diff --git a/ws_tool/lib/bootstrap_doctor.bash b/ws_tool/lib/bootstrap_doctor.bash
index 0b44e9cd..2c65541c 100644
--- a/ws_tool/lib/bootstrap_doctor.bash
+++ b/ws_tool/lib/bootstrap_doctor.bash
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 set -euo pipefail
 
+declare -a REPLY
+
 # bootstrapping and doctoring is closely related enough for now
 # decide to keep these in the same file.
 doctor_command() {
@@ -60,8 +62,10 @@ get_workstation_properties() {
     printf -v setprops 'props=("${%s[@]}");' "$ws_props_ptr"
     eval "$setprops"
     REPLY=("${props[@]}")
+    declare -p REPLY
   else
-     REPLY=()
+    REPLY=()
+    declare -p REPLY
   fi
   return 0
 }
diff --git a/ws_tool/test/installation_process.bats b/ws_tool/test/installation_process.bats
index 3967242f..11e1127f 100644
--- a/ws_tool/test/installation_process.bats
+++ b/ws_tool/test/installation_process.bats
@@ -28,11 +28,18 @@ setup (){
     cat <<-EOF > "${WORKSTATION_CONFIG_DIR}/settings.sh"
     export WORKSTATION_CONFIG_DIR="$WORKSTATION_CONFIG_DIR"
     export WORKSTATION_DIR="$PROJECT_ROOT"
+    export workstation_names=(workstation_a workstation_b)
+EOF
+
+    cat <<-EOF > "${WORKSTATION_CONFIG_DIR}/settings.workstation_a.sh"
+    WORKSTATION_NAME=workstation_a
 EOF
 
     cat <<-EOF > "${WORKSTATION_CONFIG_DIR}/config.sh"
-    export workstation_names=(workstation_a workstation_b)
+    workstation_props_workstation_a=()
+    workstation_props_workstation_a+=(prop_ws_current_settings_symlink)
 EOF
+
     export WORKSTATION_NAME=workstation_a
     run "${WORKSTATION_DIR}/ws_tool/ws" bootstrap