diff --git a/lib/galaxy/datatypes/phylip.py b/lib/galaxy/datatypes/phylip.py
index ed18d779d7c..5d05461363a 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/datatypes/phylip.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/datatypes/phylip.py
@@ -51,6 +51,14 @@ class Phylip(Text):
         """
         All Phylip files starts with the number of sequences so we can use this
         to count the following number of sequences in the first 'stack'
+
+        >>> from galaxy.datatypes.sniff import get_test_fname
+        >>> fname = get_test_fname('test.phylip')
+        >>> Phylip().sniff(fname)
+        True
+        >>> fname = get_test_fname('sequence.fasta')
+        >>> Phylip().sniff(fname)
+        False
         """
         with open(filename, "r") as f:
             # Get number of sequence from first line
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/datatypes/test/test.phylip b/lib/galaxy/datatypes/test/test.phylip
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b3f413e5ad3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/galaxy/datatypes/test/test.phylip
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+  9   144
+OM-RGC.v1.012162940  ---------- ---------- RVFERFGLAP MDKPFDPITT FDYD-SRQVF IQ-----TDA
+FELIC  KMKIL-I--- -CYGFIIRRL IVNERFGRTS MDKPNDTIES FSME-KEDVF PQLFPKVLDA
+OM-RGC.v1.010553481  MKKIFLL--- -NDGITIREI SIIEVFAKRK LNKPFDTIEP FSE--TQKVR PAVRKNGNSS
+OM-RGC.v1.001504500  YLKLFLLNHP TFSGIQYPF- NDRRTSQTRQ FNSPFDKYAD STFEMTDRFW TFTRKTLEEF
+OM-RGC.v1.012274392  ---------- ----IQYPF- NNRRTSQTRQ FNSPFDKYAD STFEMTDRFW TFTKKTLDEF
+OM-RGC.v1.003588026  ------D-QF SWTLIQNESG DSEQEGFVYD FNSPFDKIYD DFYRLENRLF SRSMRDLDYF
+OM-RGC.v1.002677074  -----YD-QF SWTDIEYEFG DSSQEGFISD FNSPFDKIYD EFYKLDSRLF SRTMRDLNYF
+OM-RGC.v1.012568023  ---------- ---------- ----KGFTSK YNAPFDNIID LSRSLDWFME NWTQWLLEDY
+OM-RGC.v1.002130110  --LLR-N--- ----VND--- --LQNVFLKK SDKPFDTAEF QDSDLSLNLY ---QPELTIH
+
+  SFRAEW---- -NQISGTTK- -DTYPVVSLI AIASFLESSV SDQASFTVLT IVAFNLVADK
+  S-YEEWDKKD YNHLSANKK- -ESFSRAIWF GVVSFV--DF ANQNSFTLMT MVTFNFTSSL
+  VDI--WKFKV E--------- -DR------- ----ILAPGS KN-------S LMT-------
+  MDDSGWKY-- ERDTVDVPGQ YDA---LHFI ILSCVVDPEL EARTTIVCLS LIAYNVIDAE
+  MDDSGWKY-- ERDTVDVPGQ YDA---LHFI ILSCVVDPEL EARTTIVCLS LIAYNVIDAE
+  VKKVGWNA-- EQDPNRATA- -SA---IHFI ILMCVVDPEL ESRTTIVCLS LIAYNVIDSE
+  LKKNGWDA-- KQDPNRSSE- -SA---IHFI ILMCVVDPEL ESRTTIVCLS LIAYNVIDSE
+  AGEIEWDA-- YKDPVYLSQ- -IG---IFFI ILLCFIHPEL ESKTTIICLS LIAYNVIDED
+  KEIYEWD--- HTEIYGQGS- -QT---IFLI IVWSFIRAEL ESKASMGSLT LVAYNVFGDD
+
+  PAFALMFLSV ASSSI-DTRF PLAF
+  TPFIISSL-L TYSV--NFQF PLLI
+  ---------- ---------- ----
+  KEVWVIYVPF FRK-L-EIKG LSSN
+  KEVWVIYVPF FRK-L-EIKG LSS-
+  KEVWVIYVPF FRK-I-EIKG LSSN
+  KE-------- ---------- ----
+  KSIYILFVPF YQM-V-DKRG PILN
+  KNIAILFLSV YFLTINDKRV PGLL