diff --git a/karate-core/src/main/java/com/intuit/karate/core/ScenarioEngine.java b/karate-core/src/main/java/com/intuit/karate/core/ScenarioEngine.java
index 6fc31b2a1..cedcb576f 100644
--- a/karate-core/src/main/java/com/intuit/karate/core/ScenarioEngine.java
+++ b/karate-core/src/main/java/com/intuit/karate/core/ScenarioEngine.java
@@ -116,6 +116,14 @@ public class ScenarioEngine {
 
     protected JsEngine JS;
 
+    /**
+     * Return current JsEngine
+     * @return Js engine
+     */
+    public JsEngine getJS() {
+        return JS;
+    }
+
     public ScenarioEngine(Config config, ScenarioRuntime runtime, Map<String, Variable> vars, Logger logger) {
         this.config = config;
         this.runtime = runtime;
diff --git a/karate-core/src/main/java/com/intuit/karate/graal/JsFunction.java b/karate-core/src/main/java/com/intuit/karate/graal/JsFunction.java
index c50f837ff..fead4cd69 100644
--- a/karate-core/src/main/java/com/intuit/karate/graal/JsFunction.java
+++ b/karate-core/src/main/java/com/intuit/karate/graal/JsFunction.java
@@ -138,7 +138,13 @@ public Object newInstance(Value... args) {
             for (int i = 0; i < newArgs.length; i++) {
                 newArgs[i] = JsValue.fromJava(args[i]);
             }
-            return new JsValue(value.execute(newArgs)).value;
+            JsEngine je = ScenarioEngine.get().getJS(); // get JsEngine
+            Value wrappedWithParentheses = je.evalForValue(
+                    "("
+                    + value.getSourceLocation().getCharacters()
+                    + ")"); // Evaluate '(function)' to get function value
+            // execute the function with arguments
+            return new JsValue(wrappedWithParentheses.execute(newArgs)).value;
         }
 
     }
diff --git a/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/ExamplesTest.java b/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/ExamplesTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4b9f1d36c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/ExamplesTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+package responseStatus;
+
+import com.intuit.karate.Results;
+import com.intuit.karate.Runner;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.*;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+
+public class ExamplesTest {
+    @Test
+    void testParallel() {
+        Results results = Runner.path("classpath:responseStatus")
+                .outputCucumberJson(true)
+                .outputHtmlReport(true)
+                .configDir("src/test/java/responseStatus")
+                .parallel(1);
+        assertEquals(0, results.getFailCount(), results.getErrorMessages());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/all.feature b/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/all.feature
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ae2ffffba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/all.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+Feature: responseStatus variable tests
+  Scenario: config js test
+    Given url 'https://www.baidu.com'
+    When method GET
+    Then status 200
+
+    * print 'responseStatus: ' + responseStatus
+    * assert isResponseStatus200_config()
+
+  Scenario: call test
+    Given url 'https://www.baidu.com'
+    When method GET
+    Then status 200
+
+    * print 'responseStatus: ' + responseStatus
+    * assert isResponseStatus200_call()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/call-once.feature b/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/call-once.feature
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f45b8401c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/call-once.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#@ignore
+Feature:: common setup
+
+  Scenario: common setup
+
+    * def isResponseStatus200_callOnce =
+    """
+    function() {
+      if( responseStatus != 200){
+        karate.log("Retry since expectedStatus 200 != actual responseStatus: " + responseStatus);
+        return false;
+      }
+      return true;
+    }
+    """
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/call-single.feature b/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/call-single.feature
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..671abd613
--- /dev/null
+++ b/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/call-single.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+
+#@ignore
+Feature:: common setup
+
+  Scenario: common setup
+
+    * def isResponseStatus200_callSingle =
+    """
+    function() {
+      if( responseStatus != 200){
+        karate.log("Retry since expectedStatus 200 != actual responseStatus: " + responseStatus);
+        return false;
+      }
+      return true;
+    }
+    """
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/call.feature b/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/call.feature
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5cf81d1a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/call.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#@ignore
+Feature:: common setup
+
+  Scenario: common setup
+
+    * def isResponseStatus200_call =
+    """
+    function() {
+      if( responseStatus != 200){
+        karate.log("Retry since expectedStatus 200 != actual responseStatus: " + responseStatus);
+        return false;
+      }
+      return true;
+    }
+    """
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/karate-config.js b/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/karate-config.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..76697e3f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/karate-config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+function fn() {
+    var env = karate.env; // get system property 'karate.env'
+    karate.log('karate.env system property was:', env);
+    if (!env) {
+        env = 'dev';
+    }
+    var config = {
+        env: env,
+        myVarName: 'someValue'
+    }
+    if (env == 'dev') {
+        // customize
+        // e.g. config.foo = 'bar';
+    } else if (env == 'e2e') {
+        // customize
+    }
+
+    console.log("HELLO WORLD");
+
+    config = karate.callSingle('classpath:responseStatus/call-single.feature', config);
+    config = karate.call('classpath:responseStatus/call.feature', config);
+
+    config.isResponseStatus200_config = function () {
+        console.log(Object.keys(this));
+        if (responseStatus != 200) {
+            karate.log("Retry since expectedStatus 200 != actual responseStatus: " + responseStatus);
+            return false;
+        }
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    return config;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/local.feature b/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/local.feature
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..083945205
--- /dev/null
+++ b/karate-e2e-tests/src/test/java/responseStatus/local.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#This example is in its own file since it prevents all tests from reading responseStatus
+Feature: responseStatus callOnce test
+
+  Background:
+
+    * def isResponseStatus200 =
+    """
+    function() {
+      if( responseStatus != 200){
+        karate.log("Retry since expectedStatus 200 != actual responseStatus: " + responseStatus);
+        return false;
+      }
+      return true;
+    }
+    """
+
+    # if comment out callOnce the local js test will pass
+
+    * callonce read('classpath:responseStatus/call-once.feature')
+
+
+
+
+  #########################
+  #####    failing    #####
+  #########################
+
+  Scenario: callOnce test
+
+
+    Given url 'https://www.google.com'
+    When method GET
+    Then status 200
+
+    * print 'responseStatus: ' + responseStatus
+    * assert isResponseStatus200_callOnce()
+
+
+  #fails from callOnce
+  Scenario: local js test
+
+
+    Given url 'https://www.google.com'
+    When method GET
+    Then status 200
+
+    * print 'responseStatus: ' + responseStatus
+    * assert isResponseStatus200()
\ No newline at end of file