diff --git a/scripts/shared_functions.sh b/scripts/shared_functions.sh
index efa9e89..edfb524 100644
--- a/scripts/shared_functions.sh
+++ b/scripts/shared_functions.sh
@@ -5,14 +5,24 @@ SHARED_TPM_PATH=""
 
 # sets a "global variable" for the current file
 shared_set_tpm_path_constant() {
-	local string_path="$(tmux show-environment -g TMUX_PLUGIN_MANAGER_PATH | cut -f2 -d=)"
+	#local string_path="$(tmux show-environment -g TMUX_PLUGIN_MANAGER_PATH | cut -f2 -d=)"
+	#pipes(due to fork) are expensive, the less the better
+	local string_path="$(tmux show-environment -g TMUX_PLUGIN_MANAGER_PATH)"; string_path="${string_path##*=}"
 	# NOTE: manually expanding tilde or `$HOME` variable. Avoids using `eval` as
 	# described here http://stackoverflow.com/a/5748307/777337
-	SHARED_TPM_PATH="$(echo "$string_path" | sed "s,^\$HOME,$HOME," | sed "s,^~,$HOME,")"
+	SHARED_TPM_PATH="$(echo "$string_path" | sed "s,^\$HOME,$HOME,;s,^~,$HOME,;")"
 }
 
 shared_get_tpm_plugins_list() {
-	tmux show-option -gqv "$tpm_plugins_variable_name"
+	local plugins_list
+	plugins_list="$(tmux show-option -gqv "$tpm_plugins_variable_name")"
+	if [ -z "${plugins_list}" ]; then
+		#read set -g @bundle "tmux-plugins/tmux-example-plugin" entries
+		cat /etc/tmux.conf ~/.tmux.conf 2>/dev/null | \
+		awk '/set.*-g.*@[bB][uU][nN][dD][lL][eE]/ {if($1!~"^#"){gsub(/'\''/,"");gsub(/'\"'/,"");print $4}}' #recover vim syntax'
+	else
+		printf "%s\\n" "${plugins_list}"
+	fi
 }
 
 # Allowed plugin name formats:
diff --git a/tests/test_plugin_bundle_installation.sh b/tests/test_plugin_bundle_installation.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..3156705
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_plugin_bundle_installation.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+CURRENT_DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" && pwd )"
+
+source $CURRENT_DIR/helpers.sh
+
+test_plugin_installation() {
+	set_tmux_conf_helper <<- HERE
+	set -g @bUnDlE "tmux-plugins/tmux-example-plugin"
+	run-shell "$PWD/tpm"
+	HERE
+
+	# opens tmux and test it with `expect`
+	"$CURRENT_DIR"/expect_successful_plugin_download ||
+		fail_helper "Tmux plugin installation fails"
+
+	# check plugin dir exists after download
+	check_dir_exists_helper "$HOME/.tmux/plugins/tmux-example-plugin/" ||
+		fail_helper "Plugin download fails"
+
+	teardown_helper
+}
+
+main() {
+	test_plugin_installation
+	exit_value_helper
+}
+main