diff --git a/cmd/root_test.go b/cmd/root_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3dec5908b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/root_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+package cmd_test
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/pilosa/pilosa/cmd"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+func tExec(t *testing.T, cmd *cobra.Command, out io.Reader, w io.WriteCloser) (output []byte) {
+	done := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		var err error
+		output, err = ioutil.ReadAll(out)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		close(done)
+	}()
+	fmt.Println("executing")
+	err := cmd.Execute()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := w.Close(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("closing cmd's stdout: %v", err)
+	}
+	select {
+	case <-done:
+	case <-time.After(time.Second * 1):
+		t.Fatal("Test failed due to command execution timeout")
+	}
+	return output
+}
+
+func ExecNewRootCommand(t *testing.T, args ...string) string {
+	out, w := io.Pipe()
+	rc := cmd.NewRootCommand(os.Stdin, w, w)
+	rc.SetArgs(args)
+	output := tExec(t, rc, out, w)
+	return string(output)
+}
+
+func TestRootCommand(t *testing.T) {
+	outStr := ExecNewRootCommand(t, "--help")
+	if !strings.Contains(outStr, "Usage:") ||
+		!strings.Contains(outStr, "Available Commands:") ||
+		!strings.Contains(outStr, "--help") {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected standard usage message from RootCommand, but got: %s", outStr)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/server_test.go b/cmd/server_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c2a9edea0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/server_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+package cmd_test
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestServerHelp(t *testing.T) {
+	output := ExecNewRootCommand(t, "server", "--help")
+	if !strings.Contains(output, "Usage:") ||
+		!strings.Contains(output, "Flags:") {
+		t.Fatalf("Command 'server --help' not working, got: %s", output)
+	}
+}