diff --git a/full/src/main/resources/kustvakt.conf b/full/src/main/resources/kustvakt.conf
index 62546c6..a9086ba 100644
--- a/full/src/main/resources/kustvakt.conf
+++ b/full/src/main/resources/kustvakt.conf
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 ldap.config = file-path-to-ldap-config
 
 # Kustvakt
+api.welcome.message = Welcome to KorAP API!
 current.api.version = v1.0
 # multiple versions separated by space
 # supported.api.version = v1.0
diff --git a/full/src/test/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/web/controller/SearchControllerTest.java b/full/src/test/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/web/controller/SearchControllerTest.java
index 18e2c35..a97ab50 100644
--- a/full/src/test/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/web/controller/SearchControllerTest.java
+++ b/full/src/test/java/de/ids_mannheim/korap/web/controller/SearchControllerTest.java
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 import javax.ws.rs.core.MediaType;
 
+import de.ids_mannheim.korap.config.KustvaktConfiguration;
 import org.junit.Ignore;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@
 import de.ids_mannheim.korap.exceptions.StatusCodes;
 import de.ids_mannheim.korap.query.serialize.QuerySerializer;
 import de.ids_mannheim.korap.utils.JsonUtils;
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 
 /**
  * @author hanl, margaretha
@@ -30,6 +32,9 @@
  */
 public class SearchControllerTest extends SpringJerseyTest {
 
+    @Autowired
+    private KustvaktConfiguration config;
+
     private JsonNode requestSearchWithFields(String fields) throws KustvaktException{
         ClientResponse response = resource().path(API_VERSION).path("search")
                 .queryParam("q", "[orth=das]").queryParam("ql", "poliqarp")
@@ -50,7 +55,17 @@
         s.setQuery("Wasser", "poliqarp");
         return s.toJSON();
     }
-    
+
+    @Test
+    public void testApiWelcomeMessage () {
+        ClientResponse response = resource().path(API_VERSION).path("")
+                .get(ClientResponse.class);
+        assertEquals(ClientResponse.Status.OK.getStatusCode(),
+                response.getStatus());
+        String message = response.getEntity(String.class);
+        assertEquals(message, config.getApiWelcomeMessage());
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void testSearchWithField () throws KustvaktException {
         JsonNode node = requestSearchWithFields("author");