diff --git a/tests/basic.py b/tests/basic.py
new file mode 100644
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/basic.py
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# The Qubes OS Project, http://www.qubes-os.org
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2014 Marek Marczykowski-Górecki <marmarek@invisiblethingslab.com>
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+# modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
+# as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
+# of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+# Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301, USA.
+#
+import os
+import shutil
+
+import unittest
+from qubes.qubes import QubesVmCollection, QubesException, system_path
+
+VM_PREFIX = "test-"
+
+class BasicTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.qc = QubesVmCollection()
+        self.qc.lock_db_for_reading()
+        self.qc.load()
+        self.qc.unlock_db()
+
+    def remove_vms(self, vms):
+        self.qc.lock_db_for_writing()
+        self.qc.load()
+
+        for vm in vms:
+            if isinstance(vm, str):
+                vm = self.qc.get_vm_by_name(vm)
+            else:
+                vm = self.qc[vm.qid]
+            try:
+                vm.remove_from_disk()
+            except OSError:
+                pass
+            self.qc.pop(vm.qid)
+        self.qc.save()
+        self.qc.unlock_db()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        vmlist = [vm for vm in self.qc.values() if vm.name.startswith(
+            VM_PREFIX)]
+        self.remove_vms(vmlist)
+
+    def test_create(self):
+        self.qc.lock_db_for_writing()
+        self.qc.load()
+
+        vmname = VM_PREFIX + "appvm"
+        vm = self.qc.add_new_vm("QubesAppVm", name=vmname,
+                                template=self.qc.get_default_template())
+        self.qc.save()
+        self.qc.unlock_db()
+        self.assertIsNotNone(vm)
+        self.assertEqual(vm.name, vmname)
+        self.assertEqual(vm.template, self.qc.get_default_template())
+        vm.create_on_disk(verbose=False)
+        try:
+            vm.verify_files()
+        except QubesException:
+            self.fail("verify_files() failed")
+
+class VmPropTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.qc = QubesVmCollection()
+        self.qc.lock_db_for_writing()
+        self.qc.load()
+        self.vmname = VM_PREFIX + "appvm"
+        self.vm = self.qc.add_new_vm("QubesAppVm", name=self.vmname,
+                                     template=self.qc.get_default_template())
+        self.qc.save()
+        self.vm.create_on_disk(verbose=False)
+        # WARNING: lock remains taken
+
+    def remove_vms(self, vms):
+        for vm in vms:
+            if isinstance(vm, str):
+                vm = self.qc.get_vm_by_name(vm)
+            else:
+                vm = self.qc[vm.qid]
+            vm.remove_from_disk()
+            self.qc.pop(vm.qid)
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        # WARNING: lock still taken in setUp()
+        vmlist = [vm for vm in self.qc.values() if vm.name.startswith(
+            VM_PREFIX)]
+        self.remove_vms(vmlist)
+        self.qc.save()
+        self.qc.unlock_db()
+
+    def test_rename(self):
+        self.assertEqual(self.vm.name, self.vmname)
+        newname = VM_PREFIX + "newname"
+        #TODO: change to setting property when implemented
+        self.vm.set_name(newname)
+        self.assertEqual(self.vm.name, newname)
+        self.assertEqual(self.vm.dir_path,
+                         os.path.join(system_path['qubes_appvms_dir'], newname))
+        self.assertEqual(self.vm.conf_file,
+                         os.path.join(self.vm.dir_path, newname + '.conf'))
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(
+            os.path.join(self.vm.dir_path, "apps", newname + "-vm.directory")))
+        # FIXME: set whitelisted-appmenus.list first
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(
+            os.path.join(self.vm.dir_path, "apps", newname + "-firefox.desktop")))
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(
+            os.path.join(os.getenv("HOME"), ".local/share/desktop-directories",
+                         newname + "-vm.directory")))
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(
+            os.path.join(os.getenv("HOME"), ".local/share/applications",
+                         newname + "-firefox.desktop")))
+        self.assertFalse(os.path.exists(
+            os.path.join(os.getenv("HOME"), ".local/share/desktop-directories",
+                         self.vmname + "-vm.directory")))
+        self.assertFalse(os.path.exists(
+            os.path.join(os.getenv("HOME"), ".local/share/applications",
+                         self.vmname + "-firefox.desktop")))