diff --git a/whisper/common_test.go b/whisper/common_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8c12f8aebd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/whisper/common_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+// Contains some common utility functions for testing.
+
+package whisper
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"math/rand"
+
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/p2p"
+
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/p2p/discover"
+)
+
+// randomNodeID generates and returns a random P2P discovery node id for the
+// whisper tests.
+func randomNodeID() (id discover.NodeID) {
+	for i := range id {
+		id[i] = byte(rand.Intn(255))
+	}
+	return id
+}
+
+// randomNodeName generates and returns a random P2P node name for the whisper
+// tests.
+func randomNodeName() string {
+	return common.MakeName(fmt.Sprintf("whisper-go-test-%3d", rand.Intn(999)), "1.0")
+}
+
+// whisperCaps returns the node capabilities for running the whisper sub-protocol.
+func whisperCaps() []p2p.Cap {
+	return []p2p.Cap{
+		p2p.Cap{
+			Name:    protocolName,
+			Version: uint(protocolVersion),
+		},
+	}
+}
diff --git a/whisper/peer_test.go b/whisper/peer_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c9092dd238
--- /dev/null
+++ b/whisper/peer_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,183 @@
+package whisper
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/p2p"
+)
+
+type testPeer struct {
+	client *Whisper
+	stream *p2p.MsgPipeRW
+	termed chan struct{}
+}
+
+func startTestPeer() *testPeer {
+	// Create a simulated P2P remote peer and data streams to it
+	remote := p2p.NewPeer(randomNodeID(), randomNodeName(), whisperCaps())
+	tester, tested := p2p.MsgPipe()
+
+	// Create a whisper client and connect with it to the tester peer
+	client := New()
+	client.Start()
+
+	termed := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		defer client.Stop()
+		defer close(termed)
+		defer tested.Close()
+
+		client.handlePeer(remote, tested)
+	}()
+	// Assemble and return the test peer
+	return &testPeer{
+		client: client,
+		stream: tester,
+		termed: termed,
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPeerStatusMessage(t *testing.T) {
+	tester := startTestPeer()
+
+	// Wait for the handshake status message and check it
+	if err := p2p.ExpectMsg(tester.stream, statusCode, []uint64{protocolVersion}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("status message mismatch: %v", err)
+	}
+	// Terminate the node
+	tester.stream.Close()
+
+	select {
+	case <-tester.termed:
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatalf("local close timed out")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPeerHandshakeFail(t *testing.T) {
+	tester := startTestPeer()
+
+	// Wait for and check the handshake
+	if err := p2p.ExpectMsg(tester.stream, statusCode, []uint64{protocolVersion}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("status message mismatch: %v", err)
+	}
+	// Send an invalid handshake status and verify disconnect
+	if err := p2p.SendItems(tester.stream, messagesCode); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to send malformed status: %v", err)
+	}
+	select {
+	case <-tester.termed:
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatalf("remote close timed out")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPeerHandshakeSuccess(t *testing.T) {
+	tester := startTestPeer()
+
+	// Wait for and check the handshake
+	if err := p2p.ExpectMsg(tester.stream, statusCode, []uint64{protocolVersion}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("status message mismatch: %v", err)
+	}
+	// Send a valid handshake status and make sure connection stays live
+	if err := p2p.SendItems(tester.stream, statusCode, protocolVersion); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to send status: %v", err)
+	}
+	select {
+	case <-tester.termed:
+		t.Fatalf("valid handshake disconnected")
+
+	case <-time.After(100 * time.Millisecond):
+	}
+	// Clean up the test
+	tester.stream.Close()
+
+	select {
+	case <-tester.termed:
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatalf("local close timed out")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPeerSend(t *testing.T) {
+	// Start a tester and execute the handshake
+	tester := startTestPeer()
+	defer tester.stream.Close()
+
+	if err := p2p.ExpectMsg(tester.stream, statusCode, []uint64{protocolVersion}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("status message mismatch: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := p2p.SendItems(tester.stream, statusCode, protocolVersion); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to send status: %v", err)
+	}
+	// Construct a message and inject into the tester
+	message := NewMessage([]byte("peer broadcast test message"))
+	envelope, err := message.Wrap(DefaultPoW, Options{
+		TTL: DefaultTTL,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to wrap message: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := tester.client.Send(envelope); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to send message: %v", err)
+	}
+	// Check that the message is eventually forwarded
+	payload := []interface{}{envelope}
+	if err := p2p.ExpectMsg(tester.stream, messagesCode, payload); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("message mismatch: %v", err)
+	}
+	// Make sure that even with a re-insert, an empty batch is received
+	if err := tester.client.Send(envelope); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to send message: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := p2p.ExpectMsg(tester.stream, messagesCode, []interface{}{}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("message mismatch: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPeerDeliver(t *testing.T) {
+	// Start a tester and execute the handshake
+	tester := startTestPeer()
+	defer tester.stream.Close()
+
+	if err := p2p.ExpectMsg(tester.stream, statusCode, []uint64{protocolVersion}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("status message mismatch: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := p2p.SendItems(tester.stream, statusCode, protocolVersion); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to send status: %v", err)
+	}
+	// Watch for all inbound messages
+	arrived := make(chan struct{}, 1)
+	tester.client.Watch(Filter{
+		Fn: func(message *Message) {
+			arrived <- struct{}{}
+		},
+	})
+	// Construct a message and deliver it to the tester peer
+	message := NewMessage([]byte("peer broadcast test message"))
+	envelope, err := message.Wrap(DefaultPoW, Options{
+		TTL: DefaultTTL,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to wrap message: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := p2p.Send(tester.stream, messagesCode, []*Envelope{envelope}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to transfer message: %v", err)
+	}
+	// Check that the message is delivered upstream
+	select {
+	case <-arrived:
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatalf("message delivery timeout")
+	}
+	// Check that a resend is not delivered
+	if err := p2p.Send(tester.stream, messagesCode, []*Envelope{envelope}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to transfer message: %v", err)
+	}
+	select {
+	case <-time.After(2 * transmissionTicks):
+	case <-arrived:
+		t.Fatalf("repeating message arrived")
+	}
+}