diff --git a/src/restic/backend/layout_default.go b/src/restic/backend/layout_default.go
index 836700b33..665b85531 100644
--- a/src/restic/backend/layout_default.go
+++ b/src/restic/backend/layout_default.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ func (l *DefaultLayout) Dirname(h restic.Handle) string {
 func (l *DefaultLayout) Filename(h restic.Handle) string {
 	name := h.Name
 	if h.Type == restic.ConfigFile {
-		name = "config"
+		return l.Join(l.Path, "config")
 	}
 
 	return l.Join(l.Dirname(h), name)
diff --git a/src/restic/backend/layout_test.go b/src/restic/backend/layout_test.go
index cd06d4e63..48bc2a3db 100644
--- a/src/restic/backend/layout_test.go
+++ b/src/restic/backend/layout_test.go
@@ -12,53 +12,103 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestDefaultLayout(t *testing.T) {
-	path, cleanup := TempDir(t)
+	tempdir, cleanup := TempDir(t)
 	defer cleanup()
 
 	var tests = []struct {
+		path string
+		join func(...string) string
 		restic.Handle
 		filename string
 	}{
 		{
+			tempdir,
+			filepath.Join,
 			restic.Handle{Type: restic.DataFile, Name: "0123456"},
-			filepath.Join(path, "data", "01", "0123456"),
+			filepath.Join(tempdir, "data", "01", "0123456"),
 		},
 		{
+			tempdir,
+			filepath.Join,
 			restic.Handle{Type: restic.ConfigFile, Name: "CFG"},
-			filepath.Join(path, "config"),
+			filepath.Join(tempdir, "config"),
 		},
 		{
+			tempdir,
+			filepath.Join,
 			restic.Handle{Type: restic.SnapshotFile, Name: "123456"},
-			filepath.Join(path, "snapshots", "123456"),
+			filepath.Join(tempdir, "snapshots", "123456"),
 		},
 		{
+			tempdir,
+			filepath.Join,
 			restic.Handle{Type: restic.IndexFile, Name: "123456"},
-			filepath.Join(path, "index", "123456"),
+			filepath.Join(tempdir, "index", "123456"),
 		},
 		{
+			tempdir,
+			filepath.Join,
 			restic.Handle{Type: restic.LockFile, Name: "123456"},
-			filepath.Join(path, "locks", "123456"),
+			filepath.Join(tempdir, "locks", "123456"),
 		},
 		{
+			tempdir,
+			filepath.Join,
 			restic.Handle{Type: restic.KeyFile, Name: "123456"},
-			filepath.Join(path, "keys", "123456"),
+			filepath.Join(tempdir, "keys", "123456"),
+		},
+		{
+			"",
+			path.Join,
+			restic.Handle{Type: restic.DataFile, Name: "0123456"},
+			"data/01/0123456",
+		},
+		{
+			"",
+			path.Join,
+			restic.Handle{Type: restic.ConfigFile, Name: "CFG"},
+			"config",
+		},
+		{
+			"",
+			path.Join,
+			restic.Handle{Type: restic.SnapshotFile, Name: "123456"},
+			"snapshots/123456",
+		},
+		{
+			"",
+			path.Join,
+			restic.Handle{Type: restic.IndexFile, Name: "123456"},
+			"index/123456",
+		},
+		{
+			"",
+			path.Join,
+			restic.Handle{Type: restic.LockFile, Name: "123456"},
+			"locks/123456",
+		},
+		{
+			"",
+			path.Join,
+			restic.Handle{Type: restic.KeyFile, Name: "123456"},
+			"keys/123456",
 		},
-	}
-
-	l := &DefaultLayout{
-		Path: path,
-		Join: filepath.Join,
 	}
 
 	t.Run("Paths", func(t *testing.T) {
+		l := &DefaultLayout{
+			Path: tempdir,
+			Join: filepath.Join,
+		}
+
 		dirs := l.Paths()
 
 		want := []string{
-			filepath.Join(path, "data"),
-			filepath.Join(path, "snapshots"),
-			filepath.Join(path, "index"),
-			filepath.Join(path, "locks"),
-			filepath.Join(path, "keys"),
+			filepath.Join(tempdir, "data"),
+			filepath.Join(tempdir, "snapshots"),
+			filepath.Join(tempdir, "index"),
+			filepath.Join(tempdir, "locks"),
+			filepath.Join(tempdir, "keys"),
 		}
 
 		sort.Sort(sort.StringSlice(want))
@@ -71,6 +121,11 @@ func TestDefaultLayout(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for _, test := range tests {
 		t.Run(fmt.Sprintf("%v/%v", test.Type, test.Handle.Name), func(t *testing.T) {
+			l := &DefaultLayout{
+				Path: test.path,
+				Join: test.join,
+			}
+
 			filename := l.Filename(test.Handle)
 			if filename != test.filename {
 				t.Fatalf("wrong filename, want %v, got %v", test.filename, filename)
diff --git a/src/restic/backend/rest/rest.go b/src/restic/backend/rest/rest.go
index db1118077..cb3fdadc8 100644
--- a/src/restic/backend/rest/rest.go
+++ b/src/restic/backend/rest/rest.go
@@ -127,9 +127,8 @@ func (b *restBackend) Save(h restic.Handle, rd io.Reader) (err error) {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "client.Post")
 	}
 
