diff --git a/fsl/data/featanalysis.py b/fsl/data/featanalysis.py
index 718ef679b0502337ecf5aba68a481b336fedd0e6..a8aa25f097d3b20e97fa5f74e4542fa887b09608 100644
--- a/fsl/data/featanalysis.py
+++ b/fsl/data/featanalysis.py
@@ -215,19 +215,16 @@ def loadContrasts(featdir):
 
     return names, contrasts
 
+def loadFsf(designfsf):
+    """Loads the analysis settings from a text file (.fsf) used to configure FEAT.
 
-def loadSettings(featdir):
-    """Loads the analysis settings from a FEAT directory.
-
-    Returns a dict containing the settings specified in the ``design.fsf``
-    file within the directory
+    Returns a dict containing the settings specified in the file
 
-    :arg featdir: A FEAT directory.
+    :arg designfsf: A .fsf file.
     """
-
+    
     settings  = collections.OrderedDict()
-    designfsf = op.join(featdir, 'design.fsf')
-
+    
     log.debug('Loading FEAT settings from {}'.format(designfsf))
 
     with open(designfsf, 'rt') as f:
@@ -250,6 +247,19 @@ def loadSettings(featdir):
 
     return settings
 
+def loadSettings(featdir):
+    """Loads the analysis settings from a FEAT directory.
+
+    Returns a dict containing the settings specified in the ``design.fsf``
+    file within the directory
+
+    :arg featdir: A FEAT directory.
+    """
+    
+    designfsf = op.join(featdir, 'design.fsf')
+    
+    return loadFsf(designfsf)
+
 
 def loadDesign(featdir, settings):
     """Loads the design matrix from a FEAT directory.
diff --git a/tests/test_featanalysis.py b/tests/test_featanalysis.py
index c58758c7ebfd0b862d20480cc54f8e9d0963ec96..ffb5d8b3c6ed4330d285a04d68cfe2e8da2cbd15 100644
--- a/tests/test_featanalysis.py
+++ b/tests/test_featanalysis.py
@@ -240,9 +240,10 @@ def test_loadSettings():
 
     with tests.testdir() as testdir:
         featdir = op.join(testdir, 'analysis.feat')
-        tests.make_dummy_file(op.join(featdir, 'design.fsf'), contents)
-        result = featanalysis.loadSettings(featdir)
-        assert result == expected
+        designfsf = op.join(featdir, 'design.fsf')
+        tests.make_dummy_file(designfsf, contents)
+        assert featanalysis.loadSettings(featdir) == expected
+        assert featanalysis.loadFsf(designfsf) == expected
 
 
 def test_loadDesign():