diff --git a/pkg/syncer/pubsub.go b/pkg/syncer/pubsub.go
index 946b36ea..27787b97 100644
--- a/pkg/syncer/pubsub.go
+++ b/pkg/syncer/pubsub.go
@@ -39,27 +39,41 @@ type PubSub interface {
 
 func NewPubSub(conf config.SyncConfig) (PubSub, error) {
 	if conf.Notification.Default == PubSubRedis {
-		host, ok := conf.Pubsub[PubSubRedis].(map[string]interface{})["host"].(string)
+		pubsubConf, found := conf.Pubsub[PubSubRedis]
+		if !found {
+			return nil, errors.New("pubsub redis config not found")
+		}
+
+		redisConf, ok := pubsubConf.(map[string]interface{})
 		if !ok {
-			return nil, errors.New("host is not valid")
+			return nil, errors.New("pubsub redis config not valid")
+		}
+
+		hostVal, found := redisConf["host"]
+		if !found {
+			return nil, errors.New("pubsub redis host not found")
 		}
-		password, ok := conf.Pubsub[PubSubRedis].(map[string]interface{})["password"].(string)
+		host, ok := hostVal.(string)
 		if !ok {
-			return nil, errors.New("password is not valid")
+			return nil, errors.New("pubsub redis host not valid, host must be string")
 		}
-		database, ok := conf.Pubsub[PubSubRedis].(map[string]interface{})["database"].(int)
+
+		passwordVal, found := redisConf["password"]
+		if !found {
+			return nil, errors.New("pubsub redis password not found")
+		}
+		password, ok := passwordVal.(string)
 		if !ok {
-			return nil, errors.New("database is not valid")
+			return nil, errors.New("pubsub redis password not valid, password must be string")
 		}
 
-		client := redis.NewClient(&redis.Options{
-			Addr:     host,
-			Password: password,
-			DB:       database,
-		})
-		defer client.Close()
-		if err := client.Ping(context.Background()).Err(); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+		databaseVal, found := redisConf["database"]
+		if !found {
+			return nil, errors.New("pubsub redis database not found")
+		}
+		database, ok := databaseVal.(int)
+		if !ok {
+			return nil, errors.New("pubsub redis database not valid, database must be int")
 		}
 
 		return &pubsubRedis{
diff --git a/pkg/syncer/pubsub_test.go b/pkg/syncer/pubsub_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a540af3d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/syncer/pubsub_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Copyright 2023 Optimizely, Inc. and contributors                         *
+ *                                                                          *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");          *
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.         *
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at                                  *
+ *                                                                          *
+ *    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0                            *
+ *                                                                          *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software      *
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,        *
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. *
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and      *
+ * limitations under the License.                                           *
+ ***************************************************************************/
+
+// Package syncer provides synchronization across Agent nodes
+package syncer
+
+import (
+	"reflect"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/optimizely/agent/config"
+)
+
+func TestNewPubSub(t *testing.T) {
+	type args struct {
+		conf config.SyncConfig
+	}
+	tests := []struct {
+		name    string
+		args    args
+		want    PubSub
+		wantErr bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "Test with valid config",
+			args: args{
+				conf: config.SyncConfig{
+					Pubsub: map[string]interface{}{
+						"redis": map[string]interface{}{
+							"host":     "localhost:6379",
+							"password": "",
+							"database": 0,
+						},
+					},
+					Notification: config.FeatureSyncConfig{
+						Default: "redis",
+						Enable:  true,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			want: &pubsubRedis{
+				host:     "localhost:6379",
+				password: "",
+				database: 0,
+			},
+			wantErr: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "Test with invalid config",
+			args: args{
+				conf: config.SyncConfig{
+					Pubsub: map[string]interface{}{
+						"nopt-redis": map[string]interface{}{},
+					},
+					Notification: config.FeatureSyncConfig{
+						Default: "redis",
+						Enable:  true,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			want:    nil,
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "Test with nil config",
+			args: args{
+				conf: config.SyncConfig{
+					Pubsub: map[string]interface{}{
+						"redis": nil,
+					},
+					Notification: config.FeatureSyncConfig{
+						Default: "redis",
+						Enable:  true,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			want:    nil,
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "Test with empty config",
+			args: args{
+				conf: config.SyncConfig{
+					Pubsub: map[string]interface{}{
+						"redis": nil,
+					},
+					Notification: config.FeatureSyncConfig{
+						Default: "redis",
+						Enable:  true,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			want:    nil,
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "Test with invalid redis config",
+			args: args{
+				conf: config.SyncConfig{
+					Pubsub: map[string]interface{}{
+						"redis": map[string]interface{}{
+							"host":     123,
+							"password": "",
+							"database": "invalid-db",
+						},
+					},
+					Notification: config.FeatureSyncConfig{
+						Default: "redis",
+						Enable:  true,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			want:    nil,
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			got, err := NewPubSub(tt.args.conf)
+			if (err != nil) != tt.wantErr {
+				t.Errorf("NewPubSub() error = %v, wantErr %v", err, tt.wantErr)
+				return
+			}
+			if !reflect.DeepEqual(got, tt.want) {
+				t.Errorf("NewPubSub() = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}