diff --git a/t/unit/frontend/connection_test.c b/t/unit/frontend/connection_test.c
--- /dev/null
@@ -0,0 +1,285 @@
+/*
+ * SysDB - t/unit/frontend/connection_test.c
+ * Copyright (C) 2014 Sebastian 'tokkee' Harl <sh@tokkee.org>
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+ * are met:
+ * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ * notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ * 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ * notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
+ * documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+ * ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
+ * TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
+ * PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS OR
+ * CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL,
+ * EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
+ * PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS;
+ * OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY,
+ * WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR
+ * OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF
+ * ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ */
+
+#if HAVE_CONFIG_H
+# include "config.h"
+#endif /* HAVE_CONFIG_H */
+
+#include "frontend/connection.h"
+#include "frontend/connection-private.h"
+#include "libsysdb_test.h"
+
+#include "utils/strbuf.h"
+
+#include <check.h>
+
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+
+#include <pthread.h>
+
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <sys/socket.h>
+#include <sys/un.h>
+
+/*
+ * private helper functions
+ */
+
+static void
+mock_conn_destroy(sdb_conn_t *conn)
+{
+ if (SDB_OBJ(conn)->name)
+ free(SDB_OBJ(conn)->name);
+ sdb_strbuf_destroy(conn->buf);
+ sdb_strbuf_destroy(conn->errbuf);
+ if (conn->fd >= 0)
+ close(conn->fd);
+ free(conn);
+} /* mock_conn_destroy */
+
+static sdb_conn_t *
+mock_conn_create(void)
+{
+ sdb_conn_t *conn;
+
+ char tmp_file[] = "connection_test_socket.XXXXXX";
+
+ conn = calloc(1, sizeof(*conn));
+ if (! conn) {
+ fail("INTERNAL ERROR: failed to allocate connection object");
+ return NULL;
+ }
+
+ SDB_OBJ(conn)->name = strdup("mock_connection");
+ SDB_OBJ(conn)->ref_cnt = 1;
+
+ conn->buf = sdb_strbuf_create(0);
+ conn->errbuf = sdb_strbuf_create(0);
+ if ((! conn->buf) || (! conn->errbuf)) {
+ mock_conn_destroy(conn);
+ fail("INTERNAL ERROR: failed to allocate connection object");
+ return NULL;
+ }
+
+ conn->fd = mkstemp(tmp_file);
+ if (conn->fd < 0) {
+ mock_conn_destroy(conn);
+ fail("INTERNAL ERROR: failed to allocate connection object");
+ return NULL;
+ }
+
+ unlink(tmp_file);
+
+ conn->cmd = CONNECTION_IDLE;
+ conn->cmd_len = 0;
+ return conn;
+} /* mock_conn_create */
+
+static void
+mock_conn_rewind(sdb_conn_t *conn)
+{
+ lseek(conn->fd, 0, SEEK_SET);
+} /* mock_conn_rewind */
+
+static void
+mock_conn_truncate(sdb_conn_t *conn)
+{
+ lseek(conn->fd, 0, SEEK_SET);
+ ftruncate(conn->fd, 0);
+} /* mock_conn_truncate */
+
+static int
+mock_unixsock_listener(char *sock_path)
+{
+ struct sockaddr_un sa;
+ char *filename;
+ int fd, status;
+
+ filename = tmpnam(sock_path);
+ fail_unless(filename != NULL,
+ "INTERNAL ERROR: tmpnam() = NULL; expected: a string");
+
+ fd = socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
+ fail_unless(fd >= 0,
+ "INTERNAL ERROR: socket() = %d; expected: >=0", fd);
+
+ memset(&sa, 0, sizeof(sa));
+ sa.sun_family = AF_UNIX;
+ strncpy(sa.sun_path, filename, sizeof(sa.sun_path));
+
+ status = bind(fd, (struct sockaddr *)&sa, sizeof(sa));
+ fail_unless(status == 0,
+ "INTERNAL ERROR: bind() = %d; expected: 0", status);
+ status = listen(fd, 32);
