diff --git a/IPython/tests/test_platutils.py b/IPython/tests/test_platutils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ca2989e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/IPython/tests/test_platutils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# encoding: utf-8
+"""
+Tests for platutils.py
+"""
+
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#  Copyright (C) 2008-2009  The IPython Development Team
+#
+#  Distributed under the terms of the BSD License.  The full license is in
+#  the file COPYING, distributed as part of this software.
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Imports
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+import os
+import sys
+
+import nose.tools as nt
+
+from IPython.platutils import find_cmd, FindCmdError
+from IPython.testing import decorators as dec
+
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Tests
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_find_cmd_python():
+    """Make sure we find sys.exectable for python."""
+    nt.assert_equals(find_cmd('python'), sys.executable)
+
+@dec.skip_win32
+def test_find_cmd():
+    """Make sure we can find the full path to ls."""
+    path = find_cmd('ls')
+    nt.assert_true(path.endswith('ls'))
+
+@dec.skip_if_not_win32
+def test_find_cmd():
+    """Try to find pythonw on Windows."""
+    path = find_cmd('pythonw')
+    nt.assert_true(path.endswith('pythonw.exe'))
+
+def test_find_cmd_fail():
+    """Make sure that FindCmdError is raised if we can't find the cmd."""
+    nt.assert_raises(FindCmdError,find_cmd,'asdfasdf')