diff --git a/scrapy/conf/__init__.py b/scrapy/conf/__init__.py
index 57306e96f..a2eb9cfde 100644
--- a/scrapy/conf/__init__.py
+++ b/scrapy/conf/__init__.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class Settings(object):
     def getlist(self, name, default=None):
         value = self.get(name)
         if value is None:
-            return []
+            return default or []
         elif hasattr(value, '__iter__'):
             return value
         else:
diff --git a/scrapy/tests/test_conf.py b/scrapy/tests/test_conf.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9eddb0206
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scrapy/tests/test_conf.py
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+import unittest
+
+from scrapy.conf import Settings
+
+class SettingsTest(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def test_get(self):
+        settings = Settings({
+            'TEST_ENABLED1': '1',
+            'TEST_ENABLED2': True,
+            'TEST_ENABLED3': 1,
+            'TEST_DISABLED1': '0',
+            'TEST_DISABLED2': False,
+            'TEST_DISABLED3': 0,
+            'TEST_INT1': 123,
+            'TEST_INT2': '123',
+            'TEST_FLOAT1': 123.45,
+            'TEST_FLOAT2': '123.45',
+            'TEST_LIST1': ['one', 'two'],
+            'TEST_LIST2': 'one,two',
+            'TEST_STR': 'value',
+        })
+        assert settings.getbool('TEST_ENABLED1') is True
+        assert settings.getbool('TEST_ENABLED2') is True
+        assert settings.getbool('TEST_ENABLED3') is True
+        assert settings.getbool('TEST_ENABLEDx') is False
+        assert settings.getbool('TEST_ENABLEDx', True) is True
+        assert settings.getbool('TEST_DISABLED1') is False
+        assert settings.getbool('TEST_DISABLED2') is False
+        assert settings.getbool('TEST_DISABLED3') is False
+        self.assertEqual(settings.getint('TEST_INT1'), 123)
+        self.assertEqual(settings.getint('TEST_INT2'), 123)
+        self.assertEqual(settings.getint('TEST_INTx'), 0)
+        self.assertEqual(settings.getint('TEST_INTx', 45), 45)
+        self.assertEqual(settings.getfloat('TEST_FLOAT1'), 123.45)
+        self.assertEqual(settings.getfloat('TEST_FLOAT2'), 123.45)
+        self.assertEqual(settings.getfloat('TEST_FLOATx'), 0.0)
+        self.assertEqual(settings.getfloat('TEST_FLOATx', 55.0), 55.0)
+        self.assertEqual(settings.getlist('TEST_LIST1'), ['one', 'two'])
+        self.assertEqual(settings.getlist('TEST_LIST2'), ['one', 'two'])
+        self.assertEqual(settings.getlist('TEST_LISTx'), [])
+        self.assertEqual(settings.getlist('TEST_LISTx', ['default']), ['default'])
+        self.assertEqual(settings['TEST_STR'], 'value')
+        self.assertEqual(settings.get('TEST_STR'), 'value')
+        self.assertEqual(settings['TEST_STRx'], None)
+        self.assertEqual(settings.get('TEST_STRx'), None)
+        self.assertEqual(settings.get('TEST_STRx', 'default'), 'default')
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()
+