diff --git a/httprunner/api.py b/httprunner/api.py
index 54065a37..0d3393a5 100644
--- a/httprunner/api.py
+++ b/httprunner/api.py
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ class HttpRunner(object):
         self.project_mapping = loader.project_mapping
         utils.set_os_environ(self.project_mapping["env"])
 
-    def __load_testcases(self, path_or_testcases):
+    def load_tests(self, path_or_testcases):
         """ load testcases, extend and merge with api/testcase definitions.
 
         Args:
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ class HttpRunner(object):
 
         return testcases
 
-    def __parse_testcases(self, testcases, variables_mapping=None):
+    def parse_tests(self, testcases, variables_mapping=None):
         """ parse testcases configs, including variables/parameters/name/request.
 
         Args:
@@ -250,8 +250,8 @@ class HttpRunner(object):
 
         """
         # parser
-        testcases_list = self.__load_testcases(path_or_testcases)
-        parsed_testcases_list = self.__parse_testcases(testcases_list)
+        testcases_list = self.load_tests(path_or_testcases)
+        parsed_testcases_list = self.parse_tests(testcases_list)
 
         # initialize
         unittest_runner, test_suite = self.__initialize(parsed_testcases_list)
diff --git a/httprunner/context.py b/httprunner/context.py
index b41733a6..35c42ceb 100644
--- a/httprunner/context.py
+++ b/httprunner/context.py
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ class Context(object):
 
         """
         if level == "testcase":
-            # testcase config request dict has been parsed in __parse_testcases
+            # testcase config request dict has been parsed in parse_tests
             self.TESTCASE_SHARED_REQUEST_MAPPING = request_dict
             return request_dict
 
diff --git a/tests/test_api.py b/tests/test_api.py
index 540d8c44..bdc3c7fa 100644
--- a/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_api.py
@@ -343,6 +343,22 @@ class TestHttpRunner(ApiServerUnittest):
         self.assertIn("get_token", hrunner.project_mapping["def-api"])
         self.assertIn("setup_and_reset", hrunner.project_mapping["def-testcase"])
 
+    def test_load_tests(self):
+        testcase_file_path = os.path.join(
+            os.getcwd(), 'tests/data/demo_testcase.yml')
+        runner = HttpRunner()
+        testcases = runner.load_tests(testcase_file_path)
+        self.assertIsInstance(testcases, list)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            testcases[0]["config"]["request"],
+            '$demo_default_request'
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(testcases[0]["config"]["name"], '123$var_a')
+        self.assertIn(
+            "sum_two",
+            runner.project_mapping["debugtalk"]["functions"]
+        )
+
 
 class TestLocustRunner(ApiServerUnittest):