diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/GlobalSettings.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/GlobalSettings.cs
index 16e3cc2b0d..44ae3882ed 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/GlobalSettings.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Configuration/GlobalSettings.cs
@@ -37,6 +37,14 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Configuration
         #endregion
 
         /// <summary>
+        /// used for unit tests
+        /// </summary>
+        internal static void ResetCache()
+        {
+            _reservedUrlsCache = null;
+        }
+
+    	/// <summary>
         /// Gets the reserved urls from web.config.
         /// </summary>
         /// <value>The reserved urls.</value>
@@ -67,7 +75,8 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Configuration
                 var staticReservedPaths = "~/app_plugins/,~/install/,";
 
                 //always add the umbraco path to the list
-                if (ConfigurationManager.AppSettings.ContainsKey("umbracoPath"))
+                if (ConfigurationManager.AppSettings.ContainsKey("umbracoPath") 
+                    && !ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["umbracoPath"].IsNullOrWhiteSpace())
                 {
                     staticReservedPaths += ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["umbracoPath"].EnsureEndsWith(',');
                 }
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/GlobalSettingsTests.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/GlobalSettingsTests.cs
index 98901d49f4..7af45e10b1 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/GlobalSettingsTests.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/GlobalSettingsTests.cs
@@ -24,10 +24,12 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests
 
 		public override void TearDown()
 		{
+            //reset the app config		
+            ConfigurationManager.AppSettings.Set("umbracoReservedPaths", "");
+            ConfigurationManager.AppSettings.Set("umbracoReservedUrls", "");
+            Umbraco.Core.Configuration.GlobalSettings.ResetCache();
 			base.TearDown();
-			//reset the app config		
-			ConfigurationManager.AppSettings.Set("umbracoReservedPaths", "");
-			ConfigurationManager.AppSettings.Set("umbracoReservedUrls", "");
+			
 		}
 
         [Ignore]