diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/rife/config/RifeConfig.java b/lib/src/main/java/rife/config/RifeConfig.java
index 9db23688..d6cf48b0 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/rife/config/RifeConfig.java
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/rife/config/RifeConfig.java
@@ -1120,7 +1120,12 @@ public class RifeConfig {
         public ToolsConfig setDefaultCountry(String countryCode) {
             if (null != countryCode &&
                 countryCode.isEmpty()) throw new IllegalArgumentException("countryCode can't be empty.");
-            defaultCountry_ = countryCode;
+
+            if (null == countryCode) {
+                defaultCountry_ = DEFAULT_DEFAULT_COUNTRY;
+            } else {
+                defaultCountry_ = countryCode;
+            }
             return this;
         }
 
diff --git a/lib/src/test/java/rife/config/TestRifeConfig.java b/lib/src/test/java/rife/config/TestRifeConfig.java
index 55fe8246..f79ebc2e 100644
--- a/lib/src/test/java/rife/config/TestRifeConfig.java
+++ b/lib/src/test/java/rife/config/TestRifeConfig.java
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import rife.config.exceptions.DateFormatInitializationException;
 
 import java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException;
 import java.text.DateFormat;
+import java.util.Calendar;
 import java.util.GregorianCalendar;
 
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.*;
@@ -16,90 +17,94 @@ import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.*;
 public class TestRifeConfig {
     @Test
     void testShortDateFormat() {
-        switchLocale("US", "EN");
-
-        DateFormat sf = RifeConfig.tools().getDefaultShortDateFormat();
-        String formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, 7, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
-
-        assertEquals(formatted, "8/31/04");
-
-        switchLocale("BE", "NL");
-
-        sf = RifeConfig.tools().getDefaultShortDateFormat();
-        formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, 7, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
-
-        assertEquals(formatted, "31/08/2004");
-
-        switchLocale(null, "ES");
-
-        sf = RifeConfig.tools().getDefaultShortDateFormat();
-        formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, 7, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
-
-        assertEquals(formatted, "31/8/04");
-
-        switchDates("EEE, MMM d, yyyy", "EEE, d MMM yyyy HH:mm:ss");
-
-        sf = RifeConfig.tools().getDefaultShortDateFormat();
-        formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, 7, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
-
-        assertEquals(formatted, "mar, ago 31, 2004");
-
         try {
-            switchDates("vvvv 999 uuuu", "vvvv, 82.2 cccc");
+            switchLocale("US", "EN");
+
+            var sf = RifeConfig.tools().getDefaultShortDateFormat();
+            var formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, Calendar.AUGUST, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
+
+            assertEquals(formatted, "8/31/04");
+
+            switchLocale("BE", "NL");
 
             sf = RifeConfig.tools().getDefaultShortDateFormat();
-            formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, 7, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
-            fail();
-        } catch (DateFormatInitializationException e) {
-            assertTrue(true);
-        }
+            formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, Calendar.AUGUST, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
 
-        switchLocale(null, "EN");
-        switchDates(null, null);
+            assertEquals(formatted, "31/08/2004");
+
+            switchLocale("ES", "ES");
+
+            sf = RifeConfig.tools().getDefaultShortDateFormat();
+            formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, Calendar.AUGUST, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
+
+            assertEquals(formatted, "31/8/04");
+
+            switchDates("EEE, MMM d, yyyy", "EEE, d MMM yyyy HH:mm:ss");
+
+            sf = RifeConfig.tools().getDefaultShortDateFormat();
+            formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, Calendar.AUGUST, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
+
+            assertEquals(formatted, "mar, ago 31, 2004");
+
+            try {
+                switchDates("vvvv 999 uuuu", "vvvv, 82.2 cccc");
+
+                sf = RifeConfig.tools().getDefaultShortDateFormat();
+                formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, Calendar.AUGUST, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
+                fail();
+            } catch (DateFormatInitializationException e) {
+                assertTrue(true);
+            }
+        } finally {
+            switchLocale(null, "EN");
+            switchDates(null, null);
+        }
     }
 
     @Test
     void testLongDateFormat() {
-        switchLocale("US", "EN");
-
-        DateFormat sf = RifeConfig.tools().getDefaultLongDateFormat();
-        String formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, 7, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
-
-        assertEquals(formatted, "Aug 31, 2004, 3:53 PM");
-
-        switchLocale("BE", "NL");
-
-        sf = RifeConfig.tools().getDefaultLongDateFormat();
-        formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, 7, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
-
-        assertEquals(formatted, "31 aug. 2004 15:53");
-
-        switchLocale(null, "ES");
-
-        sf = RifeConfig.tools().getDefaultLongDateFormat();
-        formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, 7, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
-
-        assertEquals(formatted, "31 ago 2004 15:53");
-
-        switchDates("EEE, MMM d, yyyy", "EEE, d MMM yyyy HH:mm:ss");
-
-        sf = RifeConfig.tools().getDefaultLongDateFormat();
-        formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, 7, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
-
-        assertEquals(formatted, "mar, 31 ago 2004 14:53:00");
-
         try {
-            switchDates("wwww 999 uuuu", "vvvv, 82.2 cccc");
+            switchLocale("US", "EN");
+
+            var sf = RifeConfig.tools().getDefaultLongDateFormat();
+            var formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, Calendar.AUGUST, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
+
+            assertEquals(formatted, "Aug 31, 2004, 3:53 PM");
+
+            switchLocale("BE", "NL");
 
             sf = RifeConfig.tools().getDefaultLongDateFormat();
-            formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, 7, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
-            fail();
-        } catch (DateFormatInitializationException e) {
-            assertTrue(true);
-        }
+            formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, Calendar.AUGUST, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
 
-        switchLocale(null, "en");
-        switchDates(null, null);
+            assertEquals(formatted, "31 aug. 2004 15:53");
+
+            switchLocale("ES", "ES");
+
+            sf = RifeConfig.tools().getDefaultLongDateFormat();
+            formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, Calendar.AUGUST, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
+
+            assertEquals(formatted, "31 ago 2004 15:53");
+
+            switchDates("EEE, MMM d, yyyy", "EEE, d MMM yyyy HH:mm:ss");
+
+            sf = RifeConfig.tools().getDefaultLongDateFormat();
+            formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, Calendar.AUGUST, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
+
+            assertEquals(formatted, "mar, 31 ago 2004 14:53:00");
+
+            try {
+                switchDates("wwww 999 uuuu", "vvvv, 82.2 cccc");
+
+                sf = RifeConfig.tools().getDefaultLongDateFormat();
+                formatted = sf.format(new GregorianCalendar(2004, Calendar.AUGUST, 31, 15, 53).getTime());
+                fail();
+            } catch (DateFormatInitializationException e) {
+                assertTrue(true);
+            }
+        } finally {
+            switchLocale(null, "en");
+            switchDates(null, null);
+        }
     }
 
     public static void switchLocale(String country, String language) {