diff --git a/test00.set b/test00.set
index ff1581f..2fa4bf0 100644
--- a/test00.set
+++ b/test00.set
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 MODULES=""
 
-BASE=R3.15.7
+BASE=${BASE:-R3.15.7}
diff --git a/test01.set b/test01.set
index 4034f3d..84de477 100644
--- a/test01.set
+++ b/test01.set
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 MODULES="sncseq asyn"
 
-BASE=R3.15.6
+BASE=${BASE:-R3.15.6}
 ASYN=master
 SNCSEQ=R2-2-7
diff --git a/travis-test.sh b/travis-test.sh
index cdbe4d1..81de480 100755
--- a/travis-test.sh
+++ b/travis-test.sh
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ fn_exists add_dependency || die "function add_dependency missing from SCRIPTDIR/
 SETUP_DIRS= source_set test01 | grep -q "(SETUP_PATH) is empty" || die "empty search path not detected"
 source_set xxdoesnotexistxx | grep -q "does not exist" || die "missing setup file not detected"
 source_set test01 | grep -q "Loading setup file" || die "test01 setup file not found"
+BASE=foo
+source_set test01
+[ "$BASE" = "foo" ] || die "preset module (BASE) version does not override test01 setup file"
 
 # test default settings file
 ######################################################################