diff --git a/tests/src/org/pmw/tinylog/RegressionsTest.java b/tests/src/org/pmw/tinylog/RegressionsTest.java
index 416da27e6..162f9bc13 100644
--- a/tests/src/org/pmw/tinylog/RegressionsTest.java
+++ b/tests/src/org/pmw/tinylog/RegressionsTest.java
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 /*
  * Copyright 2012 Martin Winandy
- * 
+ *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with
  * the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
- * 
+ *
  * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
- * 
+ *
  * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under the License is distributed on
  * an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the
  * specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ public final void testWrongClass() {
 
 	/**
 	 * Bug: If a log file is continued, the policy will start from scratch. This leads to a too late rollover.
-	 * 
+	 *
 	 * @throws Exception
 	 *             Test failed
 	 */
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ public final void testLowerCustomLoggingLevelsForPackages() {
 
 	/**
 	 * Bug: Timestamps need a locale but the locale isn't set at startup.
-	 * 
+	 *
 	 * @throws Exception
 	 *             Test failed
 	 */
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ public final void testTimestampLabelerAtStartup() throws Exception {
 
 	/**
 	 * Bug: Rolling fails for files without a parent path in timestamp labeler.
-	 * 
+	 *
 	 * @throws IOException
 	 *             Test failed
 	 */
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ public final void testTimestampLabelerRolling() throws IOException {
 	/**
 	 * Bug: Initialization of a rolling file writer with a timestamp labeler fails if there is no previous
 	 * configuration.
-	 * 
+	 *
 	 * @throws Exception
 	 *             Test failed
 	 */
@@ -192,6 +192,20 @@ public final void testLogExceptionWithEmptyStackTrace() {
 		assertEquals(exception.getClass().getName() + EnvironmentHelper.getNewLine(), logEntry.getRenderedLogEntry());
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Bug: System properties not loaded without existing properties file in default package.
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public final void testSystemProperties() {
+		try {
+			System.setProperty("tinylog.level", "trace");
+			Configurator.init().activate();
+			assertEquals(Level.TRACE, Logger.getLevel());
+		} finally {
+			System.clearProperty("tinylog.level");
+		}
+	}
+
 	private void resetLogger() throws Exception {
 		Field field = Logger.class.getDeclaredField("configuration");
 		field.setAccessible(true);
diff --git a/tinylog/src/org/pmw/tinylog/Configurator.java b/tinylog/src/org/pmw/tinylog/Configurator.java
index 66563e6d1..640395a44 100644
--- a/tinylog/src/org/pmw/tinylog/Configurator.java
+++ b/tinylog/src/org/pmw/tinylog/Configurator.java
@@ -648,17 +648,17 @@ static Configurator init() {
 			}
 		}
 
-		if (stream == null) {
-			return Configurator.defaultConfig();
-		} else {
-			Properties systemProperties = System.getProperties();
-			for (Object key : systemProperties.keySet()) {
-				String name = (String) key;
-				if (name.startsWith("tinylog.")) {
-					properties.put(name, systemProperties.getProperty(name));
-				}
+		Properties systemProperties = System.getProperties();
+		for (Object key : systemProperties.keySet()) {
+			String name = (String) key;
+			if (name.startsWith("tinylog.")) {
+				properties.put(name, systemProperties.getProperty(name));
 			}
+		}
 
+		if (properties.isEmpty()) {
+			return Configurator.defaultConfig();
+		} else {
 			if ("true".equalsIgnoreCase(properties.getProperty("tinylog.configuration.observe"))) {
 				shutdownWritingThread(true);
 				Configurator configurator = PropertiesLoader.readProperties(properties);