diff -u b/includes/common.inc b/includes/common.inc
--- b/includes/common.inc
+++ b/includes/common.inc
@@ -70,6 +70,11 @@
 define('CSS_THEME', 100);
 
 /**
+ * The default group for JavaScript settings added to the page.
+ */
+define('JS_SETTING', -200);
+
+/**
  * The default group for JavaScript and jQuery libraries added to the page.
  */
 define('JS_LIBRARY', -100);
diff -u b/modules/simpletest/tests/common.test b/modules/simpletest/tests/common.test
--- b/modules/simpletest/tests/common.test
+++ b/modules/simpletest/tests/common.test
@@ -1233,9 +1233,8 @@
     drupal_add_js(array('drupal' => 'rocks', 'dries' => 280342800), 'setting');
     drupal_add_js('misc/jquery.js');
     $javascript = drupal_add_js();
-    debug($javascript['settings']);
-    $this->assertEqual(280342800, $javascript['settings']['data'][2]['dries'], t('JavaScript setting is set correctly.'));
-    $this->assertEqual('rocks', $javascript['settings']['data'][2]['drupal'], t('The other JavaScript setting is set correctly.'));
+    $this->assertEqual(280342800, $javascript['settings']['data'][3]['dries'], t('JavaScript setting is set correctly.'));
+    $this->assertEqual('rocks', $javascript['settings']['data'][3]['drupal'], t('The other JavaScript setting is set correctly.'));
   }
 
   /**
only in patch2:
unchanged:
--- a/modules/simpletest/tests/ajax.test
+++ b/modules/simpletest/tests/ajax.test
@@ -192,6 +192,9 @@ class AJAXFrameworkTestCase extends AJAXTestCase {
     // string containing the SCRIPT tag, we also ensure that unexpected
     // JavaScript code, such as a jQuery.extend() that would potentially clobber
     // rather than properly merge settings, didn't accidentally get added.
+    debug($original_js);
+    debug($expected['js']);
+    debug($new_js);
     $this->assertEqual($new_js, $original_js + array($expected['js'] => 1), t('Page state now has the %js file.', array('%js' => $expected['js'])));
     $this->assertCommand($commands, array('data' => $expected_js_html), t('Page now has the %js file.', array('%js' => $expected['js'])));
   }