diff --git a/action_unittest.cc b/action_unittest.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..371f84d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/action_unittest.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2009 The Chromium OS Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
+// found in the LICENSE file.
+
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+#include "update_engine/action.h"
+#include "update_engine/action_processor.h"
+
+namespace chromeos_update_engine {
+
+using chromeos_update_engine::ActionPipe;
+
+class ActionTestAction;
+
+template<>
+class ActionTraits<ActionTestAction> {
+ public:
+  typedef string OutputObjectType;
+  typedef string InputObjectType;
+};
+
+// This is a simple Action class for testing.
+struct ActionTestAction : public Action<ActionTestAction> {
+  typedef string InputObjectType;
+  typedef string OutputObjectType;
+  ActionPipe<string>* in_pipe() { return in_pipe_.get(); }
+  ActionPipe<string>* out_pipe() { return out_pipe_.get(); }
+  ActionProcessor* processor() { return processor_; }
+  void PerformAction() {}
+  void CompleteAction() {
+    ASSERT_TRUE(processor());
+    processor()->ActionComplete(this, true);
+  }
+  string Type() const { return "ActionTestAction"; }
+};
+
+class ActionTest : public ::testing::Test { };
+
+// This test creates two simple Actions and sends a message via an ActionPipe
+// from one to the other.
+TEST(ActionTest, SimpleTest) {
+  ActionTestAction action;
+
+  EXPECT_FALSE(action.in_pipe());
+  EXPECT_FALSE(action.out_pipe());
+  EXPECT_FALSE(action.processor());
+  EXPECT_FALSE(action.IsRunning());
+
+  ActionProcessor action_processor;
+  action_processor.EnqueueAction(&action);
+  EXPECT_EQ(&action_processor, action.processor());
+
+  action_processor.StartProcessing();
+  EXPECT_TRUE(action.IsRunning());
+  action.CompleteAction();
+  EXPECT_FALSE(action.IsRunning());
+}
+
+}  // namespace chromeos_update_engine