diff --git a/test/subload.py b/test/subload.py
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/subload.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+# run this with py.test
+import run_local
+import os, shutil
+import py.test
+from light9 import dmxclient, Patch, Submaster
+from light9.namespaces import L9
+
+def testCreateArgs():
+    py.test.raises(TypeError, Submaster.Submaster)
+    assert Submaster.Submaster("newname", leveldict={})
+    assert Submaster.Submaster(sub=L9['sub/newname'])
+    assert Submaster.Submaster(name="newname", sub=L9["sub/newname"])
+    py.test.raises(ValueError, Submaster.Submaster(name="newname",
+                                                   sub=L9["other/newname"]))
+
+    # old code might try to pass leveldict positionally
+    py.test.raises(Exception, Submaster.Submaster("newname", {}))
+
+def testLevels():
+    levels = {'1' : .5, '2' : 1}
+    s = Submaster.Submaster("newname", leveldict=levels)
+    assert s.get_levels() == levels
+
+    s.set_level('3', .5, save=False)
+    assert s.get_levels()['3'] == .5
+
+    assert s.get_dmx_list()[:3] == [.5, 1, .5]
+    
+    
+    #s = Submaster.Submasters().get_sub_by_name("t1")
+    #assert s.get_dmx_list() == [0]