+ fail_unless(status == 0,
+ "INTERNAL ERROR: listen() = %d; expected: 0", status);
+
+ return fd;
+} /* mock_unixsock */
+
+static void *
+mock_client(void *arg)
+{
+ char *socket_path = arg;
+
+ struct sockaddr_un sa;
+ int fd, check;
+
+ fd = socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, /* protocol = */ 0);
+ fail_unless(fd >= 0,
+ "INTERNAL ERROR: socket() = %d; expected: >= 0", fd);
+
+ memset(&sa, 0, sizeof(sa));
+ sa.sun_family = AF_UNIX;
+ strncpy(sa.sun_path, socket_path, sizeof(sa.sun_path));
+
+ check = connect(fd, (struct sockaddr *)&sa, sizeof(sa));
+ fail_unless(check == 0,
+ "INTERNAL ERROR: connect() = %d; expected: 0", check);
+
+ close(fd);
+ return NULL;
+} /* mock_client */
+
+/*
+ * tests
+ */
+
+START_TEST(test_conn_accept)
+{
+ char socket_path[L_tmpnam];
+ int fd, check;
+
+ sdb_conn_t *conn;
+
+ pthread_t thr;
+
+ conn = sdb_connection_accept(-1);
+ fail_unless(conn == NULL,
+ "sdb_connection_accept(-1) = %p; expected: NULL", conn);
+
+ memset(&socket_path, 0, sizeof(socket_path));
+ fd = mock_unixsock_listener(socket_path);
+ check = pthread_create(&thr, /* attr = */ NULL, mock_client, socket_path);
+ fail_unless(check == 0,
+ "INTERNAL ERROR: pthread_create() = %i; expected: 0", check);
+
+ conn = sdb_connection_accept(fd);
+ fail_unless(conn != NULL,
+ "sdb_connection_accept(%d) = %p; expected: <conn>", fd, conn);
+
+ unlink(socket_path);
+ sdb_connection_close(conn);
+ pthread_join(thr, NULL);
+}
+END_TEST
+
+START_TEST(test_conn_setup)
+{
+ sdb_conn_t *conn = mock_conn_create();
+
+ struct {
+ uint32_t code;
+ const char *msg;
+ const char *err;
+ } golden_data[] = {
+ { UINT32_MAX, NULL, NULL },
+ { CONNECTION_IDLE, "fakedata", NULL },
+ { CONNECTION_PING, NULL, "Authentication required" },
+ { CONNECTION_STARTUP, "fakeuser", NULL },
+ { CONNECTION_PING, NULL, NULL },
+ { CONNECTION_IDLE, NULL, NULL },
+ { CONNECTION_PING, "fakedata", NULL },
+ { CONNECTION_IDLE, NULL, NULL },
+ };
+
+ size_t i;
+
+ for (i = 0; i < SDB_STATIC_ARRAY_LEN(golden_data); ++i) {
+ ssize_t check, expected = 0;
+
+ mock_conn_truncate(conn);
+
+ if (golden_data[i].code != UINT32_MAX) {
+ expected = 2 * sizeof(uint32_t)
+ + (golden_data[i].msg ? strlen(golden_data[i].msg) : 0);
+
+ check = sdb_connection_send(conn, golden_data[i].code,
+ (uint32_t)(golden_data[i].msg
+ ? strlen(golden_data[i].msg) : 0),
+ golden_data[i].msg);
+ fail_unless(check == expected,
+ "sdb_connection_send(%d, %s) = %zi; expected: %zi",
+ golden_data[i].code,
+ golden_data[i].msg ? golden_data[i].msg : "<null>",
+ check, expected);
+ }
+
+ mock_conn_rewind(conn);
+ check = sdb_connection_read(conn);
+ fail_unless(check == expected,
+ "sdb_connection_read() = %zi; expected: %zi",
+ check, expected);
+
+ fail_unless(sdb_strbuf_len(conn->buf) == 0,
+ "sdb_connection_read() left %zu bytes in the buffer; "
+ "expected: 0", sdb_strbuf_len(conn->buf));
+
+ if (golden_data[i].err) {
+ const char *err = sdb_strbuf_string(conn->errbuf);
+ fail_unless(strcmp(err, golden_data[i].err) == 0,
+ "sdb_connection_read(): got error '%s'; "
+ "expected: '%s'", err, golden_data[i].err);
+ }
+ else
+ fail_unless(sdb_strbuf_len(conn->errbuf) == 0,
+ "sdb_connection_read() left %zu bytes in the error "
+ "buffer; expected: 0", sdb_strbuf_len(conn->errbuf));
+ }
+
+ mock_conn_destroy(conn);
+}
+END_TEST
+
+Suite *
+fe_conn_suite(void)
+{
+ Suite *s = suite_create("frontend::connection");
+ TCase *tc;
+
+ tc = tcase_create("core");
+ tcase_add_test(tc, test_conn_accept);
+ tcase_add_test(tc, test_conn_setup);
+ suite_add_tcase(s, tc);
+
+ return s;
+} /* fe_conn_suite */
+
+/* vim: set tw=78 sw=4 ts=4 noexpandtab : */
+