diff --git a/internal/tests/pytests/wrappers/met_db_load/test_met_db_load.py b/internal/tests/pytests/wrappers/met_db_load/test_met_db_load.py
index 6003be50e5..ba6eaf2c67 100644
--- a/internal/tests/pytests/wrappers/met_db_load/test_met_db_load.py
+++ b/internal/tests/pytests/wrappers/met_db_load/test_met_db_load.py
@@ -1,20 +1,141 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 
+import datetime
 import pytest
-
+import os
+from unittest import mock
 from metplus.wrappers.met_db_load_wrapper import METDbLoadWrapper
 
+time_fmt = "%Y%m%d%H"
+run_times = ["2023080700", "2023080712", "2023080800"]
+
+time_info = {
+    "loop_by": "init",
+    "init": datetime.datetime(2023, 8, 7, 0, 0),
+    "now": datetime.datetime(2023, 8, 7, 0, 0),
+    "today": "20230830",
+    "instance": "",
+    "valid": "*",
+    "lead": "*",
+}
+
+xml_template = """
+<load_spec>
+  <connection>
+    <host>${METPLUS_MV_HOST}</host>
+    <database>${METPLUS_MV_DATABASE}</database>
+    <user>${METPLUS_MV_USER}</user>
+    <password>${METPLUS_MV_PASSWORD}</password>
+  </connection>
+
+  <verbose>${METPLUS_MV_VERBOSE}</verbose>
+  <insert_size>${METPLUS_MV_INSERT_SIZE}</insert_size>
+  <mode_header_db_check>${METPLUS_MV_MODE_HEADER_DB_CHECK}</mode_header_db_check>
+  <drop_indexes>${METPLUS_MV_DROP_INDEXES}</drop_indexes>
+  <apply_indexes>${METPLUS_MV_APPLY_INDEXES}</apply_indexes>
+  <group>${METPLUS_MV_GROUP}</group>
+  <load_stat>${METPLUS_MV_LOAD_STAT}</load_stat>
+  <load_mode>${METPLUS_MV_LOAD_MODE}</load_mode>
+  <load_mtd>${METPLUS_MV_LOAD_MTD}</load_mtd>
+  <load_mpr>${METPLUS_MV_LOAD_MPR}</load_mpr>
+
+</load_spec>"""
+
+xml_expected = """
+<load_spec>
+  <connection>
+    <host>db_host</host>
+    <database>db</database>
+    <user>user</user>
+    <password>big_secret</password>
+  </connection>
+
+  <verbose>true</verbose>
+  <insert_size>128</insert_size>
+  <mode_header_db_check>true</mode_header_db_check>
+  <drop_indexes>false</drop_indexes>
+  <apply_indexes>true</apply_indexes>
+  <group>group</group>
+  <load_stat>true</load_stat>
+  <load_mode>true</load_mode>
+  <load_mtd>true</load_mtd>
+  <load_mpr>true</load_mpr>
+
+</load_spec>
+"""
+
+tmp_file_dict = {
+    "dir1": {"subdir1": ["file1.stat", "file2.tcst"]},
+    "dir2": ["file2.stat"],
+}
+
+
+def make_tmp_files(tmp_dir, structure=tmp_file_dict):
+    """
+    Recursive function to make a directory structure
+    and populate with empty files.
+    """
+    for key, val in structure.items():
+        this_dir = os.path.join(tmp_dir, key)
+        os.mkdir(this_dir)
+        if isinstance(val, dict):
+            make_tmp_files(os.path.join(tmp_dir, key), val)
+        elif isinstance(val, list):
+            # make empty files
+            for f in val:
+                open(os.path.join(this_dir, f), "w").close()
+
+
+# Helper class for string matching
+class MatchSubstring(str):
+    def __eq__(self, other):
+        return self in other
+
+
+def set_minimum_config_settings(config):
+    # set config variables to prevent command from running and bypass check
+    # if input files actually exist
+    config.set("config", "DO_NOT_RUN_EXE", True)
+    config.set("config", "INPUT_MUST_EXIST", False)
+
+    # set process and time config variables
+    config.set("config", "PROCESS_LIST", "METDbLoad")
+    config.set("config", "LOOP_BY", "INIT")
+    config.set("config", "INIT_TIME_FMT", time_fmt)
+    config.set("config", "INIT_BEG", run_times[0])
+    config.set("config", "INIT_END", run_times[-1])
+    config.set("config", "INIT_INCREMENT", "12H")
+    config.set("config", "LEAD_SEQ", "12H")
+    config.set("config", "LOOP_ORDER", "processes")
+
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_RUNTIME_FREQ", "RUN_ONCE_PER_INIT_OR_VALID")
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_MV_HOST", "db_host")
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_MV_DATABASE", "db")
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_MV_USER", "user")
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_MV_PASSWORD", "big_secret")
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_MV_VERBOSE", True)
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_MV_INSERT_SIZE", 128)
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_MV_MODE_HEADER_DB_CHECK", True)
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_MV_DROP_INDEXES", False)
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_MV_APPLY_INDEXES", True)
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_MV_GROUP", "group")
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_MV_LOAD_STAT", True)
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_MV_LOAD_MODE", True)
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_MV_LOAD_MTD", True)
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_MV_LOAD_MPR", True)
+
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
-    'filename, expected_result', [
-        ('myfile.png', False),
-        ('anotherfile.txt', False),
-        ('goodfile.stat', True),
-        ('goodfile.tcst', True),
-        ('mode_goodfile.txt', True),
