diff --git a/lib/nconf/stores/memory.js b/lib/nconf/stores/memory.js
index f571759..1d25cd3 100644
--- a/lib/nconf/stores/memory.js
+++ b/lib/nconf/stores/memory.js
@@ -199,4 +199,12 @@ Memory.prototype.reset = function () {
   this.mtimes = {};
   this.store  = {};
   return true;
+};
+
+//
+// ### function loadSync
+// Returns the store managed by this instance
+//
+Memory.prototype.loadSync = function () {
+  return this.store || {};
 };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/nconf-test.js b/test/nconf-test.js
index 26d04f0..677b141 100644
--- a/test/nconf-test.js
+++ b/test/nconf-test.js
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ vows.describe('nconf').addBatch({
     "the use() method": {
       "should instaniate the correct store": function () {
         nconf.use('memory');
+        nconf.load();
         assert.instanceOf(nconf.stores['memory'], nconf.Memory);
       }
     },
@@ -79,16 +80,17 @@ vows.describe('nconf').addBatch({
       },
       "the load() method": {
         "without a callback": {
-          "should throw an exception": function () {
-            assert.throws(function () { nconf.load() });
+          "should respond with the merged store": function () {
+            assert.deepEqual(nconf.load(), { foo: { bar: {} } });
           }
         },
         "with a callback": {
           topic: function () {
             nconf.load(this.callback.bind(null, null)); 
           },
-          "should respond with an error": function (ign, err) {
-            assert.isNotNull(err);
+          "should respond with the merged store": function (ign, err, store) {
+            assert.isNull(err);
+            assert.deepEqual(store, { foo: { bar: {} } });
           }
         }
       },