diff --git a/dbmigration/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/dbmigration/SimpleDatabaseConfigurationContext.java b/dbmigration/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/dbmigration/SimpleDatabaseConfigurationContext.java
index 854a0e50b4072174c4486bb5021259f13afafc6c..80888183d8f6c607f1f1a70fbd236c03c6387c83 100644
--- a/dbmigration/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/dbmigration/SimpleDatabaseConfigurationContext.java
+++ b/dbmigration/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/dbmigration/SimpleDatabaseConfigurationContext.java
@@ -65,6 +65,16 @@ public class SimpleDatabaseConfigurationContext implements DisposableBean
 
     private final String password;
 
+    // for testing
+    public SimpleDatabaseConfigurationContext(String driverClassName, String url, String username,
+            String password)
+    {
+        this.driverClassName = driverClassName;
+        this.url = url;
+        this.username = username;
+        this.password = password;
+    }
+
     public SimpleDatabaseConfigurationContext(Properties properties)
     {
         this.driverClassName = PropertyUtils.getMandatoryProperty(properties, DRIVER_KEY);