diff --git a/tests/test_inventory.py b/tests/test_inventory.py
index 9b98498138..d7e1165bcd 100644
--- a/tests/test_inventory.py
+++ b/tests/test_inventory.py
@@ -6,13 +6,14 @@ import os
 from os import path
 import subprocess
 import unittest
-
+import yaml
 
 INV_DIR = 'playbooks/inventory'
 SCRIPT_FILENAME = 'dynamic_inventory.py'
 INV_SCRIPT = path.join(os.getcwd(), INV_DIR, SCRIPT_FILENAME)
 
 TARGET_DIR = path.join(os.getcwd(), 'tests', 'inventory')
+USER_CONFIG_FILE = path.join(TARGET_DIR, "openstack_user_config.yml")
 
 # These files will be placed in TARGET_DIR by INV_SCRIPT.
 # They should be cleaned up between each test.
@@ -34,7 +35,10 @@ def get_inventory():
     "Return the inventory mapping in a dict."
     try:
         cmd = [INV_SCRIPT, '--config', TARGET_DIR]
-        inventory_string = subprocess.check_output(cmd)
+        inventory_string = subprocess.check_output(
+            cmd,
+            stderr=subprocess.STDOUT
+        )
         inventory = json.loads(inventory_string)
         return inventory
     finally:
@@ -67,5 +71,51 @@ class TestDuplicateIps(unittest.TestCase):
                                          msg="IP %s duplicated." % addr)
 
 
+class TestConfigChecks(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.user_defined_config = dict()
+        with open(USER_CONFIG_FILE, 'rb') as f:
+            self.user_defined_config.update(yaml.safe_load(f.read()) or {})
+
+    def setup_config_file(self, user_defined_config, key):
+        try:
+            if key in user_defined_config:
+                del user_defined_config[key]
+            elif key in user_defined_config['global_overrides']:
+                del user_defined_config['global_overrides'][key]
+            else:
+                raise KeyError("can't find specified key in user config")
+        finally:
+            # rename temporarily our user_config_file so we can use the new one
+            os.rename(USER_CONFIG_FILE, USER_CONFIG_FILE + ".tmp")
+            # Save new user_config_file
+            with open(USER_CONFIG_FILE, 'wb') as f:
+                f.write(yaml.dump(user_defined_config))
+
+    def test_provider_networks_check(self):
+        # create config file without provider networks
+        self.setup_config_file(self.user_defined_config, 'provider_networks')
+        # check if provider networks absence is Caught
+        with self.assertRaises(subprocess.CalledProcessError) as context:
+            get_inventory()
+        expectedLog = "provider networks can't be found under global_overrides"
+        self.assertTrue(expectedLog in context.exception.output)
+
+    def test_global_overrides_check(self):
+        # create config file without global_overrides
+        self.setup_config_file(self.user_defined_config, 'global_overrides')
+        # check if global_overrides absence is Caught
+        with self.assertRaises(subprocess.CalledProcessError) as context:
+            get_inventory()
+        expectedLog = "global_overrides can't be found in user config\n"
+        self.assertEqual(context.exception.output, expectedLog)
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        # get back our initial user config file
+        os.remove(USER_CONFIG_FILE)
+        os.rename(USER_CONFIG_FILE + ".tmp", USER_CONFIG_FILE)
+
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     unittest.main()