diff --git a/flask_fixtures/__init__.py b/flask_fixtures/__init__.py
index 7ca506f..d8518fb 100644
--- a/flask_fixtures/__init__.py
+++ b/flask_fixtures/__init__.py
@@ -104,14 +104,7 @@ def setup(obj):
 
     # Load all of the fixtures
     for filename in obj.fixtures:
-        for directory in fixtures_dirs:
-            filepath = os.path.join(directory, filename)
-            if os.path.exists(filepath):
-                # TODO load the data into the database
-                load_fixtures(obj.db, loaders.load(filepath))
-                break
-        else:
-            raise IOError("Error loading '{0}'. File could not be found".format(filename))
+        load_fixtures_from_file(obj.db, filename, fixtures_dirs)
 
 
 def teardown(obj):
@@ -121,6 +114,19 @@ def teardown(obj):
     pop_ctx()
 
 
+def load_fixtures_from_file(db, fixture_filename, fixtures_dirs=[]):
+    fixtures_dirs = set(fixtures_dirs)
+    fixtures_dirs.add('.')
+    for directory in fixtures_dirs:
+        filepath = os.path.join(directory, fixture_filename)
+        if os.path.exists(filepath):
+            # TODO load the data into the database
+            load_fixtures(db, loaders.load(filepath))
+            break
+    else:
+        raise IOError("Error loading '{0}'. File could not be found".format(fixture_filename))
+
+
 def load_fixtures(db, fixtures):
     """Loads the given fixtures into the database.
     """
@@ -251,4 +257,3 @@ class FixturesMixin(six.with_metaclass(MetaFixturesMixin, object)):
     fixtures = None
     app = None
     db = None
-
diff --git a/tests/test_load_fixtures_from_file.py b/tests/test_load_fixtures_from_file.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..854ed0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_load_fixtures_from_file.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
+import os
+import unittest
+
+from myapp import app
+from myapp.models import db, Book, Author
+
+from flask_fixtures import load_fixtures_from_file, push_ctx, pop_ctx
+
+# Configure the app with the testing configuration
+app.config.from_object('myapp.config.TestConfig')
+fixtures_dirs = [os.path.join(app.root_path, 'fixtures')]
+
+class TestLoadFixturesFromFile(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        push_ctx(app)
+        # Setup the database
+        db.create_all()
+        # Rollback any lingering transactions
+        db.session.rollback()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        db.session.expunge_all()
+        db.drop_all()
+        pop_ctx()
+
+    def test_load_fixtures_file_json(self):
+        load_fixtures_from_file(db, 'authors.json', fixtures_dirs)
+        assert Author.query.count() == 1
+        assert Book.query.count() == 3
+
+    def test_load_fixtures_file_json_abs(self):
+        load_fixtures_from_file(db, 'myapp/fixtures/authors.json')
+        assert Author.query.count() == 1
+        assert Book.query.count() == 3
+
+    def test_load_fixtures_file_yaml(self):
+        load_fixtures_from_file(db, 'authors.yaml', fixtures_dirs)
+        assert Author.query.count() == 1
+        assert Book.query.count() == 3
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 2d92a85..6db93bb 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -15,3 +15,4 @@ deps =
     discover
     nose
     pytest
+    pyyaml