diff --git a/tests/test_jhelpers.py b/tests/test_jhelpers.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1eb4ce5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_jhelpers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+"""
+author: deadc0de6 (https://github.com/deadc0de6)
+Copyright (c) 2019, deadc0de6
+basic unittest for jhelpers
+"""
+
+import os
+import unittest
+
+from dotdrop.cfg_aggregator import CfgAggregator as Cfg
+from tests.helpers import (clean,
+                           create_random_file, get_string, get_tempdir,
+                           load_options)
+from dotdrop.dotfile import Dotfile
+from dotdrop.dotdrop import cmd_install
+
+
+class TestJhelpers(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    CONFIG_NAME = 'config.yaml'
+
+    TEMPLATE = '''
+{%@@ if exists('/dev/null') @@%}
+it does not exist
+{%@@ endif @@%}
+
+{%@@ if exists('/tmp') @@%}
+it does exist
+{%@@ endif @@%}
+
+{%@@ if exists_in_path('ls') @@%}
+ls exists
+{%@@ endif @@%}
+
+{%@@ if not exists_in_path('itdoesnotexist') @@%}
+itdoesnotexist does not exist
+{%@@ endif @@%}
+
+{%@@ set the_basename = basename('/tmp/a/b/c') @@%}
+basename: {{@@ the_basename @@}}
+
+{%@@ set the_dirname = dirname('/tmp/a/b/c') @@%}
+dirname: {{@@ the_dirname @@}}
+'''
+    RESULT = '''
+it does not exist
+
+it does exist
+
+ls exists
+
+itdoesnotexist does not exist
+
+basename: c
+
+dirname: /tmp/a/b
+'''
+
+    def fake_config(self, path, dotfile, profile, dotpath):
+        """Create a fake config file"""
+        with open(path, 'w') as f:
+            f.write('config:\n')
+            f.write('  backup: true\n')
+            f.write('  create: true\n')
+            f.write('  dotpath: {}\n'.format(dotpath))
+            f.write('dotfiles:\n')
+            f.write('  {}:\n'.format(dotfile.key))
+            f.write('    dst: {}\n'.format(dotfile.dst))
+            f.write('    src: {}\n'.format(dotfile.src))
+            f.write('profiles:\n')
+            f.write('  {}:\n'.format(profile))
+            f.write('    dotfiles:\n')
+            f.write('    - {}\n'.format(dotfile.key))
+        return path
+
+    def test_jhelpers(self):
+        """Test the install function"""
+
+        # dotpath location
+        tmp = get_tempdir()
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(tmp))
+        self.addCleanup(clean, tmp)
+
+        # where dotfiles will be installed
+        dst = get_tempdir()
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(dst))
+        self.addCleanup(clean, dst)
+
+        # create the dotfile in dotdrop
+        f1, c1 = create_random_file(tmp)
+        with open(f1, 'w') as f:
+            f.write(self.TEMPLATE)
+        dst1 = os.path.join(dst, get_string(6))
+        d1 = Dotfile(get_string(5), dst1, os.path.basename(f1))
+
+        # generate the config and stuff
+        profile = get_string(5)
+        confpath = os.path.join(tmp, self.CONFIG_NAME)
+        self.fake_config(confpath, d1, profile, tmp)
+        conf = Cfg(confpath, profile, debug=True)
+        self.assertTrue(conf is not None)
+
+        # install them
+        o = load_options(confpath, profile)
+        o.safe = False
+        o.install_showdiff = True
+        o.variables = {}
+        o.debug = True
+        cmd_install(o)
+
+        # now compare the generated files
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(dst1))
+        f1content = open(dst1, 'r').read()
+        self.assertTrue(f1content == self.RESULT)
+
+
+def main():
+    unittest.main()
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()