diff --git a/bugwarrior/config.py b/bugwarrior/config.py
index 10b0c3b73..0b5950790 100644
--- a/bugwarrior/config.py
+++ b/bugwarrior/config.py
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ def getint(self, section, option):
         try:
             return super(BugwarriorConfigParser, self).getint(section, option)
         except ValueError:
-            if self.get(section, option) is u'':
+            if self.get(section, option) == u'':
                 return None
             else:
                 raise ValueError(
diff --git a/tests/test_service.py b/tests/test_service.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6c3b480e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_service.py
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+import unittest
+
+from bugwarrior import config, services
+
+LONG_MESSAGE = """\
+Some message that is over 100 characters. This message is so long it's
+going to fill up your floppy disk taskwarrior backup. Actually it's not
+that long.""".replace('\n', ' ')
+
+
+class TestIssueService(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(TestIssueService, self).setUp()
+        self.config = config.BugwarriorConfigParser()
+        self.config.add_section('general')
+
+    def test_build_annotations_default(self):
+        service = services.IssueService(self.config, 'general', 'test')
+
+        annotations = service.build_annotations(
+            (('some_author', LONG_MESSAGE),), 'example.com')
+        self.assertEqual(annotations, [
+            u'@some_author - Some message that is over 100 characters. Thi...'
+        ])
+
+    def test_build_annotations_limited(self):
+        self.config.set('general', 'annotation_length', '20')
+        service = services.IssueService(self.config, 'general', 'test')
+
+        annotations = service.build_annotations(
+            (('some_author', LONG_MESSAGE),), 'example.com')
+        self.assertEqual(
+            annotations, [u'@some_author - Some message that is...'])
+
+    def test_build_annotations_limitless(self):
+        self.config.set('general', 'annotation_length', '')
+        service = services.IssueService(self.config, 'general', 'test')
+
+        annotations = service.build_annotations(
+            (('some_author', LONG_MESSAGE),), 'example.com')
+        self.assertEqual(annotations, [
+            u'@some_author - {message}'.format(message=LONG_MESSAGE)])
+
+
+class TestIssue(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(TestIssue, self).setUp()
+        self.config = config.BugwarriorConfigParser()
+        self.config.add_section('general')
+
+    def makeIssue(self):
+        service = services.IssueService(self.config, 'general', 'test')
+        service.ISSUE_CLASS = services.Issue
+        return service.get_issue_for_record(None)
+
+    def test_build_default_description_default(self):
+        issue = self.makeIssue()
+
+        description = issue.build_default_description(LONG_MESSAGE)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            description, u'(bw)Is# - Some message that is over 100 chara')
+
+    def test_build_default_description_limited(self):
+        self.config.set('general', 'description_length', '20')
+        issue = self.makeIssue()
+
+        description = issue.build_default_description(LONG_MESSAGE)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            description, u'(bw)Is# - Some message that is')
+
+    def test_build_default_description_limitless(self):
+        self.config.set('general', 'description_length', '')
+        issue = self.makeIssue()
+
+        description = issue.build_default_description(LONG_MESSAGE)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            description, u'(bw)Is# - {message}'.format(message=LONG_MESSAGE))