-        ('mtd_goodfile.txt', True),
-        ('monster_badfile.txt', False),
-    ]
+    "filename, expected_result",
+    [
+        ("myfile.png", False),
+        ("anotherfile.txt", False),
+        ("goodfile.stat", True),
+        ("goodfile.tcst", True),
+        ("mode_goodfile.txt", True),
+        ("mtd_goodfile.txt", True),
+        ("monster_badfile.txt", False),
+    ],
 )
 @pytest.mark.wrapper
 def test_is_loadable_file(filename, expected_result):
@@ -22,23 +143,112 @@ def test_is_loadable_file(filename, expected_result):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
-    'filenames, expected_result', [
-        (['myfile.png',
-          'anotherfile.txt'], False),
-        (['myfile.png',
-          'goodfile.stat'], True),
-        (['myfile.png',
-          'goodfile.tcst',
-          'anotherfile.txt'], True),
-        (['myfile.png',
-          'mode_goodfile.txt'], True),
-        (['myfile.png',
-          'mtd_goodfile.txt'], True),
-        (['myfile.png',
-          'monster_badfile.txt'], False),
+    "filenames, expected_result",
+    [
+        (["myfile.png", "anotherfile.txt"], False),
+        (["myfile.png", "goodfile.stat"], True),
+        (["myfile.png", "goodfile.tcst", "anotherfile.txt"], True),
+        (["myfile.png", "mode_goodfile.txt"], True),
+        (["myfile.png", "mtd_goodfile.txt"], True),
+        (["myfile.png", "monster_badfile.txt"], False),
         ([], False),
-    ]
+    ],
 )
 @pytest.mark.wrapper
 def test_has_loadable_file(filenames, expected_result):
     assert METDbLoadWrapper._has_loadable_file(filenames) == expected_result
+
+
+@pytest.mark.wrapper
+def test_METDbLoadWrapper_config(metplus_config):
+    config = metplus_config
+    set_minimum_config_settings(config)
+
+    expected = {
+        "MV_HOST": "",
+        "FIND_FILES": False,
+        "INPUT_TEMPLATE": "template.file",
+        "XML_TEMPLATE": "xml.file",
+        "MV_DATABASE": "db",
+        "MV_USER": "user",
+        "MV_PASSWORD": "big_secret",
+        "MV_VERBOSE": True,
+        "MV_INSERT_SIZE": 128,
+    }
+
+    wrapper = METDbLoadWrapper(config)
+    wrapper.logger.error.assert_any_call(MatchSubstring("Must supply an XML file"))
+
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_XML_FILE", "xml.file")
+    wrapper = METDbLoadWrapper(config)
+    wrapper.logger.error.assert_any_call(
+        MatchSubstring("Must supply an input template with")
+    )
+
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_INPUT_TEMPLATE", "template.file")
+    wrapper = METDbLoadWrapper(config)
+
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_MV_HOST", "")
+    wrapper = METDbLoadWrapper(config)
+    wrapper.logger.error.assert_any_call(MatchSubstring("Must set MET_DB_LOAD_MV_HOST"))
+
+    for k, v in expected.items():
+        assert wrapper.c_dict[k] == v
+
+    wrapper.c_dict["XML_TMP_FILE"] = "xml_tmp"
+    assert wrapper.get_command() == f"python3 {wrapper.app_path}.py xml_tmp"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.wrapper
+def test_METDbLoadWrapper(tmp_path_factory, metplus_config):
+    config = metplus_config
+    set_minimum_config_settings(config)
+
+    # make the temp files needed to run wrapper
+    tmp_dir = tmp_path_factory.mktemp("METdbLoad")
+    file_name = "tmplate.xml"
+    xml_file = os.path.join(tmp_dir, file_name)
+    with open(xml_file, "w") as f:
+        f.write(xml_template)
+
+    make_tmp_files(tmp_dir)
+
+    # check wrapper runs
+    config.set("config", "TMP_DIR", tmp_dir)
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_REMOVE_TMP_XML", False)
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_RUNTIME_FREQ", "RUN_ONCE_PER_INIT_OR_VALID")
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_XML_FILE", xml_file)
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_INPUT_TEMPLATE", tmp_dir)
+    wrapper = METDbLoadWrapper(config)
+    all_cmds = wrapper.run_all_times()
+
+    assert wrapper.isOK
+    assert wrapper.logger.error.assert_not_called
+    assert len(all_cmds) == 3
+
+    # check first tmp file has correct content
+    actual_xml = all_cmds[0][0].split()[-1]
+    with open(actual_xml, "r") as f:
+        assert f.read() == xml_expected
+
+    # check temp files deleted
+    config.set("config", "MET_DB_LOAD_REMOVE_TMP_XML", True)
+    wrapper = METDbLoadWrapper(config)
+    all_cmds = wrapper.run_all_times()
+    assert not os.path.exists(all_cmds[0][0].split()[-1])
+
+    # check correct return on failure
+    with mock.patch.object(wrapper, "build", return_value=False):
+        assert wrapper.run_at_time_once(time_info) == False
+
+    with mock.patch.object(wrapper, "replace_values_in_xml", return_value=False):
+        assert wrapper.run_at_time_once(time_info) == None
+
+    with mock.patch.dict(wrapper.c_dict, {"XML_TEMPLATE": False}):
+        # wrapper.c_dict['XML_TEMPLATE'] = None
+        assert wrapper.replace_values_in_xml(time_info) == False
+
+    # check handelling other times
+    time_info["lead"] = 3600
+    assert wrapper.run_at_time_once(time_info) == True
+