diff --git a/bin/helpers/utils.js b/bin/helpers/utils.js
index c59c9785..b2c3cf8c 100644
--- a/bin/helpers/utils.js
+++ b/bin/helpers/utils.js
@@ -158,6 +158,12 @@ exports.setDefaults = (bsConfig, args) => {
   if (bsConfig.run_settings && this.isUndefined(bsConfig.run_settings.npm_dependencies)) {
     bsConfig.run_settings.npm_dependencies = {}
   }
+
+  // setting connection_settings to {} if not present
+  if (this.isUndefined(bsConfig.connection_settings)) {
+    bsConfig.connection_settings = {};
+  }
+
 }
 
 exports.setUsername = (bsConfig, args) => {
diff --git a/test/unit/bin/helpers/utils.js b/test/unit/bin/helpers/utils.js
index 84bb8997..b9c93eb7 100644
--- a/test/unit/bin/helpers/utils.js
+++ b/test/unit/bin/helpers/utils.js
@@ -1428,6 +1428,23 @@ describe('utils', () => {
       expect(utils.isUndefined(bsConfig.auth)).to.be.true;
       expect(utils.isUndefined(bsConfig.run_settings.npm_dependencies)).to.be.false;
     });
+
+    it ('should set connection_settings if bsConfig.connection_settings is undefined' , () => {
+      let bsConfig = { run_settings: {} };
+      utils.setDefaults(bsConfig, {});
+      expect(utils.isUndefined(bsConfig.connection_settings)).to.be.false;
+    });
+
+    it('should not set connection_settings if bsConfig.connection_settings is defined ', () => {
+      let bsConfig = {
+        run_settings: {},
+        connection_settings: {
+          local: "false"
+        }
+     };
+      utils.setDefaults(bsConfig, {});
+      expect(bsConfig.connection_settings).to.deep.equal({local: "false"});
+    });
   });
 
   describe('getNumberOfSpecFiles', () => {