diff --git a/src/storage/filesystem.js b/src/storage/filesystem.js
index f3c51373d..8b110a825 100644
--- a/src/storage/filesystem.js
+++ b/src/storage/filesystem.js
@@ -145,10 +145,9 @@ function testConfig(apiConfig, callback) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof apiConfig, 'object');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
 
-    if ('backupFolder' in apiConfig && typeof apiConfig.backupFolder !== 'string') return callback(new BackupsError(BackupsError.BAD_FIELD, 'backupFolder must be string'));
+    if (typeof apiConfig.backupFolder !== 'string') return callback(new BackupsError(BackupsError.BAD_FIELD, 'backupFolder must be string'));
 
-    // default value will be used
-    if (!apiConfig.backupFolder) return callback();
+    if (!apiConfig.backupFolder) return callback(new BackupsError(BackupsError.BAD_FIELD, 'backupFolder is required'));
 
     fs.stat(apiConfig.backupFolder, function (error, result) {
         if (error) {
diff --git a/src/test/backups-test.js b/src/test/backups-test.js
index 329d64f45..3141e9ac8 100644
--- a/src/test/backups-test.js
+++ b/src/test/backups-test.js
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ describe('backups', function () {
             settings.setBackupConfig.bind(null, {
                 provider: 'filesystem',
                 key: 'enckey',
+                backupFolder: '/var/backups',
                 retentionSecs: 1
             })
         ], done);