-	// fmt.Printf("status is %v (%v)\n", resp.Status, resp.StatusCode)
 	if resp.StatusCode != 200 {
-		return errors.Errorf("unexpected HTTP response code %v", resp.StatusCode)
+		return errors.Errorf("server response unexpected: %v (%v)", resp.Status, resp.StatusCode)
 	}
 
 	return nil
@@ -179,7 +178,7 @@ func (b *restBackend) Load(h restic.Handle, length int, offset int64) (io.ReadCl
 	if resp.StatusCode != 200 && resp.StatusCode != 206 {
 		io.Copy(ioutil.Discard, resp.Body)
 		resp.Body.Close()
-		return nil, errors.Errorf("unexpected HTTP response code %v", resp.StatusCode)
+		return nil, errors.Errorf("unexpected HTTP response (%v): %v", resp.StatusCode, resp.Status)
 	}
 
 	return resp.Body, nil
@@ -204,7 +203,7 @@ func (b *restBackend) Stat(h restic.Handle) (restic.FileInfo, error) {
 	}
 
 	if resp.StatusCode != 200 {
-		return restic.FileInfo{}, errors.Errorf("unexpected HTTP response code %v", resp.StatusCode)
+		return restic.FileInfo{}, errors.Errorf("unexpected HTTP response (%v): %v", resp.StatusCode, resp.Status)
 	}
 
 	if resp.ContentLength < 0 {
diff --git a/src/restic/backend/sftp/sftp.go b/src/restic/backend/sftp/sftp.go
index 3eedfa76d..8070d01fe 100644
--- a/src/restic/backend/sftp/sftp.go
+++ b/src/restic/backend/sftp/sftp.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"path"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"restic"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -416,7 +415,7 @@ func (r *SFTP) List(t restic.FileType, done <-chan struct{}) <-chan string {
 			}
 
 			select {
-			case ch <- filepath.Base(walker.Path()):
+			case ch <- path.Base(walker.Path()):
 			case <-done:
 				return
 			}
diff --git a/src/restic/backend/test/tests.go b/src/restic/backend/test/tests.go
index 9919220b9..a6f47452b 100644
--- a/src/restic/backend/test/tests.go
+++ b/src/restic/backend/test/tests.go
@@ -13,12 +13,19 @@ import (
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"restic/test"
 
 	"restic/backend"
 )
 
+func seedRand(t testing.TB) {
+	seed := time.Now().UnixNano()
+	rand.Seed(seed)
+	t.Logf("rand initialized with seed %d", seed)
+}
+
 // TestCreateWithConfig tests that creating a backend in a location which already
 // has a config file fails.
 func (s *Suite) TestCreateWithConfig(t *testing.T) {
@@ -101,15 +108,20 @@ func (s *Suite) TestConfig(t *testing.T) {
 
 // TestLoad tests the backend's Load function.
 func (s *Suite) TestLoad(t *testing.T) {
+	seedRand(t)
+
 	b := s.open(t)
 	defer s.close(t, b)
 
-	_, err := b.Load(restic.Handle{}, 0, 0)
+	rd, err := b.Load(restic.Handle{}, 0, 0)
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Load() did not return an error for invalid handle")
 	}
+	if rd != nil {
+		rd.Close()
+	}
 
-	_, err = b.Load(restic.Handle{Type: restic.DataFile, Name: "foobar"}, 0, 0)
+	err = testLoad(b, restic.Handle{Type: restic.DataFile, Name: "foobar"}, 0, 0)
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Load() did not return an error for non-existing blob")
 	}
@@ -125,7 +137,9 @@ func (s *Suite) TestLoad(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Save() error: %+v", err)
 	}
 
-	rd, err := b.Load(handle, 100, -1)
+	t.Logf("saved %d bytes as %v", length, handle)
+
+	rd, err = b.Load(handle, 100, -1)
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Load() returned no error for negative offset!")
 	}
@@ -147,8 +161,8 @@ func (s *Suite) TestLoad(t *testing.T) {
 		if o < len(d) {
 			d = d[o:]
 		} else {
-			o = len(d)
-			d = d[:0]
+			t.Logf("offset == length, skipping test")
+			continue
 		}
 
 		getlen := l
@@ -162,12 +176,14 @@ func (s *Suite) TestLoad(t *testing.T) {
 
 		rd, err := b.Load(handle, getlen, int64(o))
 		if err != nil {
+			t.Logf("Load, l %v, o %v, len(d) %v, getlen %v", l, o, len(d), getlen)
 			t.Errorf("Load(%d, %d) returned unexpected error: %+v", l, o, err)
 			continue
 		}
 
