diff --git a/tests/test_scheduler.py b/tests/test_scheduler.py
index 557809998b..37526f4ac5 100644
--- a/tests/test_scheduler.py
+++ b/tests/test_scheduler.py
@@ -2071,3 +2071,8 @@ class testScheduler(unittest.TestCase):
         assert B.data['status'] == 'MERGED'
         assert B.reported == 2
         self.assertEmptyQueues()
+
+    def test_test_config(self):
+        "Test that we can test the config"
+        sched = zuul.scheduler.Scheduler()
+        sched.testConfig(CONFIG.get('zuul', 'layout_config'))
diff --git a/zuul/scheduler.py b/zuul/scheduler.py
index 7abb803642..0904f37422 100644
--- a/zuul/scheduler.py
+++ b/zuul/scheduler.py
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ class Scheduler(threading.Thread):
         self._stopped = False
         self.launcher = None
         self.trigger = None
+        self.config = None
 
         self.trigger_event_queue = Queue.Queue()
         self.result_event_queue = Queue.Queue()
@@ -508,7 +509,8 @@ class BasePipelineManager(object):
         self.success_action = {}
         self.failure_action = {}
         self.start_action = {}
-        if self.sched.config.has_option('zuul', 'report_times'):
+        if self.sched.config and self.sched.config.has_option(
+            'zuul', 'report_times'):
             self.report_times = self.sched.config.getboolean(
                 'zuul', 'report_times')
         else: