diff --git a/build.zig b/build.zig
index a368cbb..39d3dc4 100644
--- a/build.zig
+++ b/build.zig
@@ -128,6 +128,19 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.build.Builder) !void {
     const run_auth_tests = b.addRunArtifact(auth_tests);
     const install_auth_tests = b.addInstallArtifact(auth_tests, .{});
 
+    // mustache tests
+    const mustache_tests = b.addTest(.{
+        .name = "mustache_tests",
+        .root_source_file = .{ .path = "src/tests/test_mustache.zig" },
+        .target = target,
+        .optimize = optimize,
+    });
+    mustache_tests.linkLibrary(facil_dep.artifact("facil.io"));
+    mustache_tests.addModule("zap", zap_module);
+
+    const run_mustache_tests = b.addRunArtifact(mustache_tests);
+    const install_mustache_tests = b.addInstallArtifact(mustache_tests, .{});
+
     // http paramters (qyery, body) tests
     const httpparams_tests = b.addTest(.{
         .name = "http_params_tests",
@@ -163,6 +176,10 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.build.Builder) !void {
     run_auth_test_step.dependOn(&run_auth_tests.step);
     run_auth_test_step.dependOn(&install_auth_tests.step);
 
+    const run_mustache_test_step = b.step("test-mustache", "Run mustache unit tests [REMOVE zig-cache!]");
+    run_mustache_test_step.dependOn(&run_mustache_tests.step);
+    run_mustache_test_step.dependOn(&install_mustache_tests.step);
+
     const run_httpparams_test_step = b.step("test-httpparams", "Run http param unit tests [REMOVE zig-cache!]");
     run_httpparams_test_step.dependOn(&run_httpparams_tests.step);
     run_httpparams_test_step.dependOn(&install_httpparams_tests.step);
@@ -176,6 +193,7 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.build.Builder) !void {
     // running the unit tests.
     const test_step = b.step("test", "Run unit tests");
     test_step.dependOn(&run_auth_tests.step);
+    test_step.dependOn(&run_mustache_tests.step);
     test_step.dependOn(&run_httpparams_tests.step);
     test_step.dependOn(&run_sendfile_tests.step);
 
diff --git a/examples/mustache/mustache.zig b/examples/mustache/mustache.zig
index f28f92a..f60c8d8 100644
--- a/examples/mustache/mustache.zig
+++ b/examples/mustache/mustache.zig
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ const zap = @import("zap");
 
 fn on_request(r: zap.SimpleRequest) void {
     const template = "{{=<< >>=}}* Users:\r\n<<#users>><<id>>. <<& name>> (<<name>>)\r\n<</users>>\r\nNested: <<& nested.item >>.";
-    const p = zap.MustacheNew(template) catch return;
+    const p = zap.MustacheData(template) catch return;
     defer zap.MustacheFree(p);
     const User = struct {
         name: []const u8,
diff --git a/src/mustache.zig b/src/mustache.zig
index ea1f448..f285841 100644
--- a/src/mustache.zig
+++ b/src/mustache.zig
@@ -42,18 +42,14 @@ pub const MustacheError = error{
     MUSTACHE_ERR_USER_ERROR,
 };
 
-// pub extern fn fiobj_mustache_load(filename: fio_str_info_s) ?*mustache_s;
 // pub extern fn fiobj_mustache_build2(dest: FIOBJ, mustache: ?*mustache_s, data: FIOBJ) FIOBJ;
 
-pub fn MustacheNew(data: []const u8) MustacheError!*Mustache {
+pub fn MustacheNew(load_args: MustacheLoadArgs) MustacheError!*Mustache {
     var err: mustache_error_en = undefined;
-    var args: MustacheLoadArgs = .{
-        .filename = null,
-        .filename_len = 0,
-        .data = data.ptr,
-        .data_len = data.len,
-        .err = &err,
-    };
+
+    var args = load_args;
+    args.err = &err;
+
     var ret = fiobj_mustache_new(args);
     switch (err) {
         0 => return ret.?,
@@ -70,6 +66,27 @@ pub fn MustacheNew(data: []const u8) MustacheError!*Mustache {
         11 => return MustacheError.MUSTACHE_ERR_USER_ERROR,
         else => return MustacheError.MUSTACHE_ERR_UNKNOWN,
     }
+    return MustacheError.MUSTACHE_ERR_UNKNOWN;
+}
+
+pub fn MustacheData(data: []const u8) MustacheError!*Mustache {
+    var err: mustache_error_en = undefined;
+    var args: MustacheLoadArgs = .{ .filename = null, .filename_len = 0, .data = data.ptr, .data_len = data.len, .err = &err };
+
+    return MustacheNew(args);
+}
+
+pub fn MustacheLoad(filename: []const u8) MustacheError!*Mustache {
+    var err: mustache_error_en = undefined;
+    var args: MustacheLoadArgs = .{
+        .filename = filename.ptr,
+        .filename_len = filename.len,
+        .data = null,
+        .data_len = 0,
+        .err = &err,
+    };
+
+    return MustacheNew(args);
 }
 
 // implement these: fiobj_mustache.c
diff --git a/src/tests/test_mustache.zig b/src/tests/test_mustache.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d5c9b6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/test_mustache.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+const std = @import("std");
+const zap = @import("zap");
+
+const User = struct {
+    name: []const u8,
+    id: isize,
+};
+
+const data = .{
+    .users = [_]User{
+        .{
+            .name = "Rene",
+            .id = 1,
+        },
+        .{
+            .name = "Caro",
+            .id = 6,
+        },
+    },
+    .nested = .{
+        .item = "nesting works",
+    },
+};
+
+test "MustacheData" {
+    const template = "{{=<< >>=}}* Users:\n<<#users>><<id>>. <<& name>> (<<name>>)\n<</users>>\nNested: <<& nested.item >>.";
+    const p = try zap.MustacheData(template);
+    defer zap.MustacheFree(p);
+
+    const ret = zap.MustacheBuild(p, data);
+    defer ret.deinit();
+
+    try std.testing.expectEqualSlices(u8, "* Users:\n1. Rene (Rene)\n6. Caro (Caro)\nNested: nesting works.", ret.str().?);
+}
+
+test "MustacheLoad" {
+    const p = try zap.MustacheLoad("./src/tests/testtemplate.html");
+    defer zap.MustacheFree(p);
+
+    const ret = zap.MustacheBuild(p, data);
+    defer ret.deinit();
+
+    try std.testing.expectEqualSlices(u8, "* Users:\n1. Rene (Rene)\n6. Caro (Caro)\nNested: nesting works.\n", ret.str().?);
+}
diff --git a/src/tests/testpartial.html b/src/tests/testpartial.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f52325c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/testpartial.html
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Nested: {{& nested.item }}.
diff --git a/src/tests/testtemplate.html b/src/tests/testtemplate.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e44531c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/testtemplate.html
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{{=<< >>=}}* Users:
+<<#users>><<id>>. <<& name>> (<<name>>)
+<</users>>
+<<>testpartial.html>>