 		buf, err := ioutil.ReadAll(rd)
 		if err != nil {
+			t.Logf("Load, l %v, o %v, len(d) %v, getlen %v", l, o, len(d), getlen)
 			t.Errorf("Load(%d, %d) ReadAll() returned unexpected error: %+v", l, o, err)
 			if err = rd.Close(); err != nil {
 				t.Errorf("Load(%d, %d) rd.Close() returned error: %+v", l, o, err)
@@ -176,6 +192,7 @@ func (s *Suite) TestLoad(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 
 		if l == 0 && len(buf) != len(d) {
+			t.Logf("Load, l %v, o %v, len(d) %v, getlen %v", l, o, len(d), getlen)
 			t.Errorf("Load(%d, %d) wrong number of bytes read: want %d, got %d", l, o, len(d), len(buf))
 			if err = rd.Close(); err != nil {
 				t.Errorf("Load(%d, %d) rd.Close() returned error: %+v", l, o, err)
@@ -184,6 +201,7 @@ func (s *Suite) TestLoad(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 
 		if l > 0 && l <= len(d) && len(buf) != l {
+			t.Logf("Load, l %v, o %v, len(d) %v, getlen %v", l, o, len(d), getlen)
 			t.Errorf("Load(%d, %d) wrong number of bytes read: want %d, got %d", l, o, l, len(buf))
 			if err = rd.Close(); err != nil {
 				t.Errorf("Load(%d, %d) rd.Close() returned error: %+v", l, o, err)
@@ -192,6 +210,7 @@ func (s *Suite) TestLoad(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 
 		if l > len(d) && len(buf) != len(d) {
+			t.Logf("Load, l %v, o %v, len(d) %v, getlen %v", l, o, len(d), getlen)
 			t.Errorf("Load(%d, %d) wrong number of bytes read for overlong read: want %d, got %d", l, o, l, len(buf))
 			if err = rd.Close(); err != nil {
 				t.Errorf("Load(%d, %d) rd.Close() returned error: %+v", l, o, err)
@@ -200,6 +219,7 @@ func (s *Suite) TestLoad(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 
 		if !bytes.Equal(buf, d) {
+			t.Logf("Load, l %v, o %v, len(d) %v, getlen %v", l, o, len(d), getlen)
 			t.Errorf("Load(%d, %d) returned wrong bytes", l, o)
 			if err = rd.Close(); err != nil {
 				t.Errorf("Load(%d, %d) rd.Close() returned error: %+v", l, o, err)
@@ -209,6 +229,7 @@ func (s *Suite) TestLoad(t *testing.T) {
 
 		err = rd.Close()
 		if err != nil {
+			t.Logf("Load, l %v, o %v, len(d) %v, getlen %v", l, o, len(d), getlen)
 			t.Errorf("Load(%d, %d) rd.Close() returned unexpected error: %+v", l, o, err)
 			continue
 		}
@@ -234,6 +255,8 @@ func (ec errorCloser) Size() int64 {
 
 // TestSave tests saving data in the backend.
 func (s *Suite) TestSave(t *testing.T) {
+	seedRand(t)
+
 	b := s.open(t)
 	defer s.close(t, b)
 	var id restic.ID
@@ -396,6 +419,21 @@ func store(t testing.TB, b restic.Backend, tpe restic.FileType, data []byte) res
 	return h
 }
 
+// testLoad loads a blob (but discards its contents).
+func testLoad(b restic.Backend, h restic.Handle, length int, offset int64) error {
+	rd, err := b.Load(h, 0, 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	_, err = io.Copy(ioutil.Discard, rd)
+	cerr := rd.Close()
+	if err == nil {
+		err = cerr
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
 // TestBackend tests all functions of the backend.
 func (s *Suite) TestBackend(t *testing.T) {
 	b := s.open(t)
@@ -421,8 +459,8 @@ func (s *Suite) TestBackend(t *testing.T) {
 			test.Assert(t, err != nil, "blob data could be extracted before creation")
 
 			// try to read not existing blob
-			_, err = b.Load(h, 0, 0)
-			test.Assert(t, err != nil, "blob reader could be obtained before creation")
+			err = testLoad(b, h, 0, 0)
+			test.Assert(t, err != nil, "blob could be read before creation")
 
 			// try to get string out, should fail
 			ret, err = b.Test(h)
diff --git a/src/restic/testing.go b/src/restic/testing.go
index 9df54e7b6..144f53bd1 100644
--- a/src/restic/testing.go
+++ b/src/restic/testing.go
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ func TestCreateSnapshot(t testing.TB, repo Repository, at time.Time, depth int,
 func TestParseID(s string) ID {
 	id, err := ParseID(s)
 	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("unable to parse string %q as ID: %v", s, err))
 	}
 
 	return id