diff --git a/zulip_botserver/tests/server_test_lib.py b/zulip_botserver/tests/server_test_lib.py
index ec4da16..b460846 100644
--- a/zulip_botserver/tests/server_test_lib.py
+++ b/zulip_botserver/tests/server_test_lib.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import configparser
 import json
 
 from typing import Any, List, Dict, Optional
@@ -19,13 +20,14 @@ class BotServerTestCase(TestCase):
         payload_url: str="/bots/helloworld",
         message: Optional[Dict[str, Any]]=dict(message={'key': "test message"}),
         check_success: bool=False,
+        third_party_bot_conf: Optional[configparser.ConfigParser]=None,
     ) -> None:
         if available_bots is not None and bots_config is not None:
             server.available_bots = available_bots
             bots_lib_modules = server.load_lib_modules()
             server.app.config["BOTS_LIB_MODULES"] = bots_lib_modules
             if bot_handlers is None:
-                bot_handlers = server.load_bot_handlers(bots_config)
+                bot_handlers = server.load_bot_handlers(bots_config, third_party_bot_conf)
             message_handlers = server.init_message_handlers(bots_lib_modules, bot_handlers)
             server.app.config["BOT_HANDLERS"] = bot_handlers
             server.app.config["MESSAGE_HANDLERS"] = message_handlers
diff --git a/zulip_botserver/zulip_botserver/server.py b/zulip_botserver/zulip_botserver/server.py
index 0c07835..d0e0381 100644
--- a/zulip_botserver/zulip_botserver/server.py
+++ b/zulip_botserver/zulip_botserver/server.py
@@ -60,10 +60,9 @@ def load_lib_modules() -> Dict[str, Any]:
 
 def load_bot_handlers(
     bots_config: Dict[str, Dict[str, str]],
-    bot_config_file: Optional[str]=None
+    third_party_bot_conf: Optional[configparser.ConfigParser]=None,
 ) -> Dict[str, ExternalBotHandler]:
     bot_handlers = {}
-    third_party_bot_conf = parse_config_file(bot_config_file) if bot_config_file is not None else None
     for bot in available_bots:
         client = Client(email=bots_config[bot]["email"],
                         api_key=bots_config[bot]["key"],
@@ -123,7 +122,8 @@ def main() -> None:
     global available_bots
     available_bots = list(bots_config.keys())
     bots_lib_modules = load_lib_modules()
-    bot_handlers = load_bot_handlers(bots_config, options.bot_config_file)
+    third_party_bot_conf = parse_config_file(options.bot_config_file) if options.bot_config_file is not None else None
+    bot_handlers = load_bot_handlers(bots_config, third_party_bot_conf)
     message_handlers = init_message_handlers(bots_lib_modules, bot_handlers)
     app.config["BOTS_LIB_MODULES"] = bots_lib_modules
     app.config["BOT_HANDLERS"] = bot_handlers