diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c082ed1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+---
+language: node_js
+node_js:
+  - "0.12"
+  - "4"
+
+sudo: false
+
+cache:
+  directories:
+    - node_modules
+
+before_install:
+  - export PATH=/usr/local/phantomjs-2.0.0/bin:$PATH
+  - "npm config set spin false"
+  - "npm install -g npm@^2"
+
+install:
+  - npm install
+
+script:
+  - npm test
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7e93cfe..24b5bb4 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,28 +1,82 @@
 # Change Log
 
-## [0.2.3](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/tree/0.2.3) (2016-03-29)
-[Full Changelog](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/compare/v0.2.2...0.2.3)
+## [0.2.9](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/tree/0.2.9) (2016-11-21)
+[Full Changelog](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/compare/v0.2.8...0.2.9)
 
-- add logRaw method [\#9](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/pull/9) ([ghedamat](https://github.com/ghedamat))
+**Merged pull requests:**
 
-## [0.2.2](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/tree/0.2.2) (2016-02-06)
-[Full Changelog](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/compare/v0.2.1...0.2.2)
+- Add  function to pluginHelper [\#17](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/pull/17) ([achambers](https://github.com/achambers))
+
+## [v0.2.8](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/tree/v0.2.8) (2016-11-21)
+[Full Changelog](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/compare/v0.2.7...v0.2.8)
+
+**Merged pull requests:**
+
+- Update core-object & mocha. [\#16](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/pull/16) ([lukemelia](https://github.com/lukemelia))
+
+## [v0.2.7](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/tree/v0.2.7) (2016-11-21)
+[Full Changelog](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/compare/v0.2.6...v0.2.7)
+
+[BREAKING] This release changes the context of `this` within a user-defined config property function from the base plugin itself to the surrounding config object. This behavior was previously inconsistent.
+
+**Merged pull requests:**
+
+- Add plugin helper [\#15](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/pull/15) ([achambers](https://github.com/achambers))
+
+## [v0.2.6](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/tree/v0.2.6) (2016-04-19)
+[Full Changelog](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/compare/v0.2.5...v0.2.6)
+
+**Merged pull requests:**
+
+- remove lodash, fix \#11 [\#12](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/pull/12) ([ghedamat](https://github.com/ghedamat))
+
+## [v0.2.5](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/tree/v0.2.5) (2016-04-01)
+[Full Changelog](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/compare/v0.2.4...v0.2.5)
+
+**Merged pull requests:**
+
+- require proper lodash [\#10](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/pull/10) ([ghedamat](https://github.com/ghedamat))
+
+## [v0.2.4](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/tree/v0.2.4) (2016-04-01)
+[Full Changelog](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/compare/v0.2.3...v0.2.4)
+
+**Merged pull requests:**
+
+- add logInfo color option [\#8](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/pull/8) ([ghedamat](https://github.com/ghedamat))
+
+## [v0.2.3](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/tree/v0.2.3) (2016-03-29)
+[Full Changelog](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/compare/v0.2.2...v0.2.3)
+
+**Merged pull requests:**
+
+- add plain option [\#9](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/pull/9) ([ghedamat](https://github.com/ghedamat))
+
+## [v0.2.2](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/tree/v0.2.2) (2016-02-06)
+[Full Changelog](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/compare/v0.2.1...v0.2.2)
+
+**Merged pull requests:**
 
 - ember cli uses the wrong spelling from originalOutputStream [\#7](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/pull/7) ([ghedamat](https://github.com/ghedamat))
 
-## [0.2.1](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/tree/0.2.1) (2016-01-23)
-[Full Changelog](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/compare/v0.2.0...0.2.1)
+## [v0.2.1](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/tree/v0.2.1) (2016-01-24)
+[Full Changelog](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/compare/v0.2.0...v0.2.1)
+
+**Merged pull requests:**
 
 - ensure that we start logging from the beginning of the line [\#6](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/pull/6) ([ghedamat](https://github.com/ghedamat))
 
 ## [v0.2.0](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/tree/v0.2.0) (2015-10-24)
 [Full Changelog](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/compare/v0.1.3...v0.2.0)
 
+**Merged pull requests:**
+
 - Add verbose option support to log method, and update docs [\#2](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/pull/2) ([lukemelia](https://github.com/lukemelia))
 
