diff --git a/test/test_buffer.py b/test/test_buffer.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..daeb401
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_buffer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+from buffer import Buffer
+from point import Point
+
+def p(x, y):
+    return Point(x, y)
+
+def setup():
+    global b
+    b = Buffer()
+    b.set_lines(['one two three', 'four five'])
+
+def fail(f):
+    def new():
+        try:
+            f()
+        except:
+            return
+        raise Exception("code did not raise an error")
+    # set __name__ to accomodate nose's test detection
+    new.__name__ = f.__name__
+    return new
+
+def test1(): assert b.make_string() == 'one two three\nfour five'
+def test2(): assert b.get_substring(p(0, 0), p(4, 0)) == 'one '
+def test3(): assert b.get_substring(p(0, 0), p(13, 0)) == 'one two three'
+
+@fail
+def test4(): b.get_substring(p(0, 0), p(14, 0))
+
+def test5(): assert b.get_substring(p(0, 0), p(0, 1)) == 'one two three\n'
+def test6(): assert b.get_substring(p(0, 1), p(9, 1)) == 'four five'
+
+@fail
+def test7(): b.get_substring(p(0, 1), p(10, 1))
+
+@fail
+def test8(): b.get_substring(p(0, 2), p(1, 2))