (String) testProperties.getProperty("referenceIDArgValue", "");
+			referenceURLArg = (String) testProperties.getProperty("referenceURLArgValue", "");
+			listToReferenceFileArg = (String) testProperties.getProperty("listToReferenceFileArgValue", LIST_TO_REFERENCE_FILE);
 		}
 		catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
 			// just use defaults