diff --git a/qubes/__init__.py b/qubes/__init__.py
index ef04b8ab..4c4c9923 100644
--- a/qubes/__init__.py
+++ b/qubes/__init__.py
@@ -685,8 +685,11 @@ class property(object): # pylint: disable=redefined-builtin,invalid-name
 
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return '<{} object at {:#x} name={!r} default={!r}>'.format(
-            self.__class__.__name__, id(self), self.__name__, self._default)
+        default = ' default={!r}'.format(self._default) \
+            if self._default is not self._NO_DEFAULT \
+            else ''
+        return '<{} object at {:#x} name={!r}{}>'.format(
+            self.__class__.__name__, id(self), self.__name__, default) \
 
 
     def __hash__(self):
@@ -856,10 +859,12 @@ class PropertyHolder(qubes.events.Emitter):
 
         :param qubes.property prop: property object of particular interest
         :rtype: bool
-        '''
+        ''' # pylint: disable=protected-access
 
-        # pylint: disable=protected-access
-        return hasattr(self, self.property_get_def(prop)._attr_name)
+        # both property_get_def() and ._attr_name may throw AttributeError,
+        # which we don't want to catch
+        attrname = self.property_get_def(prop)._attr_name
+        return not hasattr(self, attrname)
 
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/qubes/tests/init.py b/qubes/tests/init.py
index 78f1b421..15931215 100644
--- a/qubes/tests/init.py
+++ b/qubes/tests/init.py
@@ -198,8 +198,18 @@ class TC_20_PropertyHolder(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
         self.holder = TestHolder(xml)
 
 
+    def test_000_property_list(self):
+        self.assertListEqual([p.__name__ for p in self.holder.property_list()],
+            ['testprop1', 'testprop2', 'testprop3', 'testprop4'])
+
+    def test_001_property_get_def(self):
+        self.assertIs(
+            self.holder.property_get_def('testprop1'), TestHolder.testprop1)
+        self.assertIs(self.holder.property_get_def(TestHolder.testprop1),
+            TestHolder.testprop1)
+
     @unittest.expectedFailure
-    def test_000_load_properties(self):
+    def test_002_load_properties(self):
         self.holder.load_properties()
 
         self.assertEventFired(self.holder, 'property-loaded')
@@ -212,7 +222,24 @@ class TC_20_PropertyHolder(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
         with self.assertRaises(AttributeError):
             self.holder.testprop4
 
-    def test_001_save_properties(self):
+    def test_003_property_is_default(self):
+        self.holder.load_properties()
+        self.assertFalse(self.holder.property_is_default('testprop1'))
+        self.assertFalse(self.holder.property_is_default('testprop2'))
+        self.assertTrue(self.holder.property_is_default('testprop3'))
+        self.assertTrue(self.holder.property_is_default('testprop4'))
+        with self.assertRaises(AttributeError):
+            self.holder.property_is_default('testprop5')
+
+    @unittest.skip('test not implemented')
+    def test_004_property_init(self):
+        pass
+
+    @unittest.skip('test not implemented')
+    def test_005_clone_properties(self):
+        pass
+
+    def test_006_xml_properties(self):
         self.holder.load_properties()
 
         elements = self.holder.xml_properties()
@@ -233,6 +260,10 @@ class TC_20_PropertyHolder(qubes.tests.QubesTestCase):
         expected_prop3.text = 'testdefault'
         self.assertXMLEqual(elements_with_defaults[2], expected_prop3)
 
+    @unittest.skip('test not implemented')
+    def test_010_property_require(self):
+        pass
+
 
 class TestVM(qubes.vm.BaseVM):
     qid = qubes.property('qid', type=int)