diff --git a/test.sh b/test.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..11ce538
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+NARWHAL_ENGINE=jsc js test/test.js
diff --git a/test/test.js b/test/test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eb66ebc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,191 @@
+// A basic test of the whole interpreter.
+
+require.paths.unshift('.'); // expected to be run from project root!
+
+var elisp = require('elisp'),
+    type = elisp.type,
+    LispSymbol = type.LispSymbol,
+    LispString = type.LispString,
+    LispNumber = type.LispNumber,
+    LispCons = type.LispCons,
+    T = type.T,
+    NIL = type.NIL,
+    ok = true;
+
+var test = function(name, code, expected) {
+    //print(' * ' + name + ' :: ' + code);
+    var result = elisp.repl.eval(code),
+	success = result === expected || result && result.eq(expected);
+    if (!success) {
+	//print(' * ' + name + ' :: ' + code);
+	print('*** FAILED result: ' + (result ? result.repr() : '(null)') +
+	      ' expected: ' + (expected ? expected.repr() : '(null)'));
+	ok = false;
+    }
+    return success;
+};
+
+
+/////////
+// Nil //
+/////////
+
+print('---- Testing Nil ----');
+
+test('Empty quoted list', "'()", elisp.NIL);
+test('Nil symbol', "'nil", elisp.NIL);
+test('Nil constant', "nil", elisp.NIL);
+
+
+/////////////
+// Numbers //
+/////////////
+
+print('---- Testing Numbers ----');
+
+test('Positive Zero', '+0', new LispNumber(0));
+test('Negative Zero', '-0', new LispNumber(0));
+
+test('Simple Integer',   '42',  new LispNumber(42));
+test('Positive Integer', '+42', new LispNumber(42));
+test('Negative Integer', '-42', new LispNumber(-42));
+
+test('Simple Integer w/ Exponent',   '42e2',  new LispNumber(4200));
+test('Positive Integer w/ Exponent', '+42e2', new LispNumber(4200));
+test('Negative Integer w/ Exponent', '-42e2', new LispNumber(-4200));
+
+test('Simple Integer w/ Negative Exponent',   '42e-2',  new LispNumber(0.42));
+test('Positive Integer w/ Negative Exponent', '+42e-2', new LispNumber(0.42));
+test('Negative Integer w/ Negative Exponent', '-42e-2', new LispNumber(-0.42));
+
+test('Simple Float',   '123.456',  new LispNumber(123.456));
+test('Positive Float', '+123.456', new LispNumber(123.456));
+test('Negative Float', '-123.456', new LispNumber(-123.456));
+
+test('Fraction-only Float', '.456', new LispNumber(0.456));
+test('Fraction-only Positive Float', '+.456', new LispNumber(0.456));
+test('Fraction-only Negative Float', '-.456', new LispNumber(-0.456));
+
+test('Simple Float w/ Exponent',   '123.456e2', new LispNumber(12345.6));
+test('Positive Float w/ Exponent', '+123.456e2', new LispNumber(12345.6));
+test('Negative Float w/ Exponent', '-123.456e2', new LispNumber(-12345.6));
+
+test('Simple Float w/ Negative Exponent',   '123.456e-2', new LispNumber(1.23456));
+test('Positive Float w/ Negative Exponent', '+123.456e-2', new LispNumber(1.23456));
+test('Negative Float w/ Negative Exponent', '-123.456e-2', new LispNumber(-1.23456));
+
+
+/////////////
+// Symbols //
+/////////////
+
+print('---- Testing Symbols ----');
+
+test('Simple Symbol', "'i-am-a-symbol", new LispSymbol('i-am-a-symbol'));
+
+
+/////////////
+// Strings //
+/////////////
+
+print('---- Testing Strings ----');
+
+test('Simple String', '"Hello, world!"', new LispString('Hello, world!'));
+test('String w/ Quotes', '"Hello, \\"world\\"!"', new LispString('Hello, "world"!'));
+
+
+/////////////
+// Lambdas //
+/////////////
+
+print('---- Testing Lambdas ----');
+
+// TODO
+
+
+////////////////
+// Primitives //
+////////////////
+
+print('---- Testing Primitives ----');
+
+
+// arithmetic
+
+test('(+)', '(+)', new LispNumber(0));
+test('(+ 5)', '(+ 5)', new LispNumber(5));
+test('(+ 5 10 15)', '(+ 5 10 15)', new LispNumber(30));
+
+test('(-)', '(-)', new LispNumber(0));
+test('(- 5)', '(- 5)', new LispNumber(-5));
+test('(- 15 10 5)', '(- 15 10 5)', new LispNumber(0));
+
+test('(*)', '(*)', new LispNumber(1));
+test('(* 5)', '(* 5)', new LispNumber(5));
+test('(* 5 5)', '(* 5 5)', new LispNumber(25));
+test('(* 5 5 5)', '(* 5 5 5)', new LispNumber(125));
+
+////
+// need not test these every time until the test output isn't 
+// screwed up with division error messages
+////
+// test('(/)', '(/)', null); // error, or will be in any case
+// test('(/ 5)', '(/ 5)', null); // error
+////
+test('(/ 125 5)', '(/ 125 5)', new LispNumber(25));
+test('(/ 125 5 5)', '(/ 125 5 5)', new LispNumber(5));
+
+
+// consp
+
+// atom
+
+// symbol-name
+
+// string-match
+
+// print
+
+// hide-prompt
+
+
+///////////////////
+// Special Forms //
+///////////////////
+
+print('---- Testing Special Forms ----');
+
+
+// quote
+
+var cons = new LispCons(new LispSymbol('foo'), elisp.NIL);
+test('Simple Quoted Expression', "'(foo)", cons);
+
+var diff = elisp.type.mkList([new LispSymbol('-'), new LispNumber(5), new LispNumber(2)]),
+    prod = elisp.type.mkList([new LispSymbol('*'), new LispNumber(17), new LispNumber(5)]);
+cons = elisp.type.mkList([new LispSymbol('+'), diff, prod]);
+test('Nested Quoted Expression', "'(+ (- 5 2) (* 17 5))", cons);
+
+
+// defvar
+
+// defun
+
+// set
+
+// setq
+
+// cond
+
+// if
+
+
+// done, print overall status
+
+print('');
+if (ok) {
+    print('all ok :)');
+}
+else {
+    print('***** TESTS FAILED *****');
+}
\ No newline at end of file