 ## [v0.1.3](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/tree/v0.1.3) (2015-08-04)
 [Full Changelog](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/compare/v0.1.2...v0.1.3)
 
+**Merged pull requests:**
+
 - Call default getters in plugin context [\#1](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/pull/1) ([dschmidt](https://github.com/dschmidt))
 
 ## [v0.1.2](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/tree/v0.1.2) (2015-07-17)
@@ -30,4 +84,5 @@
 
 ## [v0.1.1](https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin/tree/v0.1.1) (2015-07-12)
 
-- Initial release
+
+\* *This Change Log was automatically generated by [github_changelog_generator](https://github.com/skywinder/Github-Changelog-Generator)*
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2ba301d..30aa43d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ module.exports = {
         someKey: 'defaultValue',
         anotherKey: function(context) {
           return context.anotherKey; // to use data added to the context by another plugin
+        },
+        capsKey: function(context, pluginHelper) {
+          return pluginHelper.readConfig('someKey').toUppercase(); // pluginHelper.readConfig returns a clone of the specified config value
         }
       },
       requiredConfig: ['awesomeApiKey'], // throw an error if this is not configured
@@ -56,7 +59,3 @@ module.exports = {
     return new DeployPlugin();
   }
 };
-
-## TODO
-
-Tests
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index e50f211..c17d781 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,22 @@
 var CoreObject     = require('core-object');
 var chalk = require('chalk');
-var _ = require('lodash');
+var cloneDeep = require('lodash.clonedeep');
+
+function _pluginHelper() {
+  return {
+    readConfigDefault: function(property) {
+      var configuredValue = this.defaultConfig[property];
+      if (typeof configuredValue === 'function') {
+        return cloneDeep(configuredValue.call(this, this.context));
+      }
+      return cloneDeep(configuredValue);
+    }.bind(this),
+
+    readConfig: function(property) {
+      return cloneDeep(this.readConfig(property));
+    }.bind(this)
+  };
+}
 
