diff --git a/apps/app_voicemail.c b/apps/app_voicemail.c
index e5cb58cd51..b06842a38b 100644
--- a/apps/app_voicemail.c
+++ b/apps/app_voicemail.c
@@ -768,6 +768,18 @@ static const char * const mailbox_folders[] = {
 	"Urgent",
 };
 
+/*!
+ * \brief Reload voicemail.conf
+ * \param reload Whether this is a reload as opposed to module load
+ * \param force Forcefully reload the config, even it has not changed
+ * \retval 0 on success, nonzero on failure
+ */
+static int load_config_force(int reload, int force);
+
+/*! \brief Forcibly reload voicemail.conf, even if it has not changed.
+ * This is necessary after running unit tests. */
+#define force_reload_config() load_config_force(1, 1)
+
 static int load_config(int reload);
 #ifdef TEST_FRAMEWORK
 static int load_config_from_memory(int reload, struct ast_config *cfg, struct ast_config *ucfg);
@@ -13110,6 +13122,7 @@ AST_TEST_DEFINE(test_voicemail_vmuser)
 #endif
 
 	free_user(vmu);
+	force_reload_config(); /* Restore original config */
 	return res ? AST_TEST_FAIL : AST_TEST_PASS;
 }
 #endif
@@ -14202,10 +14215,10 @@ static const char *substitute_escapes(const char *value)
 	return ast_str_buffer(str);
 }
 
-static int load_config(int reload)
+static int load_config_force(int reload, int force)
 {
 	struct ast_config *cfg, *ucfg;
-	struct ast_flags config_flags = { reload ? CONFIG_FLAG_FILEUNCHANGED : 0 };
+	struct ast_flags config_flags = { reload && !force ? CONFIG_FLAG_FILEUNCHANGED : 0 };
 	int res;
 
 	ast_unload_realtime("voicemail");
@@ -14243,6 +14256,11 @@ static int load_config(int reload)
 	return res;
 }
 
+static int load_config(int reload)
+{
+	return load_config_force(reload, 0);
+}
+
 #ifdef TEST_FRAMEWORK
 static int load_config_from_memory(int reload, struct ast_config *cfg, struct ast_config *ucfg)
 {
@@ -15417,6 +15435,7 @@ AST_TEST_DEFINE(test_voicemail_msgcount)
 	}
 
 	free_user(vmu);
+	force_reload_config(); /* Restore original config */
 	return res;
 }
 
@@ -15527,6 +15546,7 @@ AST_TEST_DEFINE(test_voicemail_notify_endl)
 	}
 	fclose(file);
 	free_user(vmu);
+	force_reload_config(); /* Restore original config */
 	return res;
 }
 
@@ -15599,8 +15619,8 @@ AST_TEST_DEFINE(test_voicemail_load_config)
 
 #undef CHECK
 
-	/* restore config */
-	load_config(1); /* this might say "Failed to load configuration file." */
+	/* Forcibly restore the original config, to reinitialize after test */
+	force_reload_config(); /* this might say "Failed to load configuration file." */
 
 cleanup:
 	unlink(config_filename);
@@ -15666,6 +15686,11 @@ AST_TEST_DEFINE(test_voicemail_vm_info)
 	populate_defaults(vmu);
 
 	vmu->email = ast_strdup("vm-info-test@example.net");
+	if (!vmu->email) {
+		ast_test_status_update(test, "Cannot create vmu email\n");
+		chan = ast_channel_unref(chan);
+		return AST_TEST_FAIL;
+	}
 	ast_copy_string(vmu->fullname, "Test Framework Mailbox", sizeof(vmu->fullname));
 	ast_copy_string(vmu->pager, "vm-info-pager-test@example.net", sizeof(vmu->pager));
 	ast_copy_string(vmu->language, "en", sizeof(vmu->language));