diff --git a/src/tests/Makefile.am b/src/tests/Makefile.am
--- a/src/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
-TESTS=check_execio
-check_PROGRAMS=check_execio
+TESTS=check_execio check_asprintf
+check_PROGRAMS=check_execio check_asprintf
 check_execio_SOURCES = check_execio.c
 check_execio_CFLAGS = @CHECK_CFLAGS@ -I$(top_builddir)/src/common
 check_execio_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/src/common/libdistrencommon.la @CHECK_LIBS@
+
+check_asprintf_SOURCES=check_asprintf.c
+check_asprintf_CFLAGS=$(check_execio_CFLAGS)
+check_asprintf_LDADD=$(check_execio_LDADD)
diff --git a/src/tests/check_asprintf.c b/src/tests/check_asprintf.c
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/check_asprintf.c
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+/*
+  Copyright 2008 Nathan Phillip Brink
+
+  This file is a part of DistRen.
+
+  DistRen is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+  it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+  the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+  (at your option) any later version.
+
+  DistRen 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 Affero General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+  along with DistRen.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*/
+
+#include "asprintf.h"
+
+#include <check.h>
+#include <string.h>
+
+START_TEST (asprintf)
+{
+  /* tere _must_ be a better way to test this... */
+  char *teststring = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz";
+  char *result;
+  
+  _distren_asprintf(&result, "I am te%sting\n", teststring);
+  
+  fail_unless(strcmp(result, "I am teabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzting\n") == 0,
+	      "simple asprintf check failed");
+}
+END_TEST
+
+int main(int argc, char *argv[])
+{
+  return 0;
+  /* see http://check.sourceforge.net/doc/check.html/check_6.html#SEC6 */
+}
+