 var DeployPluginBase = CoreObject.extend({
   context: null,
@@ -8,6 +24,12 @@ var DeployPluginBase = CoreObject.extend({
   project: null,
   pluginConfig: null,
   defaultConfig: {},
+  init: function() {
+    this._super.init.apply(this, arguments);
+    if (!this.name) {
+      throw new Error('Plugin is missing name property');
+    }
+  },
   beforeHook: function(context) {
     this.context = context;
     this.ui = context.ui;
@@ -44,7 +66,7 @@ var DeployPluginBase = CoreObject.extend({
   readConfig: function(property){
     var configuredValue = this.pluginConfig[property];
     if (typeof configuredValue === 'function') {
-      return configuredValue.call(this, this.context);
+      return configuredValue.call(this.pluginConfig, this.context, _pluginHelper.call(this));
     }
     return configuredValue;
   },
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e40cc98..32b61fa 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "ember-cli-deploy-plugin",
-  "version": "0.2.3",
+  "version": "0.2.9",
   "description": "For building plugins for ember-cli-deploy",
   "repository": "https://github.com/ember-cli-deploy/ember-cli-deploy-plugin",
   "engines": {
@@ -8,10 +8,22 @@
   },
   "author": "Luke Melia and ember-cli-deploy team",
   "license": "MIT",
-  "devDependencies": {},
+  "directories": {
+    "test": "tests"
+  },
+  "scripts": {
+    "start": "ember server",
+    "build": "ember build",
+    "test": "node tests/runner.js"
+  },
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "chai": "^3.5.0",
+    "glob": "^7.0.3",
+    "mocha": "^3.1.2"
+  },
   "dependencies": {
     "chalk": "^1.0.0",
-    "core-object": "0.0.2",
-    "lodash": "^4.6.1"
+    "core-object": "2.0.6",
+    "lodash.clonedeep": "^4.5.0"
   }
 }
diff --git a/tests/.jshintrc b/tests/.jshintrc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ea8b88f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/.jshintrc
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+{
+  "predef": [
+    "document",
+    "window",
+    "location",
+    "setTimeout",
+    "$",
+    "-Promise",
+    "define",
+    "console",
+    "visit",
+    "exists",
+    "fillIn",
+    "click",
+    "keyEvent",
+    "triggerEvent",
+    "find",
+    "findWithAssert",
+    "wait",
+    "DS",
+    "andThen",
+    "currentURL",
+    "currentPath",
+    "currentRouteName"
+  ],
+  "node": false,
+  "browser": false,
+  "boss": true,
+  "curly": false,
+  "debug": false,
+  "devel": false,
+  "eqeqeq": true,
+  "evil": true,
+  "forin": false,
+  "immed": false,
+  "laxbreak": false,
+  "newcap": true,
+  "noarg": true,
+  "noempty": false,
+  "nonew": false,
+  "nomen": false,
+  "onevar": false,
+  "plusplus": false,
+  "regexp": false,
+  "undef": true,
+  "sub": true,
+  "strict": false,
+  "white": false,
+  "eqnull": true,
+  "esnext": true
+}
diff --git a/tests/runner.js b/tests/runner.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1ffb333
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/runner.js
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+'use strict';
+
+var glob = require('glob');
+var Mocha = require('mocha');
+
+var mocha = new Mocha({
+  reporter: 'spec'
+});
+
+var arg = process.argv[2];
+var root = 'tests/';
+
+function addFiles(mocha, files) {
+  glob.sync(root + files).forEach(mocha.addFile.bind(mocha));
+}
+
+addFiles(mocha, '/**/*-nodetest.js');
+
+if (arg === 'all') {
+  addFiles(mocha, '/**/*-nodetest-slow.js');
+}
+
+mocha.run(function(failures) {
+  process.on('exit', function() {
+    process.exit(failures);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/tests/test-helper.js b/tests/test-helper.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e6cfb70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test-helper.js
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+import resolver from './helpers/resolver';
+import {
+  setResolver
+} from 'ember-qunit';
+
+setResolver(resolver);
diff --git a/tests/unit/.gitkeep b/tests/unit/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/tests/unit/index-nodetest.js b/tests/unit/index-nodetest.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eadcfb8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/index-nodetest.js
@@ -0,0 +1,252 @@
+/* jshint node: true */
+/* jshint jasmine: true */
+'use strict';
+var assert = require('chai').assert;
+
+var stubProject = {
+  name: function(){
+    return 'my-project';
+  }
+};
+
+describe('base plugin', function() {
+  var Subject, mockUi;
+
+  beforeEach(function() {
+    Subject = require('../../index');
+    mockUi = {
+      verbose: false,
+      messages: [],
+      write: function() {
+      },
+      writeLine: function(message) {
+        this.messages.push(message);
+      },
+      logInfoColor: 'blue'
+    };
+  });
+
+  it('has a name', function() {
+    var plugin = new Subject({
+      name: 'test-plugin',
+    });
+
+    assert.equal(plugin.name, 'test-plugin');
+  });
+
+  it('errors when no name is set', function() {
+    var makePluginWithNoName = function() {
+      new Subject();
+    };
+
+    assert.throws(makePluginWithNoName, /missing name/);
+  });
+
+  describe('log', function() {
+
+    it('logs raw', function() {
+      var plugin = new Subject({
+        name: 'test-plugin',
+        ui: mockUi
+      });
+      plugin.logRaw('foo');
+      assert.deepEqual(mockUi.messages, ['foo']);
+    });
+
+    it('logs with default blue color', function() {
+      var plugin = new Subject({
+        name: 'test-plugin',
+        ui: mockUi
+      });
+      plugin.log('foo');
