diff --git a/src/helpers.ts b/src/helpers.ts
index d591c445..17cf797c 100644
--- a/src/helpers.ts
+++ b/src/helpers.ts
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ export function validate(defaults, config, parent = 'config', msgs: Array<{ reas
     if (typeof config[key] === 'object') {
       validate(defaults[key], config[key], key, msgs);
     } else {
-      const defined = (typeof defaults[key] !== 'undefined');
+      const defined = defaults && (typeof defaults[key] !== 'undefined');
       if (!defined) msgs.push({ reason: 'unknown property', where: `${parent}.${key} = ${config[key]}` });
-      const same = typeof defaults[key] === typeof config[key];
+      const same = defaults && typeof defaults[key] === typeof config[key];
       if (defined && !same) msgs.push({ reason: 'property type mismatch', where: `${parent}.${key} = ${config[key]}`, expected: typeof defaults[key] });
     }
     // ok = ok && defined && same;
diff --git a/test/test-main.js b/test/test-main.js
index bc60c30c..681738c3 100644
--- a/test/test-main.js
+++ b/test/test-main.js
@@ -190,6 +190,14 @@ async function test(Human, inputConfig) {
   else log('state', 'passed: default result face match');
 
   // test default config
+  log('info', 'test sync');
+  human.reset();
+  config.async = false;
+  res = await testDetect(human, 'samples/ai-body.jpg', 'default');
+  if (!res || res?.face?.length !== 1 || res?.face[0].gender !== 'female') log('error', 'failed: default sync', res?.face?.length, res?.body?.length, res?.hand?.length, res?.gesture?.length);
+  else log('state', 'passed: default sync');
+
+  // test object detection
   log('info', 'test object');
   human.reset();
   config.object = { enabled: true };
diff --git a/test/test.js b/test/test.js
index c885d087..49a445e0 100644
--- a/test/test.js
+++ b/test/test.js
@@ -12,6 +12,14 @@ const tests = [
   'test-node-wasm.js',
 ];
 
+const demos = [
+  '../demo/nodejs/node.js',
+  '../demo/nodejs/node-canvas.js',
+  '../demo/nodejs/node-env.js',
+  '../demo/nodejs/node-event.js',
+  '../demo/nodejs/node-multiprocess.js',
+];
+
 const ignoreMessages = [
   'cpu_feature_guard.cc',
   'rebuild TensorFlow',
@@ -65,6 +73,19 @@ async function runTest(test) {
   });
 }
 
+async function runDemo(demo) {
+  log.info();
+  log.info(demo, 'start');
+  return new Promise((resolve) => {
+    const child = fork(path.join(__dirname, demo), [], { silent: true });
+    child.on('message', (data) => logMessage(demo, data));
+    child.on('error', (data) => log.error(demo, ':', data.message || data));
+    child.on('close', (code) => resolve(code));
+    child.stdout?.on('data', (data) => logStdIO(true, demo, data));
+    child.stderr?.on('data', (data) => logStdIO(false, demo, data));
+  });
+}
+
 async function testAll() {
   logFile = path.join(__dirname, logFile);
   if (fs.existsSync(logFile)) fs.unlinkSync(logFile);
@@ -73,6 +94,7 @@ async function testAll() {
   process.on('unhandledRejection', (data) => log.error('nodejs unhandled rejection', data));
   process.on('uncaughtException', (data) => log.error('nodejs unhandled exception', data));
   log.info('tests:', tests);
+  for (const demo of demos) await runDemo(demo);
   for (const test of tests) await runTest(test);
   log.info();
   log.info('status:', status);