diff --git a/README b/README
index 8f116dac4eeabf1ab5ad3fdff1a42769d32f5df9..eb49e74724c9ec6c0494114803fe4f8579bb2ff6 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ menu option available:
     so you don't have to type it every time
     (obviously this is not a good thing, AT LEAST keep config.ini on an encrypted partition).
 
+there's also a --test command line argument to send a msg from a nym to a recipient (defined in config.ini)
+which could be used in a cron to regularly test if a nym is working.
 
 
 * remember to keep your stats & keys in your local mixmaster updated 
diff --git a/autonym.py b/autonym.py
index b2ae097e37c30a04bbab250fc8330b3de82bd457..78c4ad22a64e57bf740b81fe3299136067762658 100755
--- a/autonym.py
+++ b/autonym.py
@@ -399,9 +399,14 @@ def main():
 
     try:
         if opts.test:
-            setActiveNym("1234@nymphet.paranoici.org")
-            parse_stats()
-            writeMessage(subject="prova nymphet", recipient="putro@autistici.org", text="asdadsfj", test=1)
+            if config['options']['testnym'] == "":
+                print bcolors.RED + "\nTestnym not configured in config.ini, exiting..." + bcolors.ENDC
+                sys.exit()
+            else:
+                setActiveNym(config['options']['testnym'])
+                parse_stats()
+                writeMessage(subject="prova nymphet", recipient=config['options']['testnym_recipient'], text="asdadsfj", test=1)
+                print bcolors.GREEN + "\nTest message sent from nym %s to %s" % (config['options']['testnym'], config['options']['testnym_recipient'])
         else:
             parse_stats()
             menu()
diff --git a/config.ini.sample b/config.ini.sample
index f0e6ae0923ae88cc4ed837eea51a0b4422b8536d..3461072472be8f1b5dbe603caec043339ba71638 100644
--- a/config.ini.sample
+++ b/config.ini.sample
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ nymservers = nymphet.paranoici.org, is-not-my.name, nymserv.breaka.net
 
 subj_types = symmetric, hsub, subject
 
+testnym = ""
+testnym_recipient = ""
+
 [stats]
 # set parameters fow remailer stats, change with your favourite pinger
 stats_url = http://remailer.paranoici.org/stats/