diff --git a/tests/shunit2/tests.sh b/tests/shunit2/tests.sh
index c24f634..8d0a644 100755
--- a/tests/shunit2/tests.sh
+++ b/tests/shunit2/tests.sh
@@ -452,4 +452,25 @@ test_jshn_add_multi() {
 	set -u
 }
 
+test_jshn_append_via_json_script() {
+	JSON_PREFIX="${JSON_PREFIX:-}"
+	. ../../sh/jshn.sh
+
+	# __SHUNIT_SHELL_FLAGS='u' results in 'line 6: JSON_UNSET: unbound variable' in json_cleanup()
+	set +u
+
+	# Test appending first key to empty variable without leading space
+	json_init
+	json_add_string "first" "value1"
+	json_get_keys keys
+	assertEquals "first" "$keys"
+
+	# Test appending second key should maintain no leading space on first key
+	json_add_string "second" "value2"
+	json_get_keys keys
+	assertEquals "first second" "$keys"
+
+	set -u
+}
+
 . ./shunit2/shunit2