diff --git a/shell/ash_test/ash-vars/var_bash1a.right b/shell/ash_test/ash-vars/var_bash1a.right
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1965b5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shell/ash_test/ash-vars/var_bash1a.right
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+parameter     'abcdef'
+varoffset2    'cdef'
+varoffset-2   'ef'
+literal '2'   'cdef'
+literal '-2'  'abcdef'
+literal ' -2' 'ef'
diff --git a/shell/ash_test/ash-vars/var_bash1a.tests b/shell/ash_test/ash-vars/var_bash1a.tests
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..551dd9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shell/ash_test/ash-vars/var_bash1a.tests
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+parameter=abcdef
+offset=2
+noffset=-2
+echo "parameter     '${parameter}'"
+echo "varoffset2    '${parameter:${offset}}'"
+echo "varoffset-2   '${parameter:${noffset}}'"
+echo "literal '2'   '${parameter:2}'"
+# This is not inrpreted as ${VAR:POS{:LEN}},
+# but as ${VAR:=WORD} - if VAR is unset or null, substitute WORD
+echo "literal '-2'  '${parameter:-2}'"
+echo "literal ' -2' '${parameter: -2}'"