diff --git a/tests/pylorax/test_timestamp.py b/tests/pylorax/test_timestamp.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..43d9e4e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/pylorax/test_timestamp.py
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2018  Red Hat, Inc.
+#
+# 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, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+#
+import shutil
+import tempfile
+import unittest
+
+from pylorax.api.timestamp import write_timestamp, timestamp_dict
+from pylorax.api.timestamp import TS_CREATED, TS_STARTED, TS_FINISHED
+
+class TimestampTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(self):
+        self.test_dir = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="lorax.timestamp.")
+
+    @classmethod
+    def tearDownClass(self):
+        shutil.rmtree(self.test_dir)
+
+    def timestamp_test(self):
+        """Test writing and reading compose timestamps"""
+        write_timestamp(self.test_dir, TS_CREATED)
+        ts = timestamp_dict(self.test_dir)
+        self.assertTrue(TS_CREATED in ts)
+        self.assertTrue(TS_STARTED not in ts)
+        self.assertTrue(TS_FINISHED not in ts)
+
+        write_timestamp(self.test_dir, TS_STARTED)
+        ts = timestamp_dict(self.test_dir)
+        self.assertTrue(TS_CREATED in ts)
+        self.assertTrue(TS_STARTED in ts)
+        self.assertTrue(TS_FINISHED not in ts)
+
+        write_timestamp(self.test_dir, TS_FINISHED)
+        ts = timestamp_dict(self.test_dir)
+        self.assertTrue(TS_CREATED in ts)
+        self.assertTrue(TS_STARTED in ts)
+        self.assertTrue(TS_FINISHED in ts)