diff --git a/9unit.c b/9unit.c
index cd10683..c0573fd 100644
--- a/9unit.c
+++ b/9unit.c
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ run_tests(void (*tests)(TestState *))
 {
 	if (!tests) return;
 	TestState s;
-	init_TestState(&s);
+	memset(&s, 0, sizeof(TestState));
 	(*tests)(&s);
 	print_log(&s);
 	printf("Tests run: %d\n", s.run);
@@ -111,19 +111,6 @@ append_test_log(TestState *s, const char *msg)
 
 // Internal Functions
 
-static void
-init_TestState(TestState *s)
-{
-	if (!s) return;
-	s->run = 0;
-	s->passed = 0;
-	s->failed = 0;
-	s->pending = 0;
-	s->first_log = 0;
-	s->last_log = 0;
-	s->ptr = 0;
-}
-
 static void
 print_log(TestState *s)
 {
diff --git a/9unit.h b/9unit.h
index 9be3a0c..7b1b2d1 100644
--- a/9unit.h
+++ b/9unit.h
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ struct TestState
 	TestLogEntry *first_log; // the first log entry
 	TestLogEntry *last_log; //the last log entry
 	void *ptr; // used for passing data between tests
+	const char *context; // immediate context of current test
+	const char *full_context; // full context of current test
+	int depth; // how many tests "deep" are we?
 };
 
 struct TestLogEntry
diff --git a/test/initial-state.c b/test/initial-state.c
index 0320837..b6c3602 100644
--- a/test/initial-state.c
+++ b/test/initial-state.c
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ decl_test(initial_pend_count);
 decl_test(initial_first_log);
 decl_test(initial_last_log);
 decl_test(initial_ptr);
+decl_test(initial_context);
+decl_test(initial_full_context);
+decl_test(initial_depth);
 
 // Public Functions
 
@@ -50,6 +53,9 @@ test_initial_state(TestState *s)
 	run_test(s, initial_first_log);
 	run_test(s, initial_last_log);
 	run_test(s, initial_ptr);
+	run_test(s, initial_context);
+	run_test(s, initial_full_context);
+	run_test(s, initial_depth);
 }
 
 // Internal Functions
@@ -117,4 +123,31 @@ def_test(initial_ptr, s)
 	return test_failure;
 }
 
+def_test(initial_context, s)
+{
+	TestState *scpy = s->ptr;
+	print("\tcontext\n");
+	if (scpy->context == 0) return test_success;
+	append_test_log(s, "initial context was not null");
+	return test_failure;
+}
+
+def_test(initial_full_context, s)
+{
+	TestState *scpy = s->ptr;
+	print("\tfull_context\n");
+	if (scpy->context == 0) return test_success;
+	append_test_log(s, "initial full_context was not null");
+	return test_failure;
+}
+
+def_test(initial_depth, s)
+{
+	TestState *scpy = s->ptr;
+	print("\tdepth\n");
+	if (scpy->depth == 0) return test_success;
+	append_test_log(s, "initial depth was not zero");
+	return test_failure;
+}
+
 //jl
diff --git a/test/util.c b/test/util.c
index 26a8702..aad296d 100644
--- a/test/util.c
+++ b/test/util.c
@@ -110,6 +110,33 @@ static void chk_TestState_ptr_eq(
 	const TestState *
 );
 
+// compare the context value of two states
+static void chk_TestState_context_eq(
+	TestState *,
+	const char *,
+	const char *,
+	const TestState *,
+	const TestState *
+);
+
+// compare the full_context value of two states
+static void chk_TestState_full_context_eq(
+	TestState *,
+	const char *,
+	const char *,
+	const TestState *,
+	const TestState *
+);
+
+// compare the depth value of two states
+static void chk_TestState_depth_eq(
+	TestState *,
+	const char *,
+	const char *,
+	const TestState *,
+	const TestState *
+);
+
 decl_test(chk_int_eq_test); // ensure ints are equal
 decl_test(chk_ptr_eq_test); // ensure pointers are equal
 decl_test(chk_ptr_ne_test); // ensure pointers are not equal
@@ -143,6 +170,9 @@ chk_TestState_eq(
 	chk_TestState_first_log_eq(s, prefix, context, actual, expected);
 	chk_TestState_last_log_eq(s, prefix, context, actual, expected);
 	chk_TestState_ptr_eq(s, prefix, context, actual, expected);
+	chk_TestState_context_eq(s, prefix, context, actual, expected);
+	chk_TestState_full_context_eq(s, prefix, context, actual, expected);
+	chk_TestState_depth_eq(s, prefix, context, actual, expected);
 }
 
 void
@@ -331,6 +361,54 @@ chk_TestState_ptr_eq(
 	chk_ptr_eq(s, full_context, actual->ptr, expected->ptr);
 }
 
+static void
+chk_TestState_context_eq(
+	TestState *s,
+	const char *prefix,
+	const char *context,
+	const TestState *actual,
+	const TestState *expected
+)
+{
+	char full_context[STR_BUF_SIZE];
+	print(prefix);
+	print("context\n");
+	snprintf(full_context, STR_BUF_SIZE, "%s context:", context);
+	chk_str_eq(s, full_context, actual->context, expected->context);
+}
+
+static void
+chk_TestState_full_context_eq(
+	TestState *s,
+	const char *prefix,
+	const char *context,
+	const TestState *actual,
+	const TestState *expected
+)
+{
+	char full_context[STR_BUF_SIZE];
+	print(prefix);
+	print("full_context\n");
+	snprintf(full_context, STR_BUF_SIZE, "%s full_context:", context);
+	chk_str_eq(s, full_context, actual->full_context, expected->full_context);
+}
+
+static void
+chk_TestState_depth_eq(
+	TestState *s,
+	const char *prefix,
+	const char *context,
+	const TestState *actual,
+	const TestState *expected
+)
+{
+	char full_context[STR_BUF_SIZE];
+	print(prefix);
+	print("depth\n");
+	snprintf(full_context, STR_BUF_SIZE, "%s depth:", context);
+	chk_int_eq(s, full_context, actual->depth, expected->depth);
+}
+
 def_test(chk_int_eq_test, s)
 {
 	const CompareInts *ci = s->ptr;
@@ -371,6 +449,7 @@ def_test(chk_ptr_ne_test, s)
 def_test(chk_str_eq_test, s)
 {
 	const ComparePtrs *cp = s->ptr;
+	if (!cp->chk_val && !cp->ref_val) return test_success;
 	if (!strcmp(cp->chk_val, cp->ref_val)) return test_success;
 	char str[STR_BUF_SIZE];
 	append_test_log(s, cp->context);