+      assert.deepEqual(mockUi.messages, ['\u001b[34m- foo\u001b[39m']);
+    });
+
+    it('logs verbose', function() {
+      var verboseUi = {
+        verbose: true,
+        messages: [],
+        write: function(message) {
+          this.messages.push(message);
+        },
+        writeLine: function() {
+        }
+      };
+      var plugin = new Subject({
+        name: 'test-plugin',
+        ui: verboseUi
+      });
+      plugin.log('foo', {verbose: true});
+      assert.deepEqual(verboseUi.messages, ['\u001b[34m|    \u001b[39m']);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('plugin helper', function() {
+    it('provides access to the oringal default values', function() {
+      var Plugin = Subject.extend({
+        defaultConfig: {
+          distFiles: ['index.html', 'assets/logo.png'],
+          jsonBlueprint: {
+            link: {
+              selector: 'link',
+              attributes: ['rel', 'href']
+            },
+          },
+          git: {
+            sha: function() {
+              return '1';
+            }
+          },
+          revisionKey: function(context) {
+            return context.revisionData.revisionKey;
+          }
+        }
+      });
+
+      var plugin = new Plugin({
+        name: 'build'
+      });
+
+      var context = {
+        revisionData: { revisionKey: '111' },
+        config: {
+          build: {
+            distFiles: function(context, pluginHelper) {
+              var arr = pluginHelper.readConfigDefault('distFiles');
+              arr.push('index.json');
+              return arr;
+            },
+            jsonBlueprint: function(context, pluginHelper) {
+              var blueprint = pluginHelper.readConfigDefault('jsonBlueprint');
+              blueprint.link.attributes.push('integrity');
+
+              return blueprint;
+            },
+            sha: function(context, pluginHelper) {
+              var git = pluginHelper.readConfigDefault('git');
+
+              return git.sha() + '2';
+            },
+            revisionKey: function(context, pluginHelper) {
+              return pluginHelper.readConfigDefault('revisionKey') + '222';
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      };
+
+      plugin.beforeHook(context);
+      assert.deepEqual(plugin.readConfig('distFiles'), ['index.html', 'assets/logo.png', 'index.json']);
+      assert.deepEqual(plugin.readConfig('jsonBlueprint').link.attributes, ['rel', 'href', 'integrity']);
+      assert.equal(plugin.readConfig('sha'), '12');
+      assert.equal(plugin.readConfig('revisionKey'), '111222');
+    });
+
+    it('ensures default values do not get mutated', function() {
+      var Plugin = Subject.extend({
+        defaultConfig: {
+          distFiles: ['index.html', 'assets/logo.png'],
+          jsonBlueprint: {
+            link: {
+              selector: 'link',
+              attributes: ['rel', 'href']
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      });
+
+      var plugin = new Plugin({
+        name: 'build'
+      });
+
+      var context = {
+        config: {
+          build: {
+            distFiles: function(context, pluginHelper) {
+              var arr = pluginHelper.readConfigDefault('distFiles');
+              arr.push('index.json');
+              return arr;
+            },
+            jsonBlueprint: function(context, pluginHelper) {
+              var blueprint = pluginHelper.readConfigDefault('jsonBlueprint');
+              blueprint.link.attributes.push('integrity');
+
+              return blueprint;
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      };
+
+      plugin.beforeHook(context);
+      plugin.readConfig('distFiles')
+      plugin.readConfig('jsonBlueprint')
+
+      assert.deepEqual(plugin.defaultConfig.distFiles, ['index.html', 'assets/logo.png']);
+      assert.deepEqual(plugin.defaultConfig.jsonBlueprint.link.attributes, ['rel', 'href']);
+    })
+
+    it('provides the ability to read the plugin config', function() {
+      var Plugin = Subject.extend({
+        defaultConfig: {
+          port: function() {
+            return 1234;
+          },
+          host: 'foo.com'
+        }
+      });
+
+      var plugin = new Plugin({
+        name: 'build'
+      });
+
+      var context = {
+        ui: mockUi,
+        config: {
+          build: {
+            username: 'bar',
+            options: function(context, pluginHelper) {
+              return {
+                port: pluginHelper.readConfig('port'),
+                host: pluginHelper.readConfig('host'),
+                username: pluginHelper.readConfig('username')
+              };
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      };
+
+      plugin.beforeHook(context);
+      plugin.configure(context);
+
+      assert.deepEqual(plugin.readConfig('options'), { port: 1234, host: 'foo.com', username: 'bar' });
+    });
+
+    it('doesn\'t mutate the original plugin config', function() {
+      var Plugin = Subject.extend({
+        defaultConfig: { }
+      });
+
+      var plugin = new Plugin({
+        name: 'build'
+      });
+
+      var context = {
+        ui: mockUi,
+        config: {
+          build: {
+            tags: ['foo'],
+            options: function(context, pluginHelper) {
+              var tags = pluginHelper.readConfig('tags');
+              tags.push('bar');
+              return { tags: tags };
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      };
+
+      plugin.beforeHook(context);
+      plugin.configure(context);
+
+      assert.deepEqual(plugin.readConfig('options'), { tags: ['foo', 'bar']});
+    });
+  });
+});