diff --git a/src/config/configuration.spec.ts b/src/config/configuration.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..02ec0cab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/config/configuration.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import configuration from './configuration';
+
+describe('configuration (#601)', () => {
+  const ORIG = process.env;
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    process.env = { ...ORIG };
+  });
+  afterAll(() => {
+    process.env = ORIG;
+  });
+
+  it('uses dev defaults when env is unset', () => {
+    delete process.env.PORT;
+    const cfg = configuration();
+    expect(cfg.env).toBe('development');
+    expect(cfg.jwt.secret).toBe('insecure-dev-secret');
+    expect(cfg.stellar.network).toBe('testnet');
+  });
+
+  it('parses integer env vars', () => {
+    process.env.PORT = '9000';
+    process.env.ESCROW_DEADLINE_SECONDS = '3600';
+    const cfg = configuration();
+    expect(cfg.port).toBe(9000);
+    expect(cfg.stellar.escrowDeadlineSeconds).toBe(3600);
+  });
+
+  it('parses boolean env vars strictly (=== "true")', () => {
+    process.env.DATABASE_SYNCHRONIZE = 'true';
+    process.env.DATABASE_LOGGING = 'false';
+    const cfg = configuration();
+    expect(cfg.database.synchronize).toBe(true);
+    expect(cfg.database.logging).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('falls back MAINTENANCE_POOL_CONTRACT_ID to ESCROW_CONTRACT_ID', () => {
+    delete process.env.MAINTENANCE_POOL_CONTRACT_ID;
+    process.env.ESCROW_CONTRACT_ID = 'escrow-abc';
+    expect(configuration().stellar.maintenancePoolContractId).toBe(
+      'escrow-abc',
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('prefers MAINTENANCE_POOL_CONTRACT_ID over the escrow fallback', () => {
+    process.env.MAINTENANCE_POOL_CONTRACT_ID = 'pool-xyz';
+    process.env.ESCROW_CONTRACT_ID = 'escrow-abc';
+    expect(configuration().stellar.maintenancePoolContractId).toBe('pool-xyz');
+  });
+
+  it('reads the per-asset contract ids', () => {
+    process.env.USDC_TOKEN_CONTRACT_ID = 'usdc-1';
+    process.env.XLM_TOKEN_CONTRACT_ID = 'xlm-1';
+    const cfg = configuration();
+    expect(cfg.stellar.assetContractIds.USDC).toBe('usdc-1');
+    expect(cfg.stellar.assetContractIds.XLM).toBe('xlm-1');
+  });
+});