diff --git a/src/Settings.php b/src/Settings.php
index 6ffaa7e..0d0089a 100644
--- a/src/Settings.php
+++ b/src/Settings.php
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ class Settings implements \Iterator, \Countable
 	
 			// load local config without merging - we need it here for the mode
 			$conf = $this->buildFileName();
-			$localConf = false;
+			$localConf = [];
 			if (file_exists($conf)) $localConf = require($conf);
 	
 			// if a mode was set in the constructor do not overwrite it
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ class Settings implements \Iterator, \Countable
 				$siteConf = $this->buildFileName(self::SITE);
 				if (file_exists($siteConf))
 				{
-					$localConf = array_replace_recursive($this->settings, require($siteConf));
+					$localConf = array_replace_recursive($localConf, require($siteConf));
 				}
 			}
 	
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ class Settings implements \Iterator, \Countable
 			if ( isset( $this->modes[ $this->mode ] ) )
 			{
 				$modeConf = $this->buildFileName( $this->modes[ $this->mode ] );
-	
+
 				if ( file_exists($modeConf) )
 				{
 					$this->settings = array_replace_recursive( $this->settings, require($modeConf) );
diff --git a/tests/SettingsTest.php b/tests/SettingsTest.php
index dd78e34..64ed411 100644
--- a/tests/SettingsTest.php
+++ b/tests/SettingsTest.php
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class SettingsTest extends TestCase
 	public function testConstruct()
 	{
 		$cfg = new Settings();
-		$this->assertNotEmpty($cfg);
+		$this->assertIsObject($cfg);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class SettingsTest extends TestCase
 	{
 		$cfg = new Settings();
 		$cfg = $this->appPath($cfg)->load();
-		$this->assertNotEmpty($cfg);
+		$this->assertIsObject($cfg);
 		return $cfg;
 	}
 	
@@ -129,7 +129,23 @@ class SettingsTest extends TestCase
 		$this->assertEquals('site', $cfg->testFile);
 		$this->assertEquals(42, $cfg->answer);
 	}
-	
+
+	/**
+	 */
+	public function testLoadingOrder()
+	{
+		$cfg = new Settings();
+		$cfg = $this->appPath($cfg, 'order')->site('site')->load();
+
+		$this->assertEquals('default', $cfg->testFiles);
+		$this->assertEquals('conf', $cfg->testFiles2);
+		$this->assertEquals('site', $cfg->testFile);
+		$this->assertEquals(42, $cfg->answer);
+
+		return $cfg;
+	}
+
+
 	/**
 	 */
 	public function testTestingOverride()
@@ -224,4 +240,4 @@ class SettingsTest extends TestCase
 
 /* jEdit buffer local properties {{{
  * :folding=explicit:collapseFolds=1:
-}}}*/
\ No newline at end of file
+}}}*/
diff --git a/tests/cfg/order/config/conf.php b/tests/cfg/order/config/conf.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8ea09df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cfg/order/config/conf.php
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+<?php return [
+	'answer' => 1,
+	'testFile' => 'conf',
+	'testFiles2' => 'conf'
+];
diff --git a/tests/cfg/order/config/default.conf.php b/tests/cfg/order/config/default.conf.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..90020ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cfg/order/config/default.conf.php
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+<?php return [
+	'mode' => 'prod',
+	'answer' => 0,
+	'testFile' => 'default',
+	'testFiles' => 'default',
+	'testFiles2' => 'default'
+];
diff --git a/tests/cfg/order/config/site/conf.php b/tests/cfg/order/config/site/conf.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..54ad2b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cfg/order/config/site/conf.php
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+<?php return [
+	'answer' => 42,
+	'testFile' => 'site'
+];