diff --git a/Tests/README b/Tests/README
index 6515463f2..db62e4ed4 100644
--- a/Tests/README
+++ b/Tests/README
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 setup
 -----
 
-(you need "python-xml", "python-vobject" and "python-m2crypto" in order to run
- the scripts on Debian)
+(you need "python-simplejson", "python-xml", "python-vobject" and "python-m2crypto"
+ in order to run the scripts on Debian)
 
 1) copy config.py.in to config.py (make sure to never EVER add it to monotone)
 2) edit config.py to suit your environment
diff --git a/Tests/preferences.py b/Tests/preferences.py
index cb9c5ac6a..d29ec7293 100644
--- a/Tests/preferences.py
+++ b/Tests/preferences.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ from config import hostname, port, username, password
 import webdavlib
 import urllib
 import base64
+import simplejson
 
 
 class HTTPPreferencesPOST (webdavlib.HTTPPOST):
@@ -22,8 +23,6 @@ class HTTPPreferencesGET (webdavlib.HTTPGET):
       headers["Cookie"] = self.cookie
     return headers
 
-
-
 class preferences:
   login = username
   passw = password
@@ -64,7 +63,7 @@ class preferences:
     get = HTTPPreferencesGET (url)
     get.cookie = self.cookie
     self.client.execute (get)
-    content = eval (get.response['body'])
+    content = simplejson.loads(get.response['body'])
     result = None
     try:
       result = content[preference]
@@ -72,7 +71,6 @@ class preferences:
       pass
     return result
 
-
 # Simple main to test this class
 if __name__ == "__main__":
   p = preferences ()