diff --git a/py/test/testing/test_compat.py b/py/test/testing/test_compat.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fea117940
--- /dev/null
+++ b/py/test/testing/test_compat.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+from __future__ import generators
+import py
+from py.__.test.compat import TestCase
+from py.__.test.outcome import Failed
+
+class TestCompatTestCaseSetupSemantics(TestCase):
+    globlist = []
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.__dict__.setdefault('l', []).append(42)
+        self.globlist.append(self)
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        self.l.pop()
+
+    def test_issetup(self):
+        l = self.l
+        assert len(l) == 1
+        assert l[-1] == 42
+        #self.checkmultipleinstances()
+
+    def test_issetup2(self):
+        l = self.l
+        assert len(l) == 1
+        assert l[-1] == 42
+        #self.checkmultipleinstances()
+
+    #def checkmultipleinstances(self):
+    #    for x,y in zip(self.globlist, self.globlist[1:]):
+    #        assert x is not y
+
+class TestCompatAssertions(TestCase):
+    nameparamdef = {
+        'failUnlessEqual,assertEqual,assertEquals': ('1, 1', '1, 0'),
+        'assertNotEquals,failIfEqual': ('0, 1', '0,0'),
+        'failUnless,assert_': ('1', 'None'),
+        'failIf': ('0', '1'),
+        }
+
+    sourcelist = []
+    for names, (paramok, paramfail) in nameparamdef.items():
+        for name in names.split(','):
+            source = """
+            def test_%(name)s(self):
+                self.%(name)s(%(paramok)s)
+                #self.%(name)s(%(paramfail)s)
+
+            def test_%(name)s_failing(self):
+                self.assertRaises(Failed,
+                            self.%(name)s, %(paramfail)s)
+            """ % locals()
+            co = py.code.Source(source).compile()
+            exec co