diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/management/subsystems/PortEarlyPropertyChecker.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/management/subsystems/PortEarlyPropertyChecker.java
index 3515c68f0d..2ab0b4abf6 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/management/subsystems/PortEarlyPropertyChecker.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/management/subsystems/PortEarlyPropertyChecker.java
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ public class PortEarlyPropertyChecker implements SubsystemEarlyPropertyChecker
                 {
                     try
                     {
-                        PortUtil.checkPort(portNumber, host);
+                        checkPort(portNumber, host);
                     }
                     catch (IOException ioe)
                     {
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ public class PortEarlyPropertyChecker implements SubsystemEarlyPropertyChecker
                     {
                         try
                         {
-                            PortUtil.checkPort(portNumber, host);
+                            checkPort(portNumber, host);
                         }
                         catch (IOException ioe)
                         {
@@ -223,6 +223,11 @@ public class PortEarlyPropertyChecker implements SubsystemEarlyPropertyChecker
         }
     }
 
+    protected void checkPort(int portNumber, String host) throws IOException
+    {
+        PortUtil.checkPort(portNumber, host);
+    }
+
     private String appendToErrorString(String stringToAppendTo, String separator, String valueToAppend)
     {
         if (!stringToAppendTo.equals(""))
diff --git a/source/test-resources/subsystem-test-context.xml b/source/test-resources/subsystem-test-context.xml
index 823ab03d50..64bd78ebc3 100644
--- a/source/test-resources/subsystem-test-context.xml
+++ b/source/test-resources/subsystem-test-context.xml
@@ -29,16 +29,22 @@
             </map>
         </property>
     </bean>
-    <bean id="testPortEarlyChecker1" class="org.alfresco.repo.management.subsystems.PortEarlyPropertyChecker">
+    <bean id="testPortEarlyChecker1" class="org.alfresco.repo.management.subsystems.test.TestPortEarlyPropertyChecker">
         <constructor-arg value="TestSubsystem" />
         <constructor-arg value="false" />
         <constructor-arg value="true" />
+        <property name="blockedPort">
+            <ref bean="testPortNumber" />
+        </property>
     </bean>
-        <bean id="testPortEarlyChecker2" class="org.alfresco.repo.management.subsystems.PortEarlyPropertyChecker">
+    <bean id="testPortEarlyChecker2" class="org.alfresco.repo.management.subsystems.test.TestPortEarlyPropertyChecker">
         <constructor-arg value="TestSubsystem" />
         <constructor-arg value="test.subsystem.host" />
         <constructor-arg value="false" />
         <constructor-arg value="true" />
+        <property name="wrongHost">
+            <ref bean="testHost" />
+        </property>
     </bean>
     
     <bean id="sampleService" class="org.alfresco.repo.management.subsystems.test.SampleService">
@@ -50,4 +56,8 @@
         </constructor-arg> 
     </bean>
 
+    <bean id="testHost" class="java.lang.String">
+        <constructor-arg type="java.lang.String" value="testHost"/>
+    </bean>
+
 </beans>
\ No newline at end of file