diff --git a/blag/blag.py b/blag/blag.py
index 884025c..a01a6af 100644
--- a/blag/blag.py
+++ b/blag/blag.py
@@ -32,12 +32,12 @@ def main(args=None):
     args.func(args)
 
 
-def parse_args(args):
+def parse_args(args=None):
     """Parse command line arguments.
 
     Paramters
     ---------
-    args :
+    args : List[str]
         optional parameters, used for testing
 
     Returns
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ def parse_args(args):
     quickstart_parser = commands.add_parser('quickstart')
     quickstart_parser.set_defaults(func=quickstart)
 
-    return parser.parse_args()
+    return parser.parse_args(args)
 
 
 def get_config(configfile):
diff --git a/tests/test_blag.py b/tests/test_blag.py
index 01855d8..3fff868 100644
--- a/tests/test_blag.py
+++ b/tests/test_blag.py
@@ -16,3 +16,36 @@ def test_generate_feed(outdir):
     articles = []
     blag.generate_feed(articles, outdir, ' ', ' ', ' ', ' ')
     assert os.path.exists(f'{outdir}/atom.xml')
+
+
+def test_parse_args_build():
+    # test default args
+    args = blag.parse_args(['build'])
+    assert args.input_dir == 'content'
+    assert args.output_dir == 'build'
+    assert args.template_dir == 'templates'
+    assert args.static_dir == 'static'
+
+    # input dir
+    args = blag.parse_args(['build', '-i', 'foo'])
+    assert args.input_dir == 'foo'
+    args = blag.parse_args(['build', '--input-dir', 'foo'])
+    assert args.input_dir == 'foo'
+
+    # output dir
+    args = blag.parse_args(['build', '-o', 'foo'])
+    assert args.output_dir == 'foo'
+    args = blag.parse_args(['build', '--output-dir', 'foo'])
+    assert args.output_dir == 'foo'
+
+    # template dir
+    args = blag.parse_args(['build', '-t', 'foo'])
+    assert args.template_dir == 'foo'
+    args = blag.parse_args(['build', '--template-dir', 'foo'])
+    assert args.template_dir == 'foo'
+
+    # static dir
+    args = blag.parse_args(['build', '-s', 'foo'])
+    assert args.static_dir == 'foo'
+    args = blag.parse_args(['build', '--static-dir', 'foo'])
+    assert args.static_dir == 'foo'