diff --git a/test/unit/queue_worker/__init__.py b/test/unit/queue_worker/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9009d803301
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/queue_worker/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+"""
+Tests for Galaxy Queue Worker
+"""
diff --git a/test/unit/queue_worker/conftest.py b/test/unit/queue_worker/conftest.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0fa9c33bf08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/queue_worker/conftest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+import contextlib
+import os
+import tempfile
+
+import pytest
+
+from galaxy.util import which
+from ..unittest_utils import galaxy_mock
+
+
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def create_base_test(connection):
+    app = galaxy_mock.MockApp(database_connection=connection)
+    app.config.database_connection = connection
+    yield app
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope='session')
+def sqlite_connection():
+    fd, path = tempfile.mkstemp()
+    os.close(fd)
+    yield 'sqlite:////%s' % path
+    os.remove(path)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope='session')
+def sqlite_app(sqlite_connection):
+    with create_base_test(sqlite_connection) as app:
+        yield app
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope='session')
+def postgres_app(postgresql_proc):
+    connection = "postgresql://{p.user}@{p.host}:{p.port}/".format(p=postgresql_proc)
+    with create_base_test(connection) as app:
+        yield app
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(params=['postgres_app', 'sqlite_app'], scope='session')
+def database_app(request):
+    if request.param == 'postgres_app':
+        if not which('initdb'):
+            pytest.skip("initdb must be on PATH for postgresql fixture")
+    yield request.getfixturevalue(request.param)
diff --git a/test/unit/queue_worker/test_queue_worker.py b/test/unit/queue_worker/test_queue_worker.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f108bb015b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/queue_worker/test_queue_worker.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+import os
+import tempfile
+import time
+
+import pytest
+
+from galaxy.queue_worker import (
+    GalaxyQueueWorker,
+    send_control_task,
+)
+from galaxy.queues import connection_from_config
+from ..tools_support import UsesApp
+
+
+def foo(app, **kwargs):
+    app.some_var = 'bar'
+
+
+control_message_to_task = {'echo': foo}
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def sqlite_database_path():
+    fd, path = tempfile.mkstemp()
+    os.close(fd)
+    yield path
+    os.remove(path)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def simple_app(sqlite_database_path):
+    test = UsesApp()
+    test.setup_app()
+    test.app.config.server_name = 'test_queue_worker'
+    test.app.config.server_names = ['test_server_name', 'test_queue_worker']
+    test.app.config.amqp_internal_connection = 'sqlalchemy+sqlite:////%s' % sqlite_database_path
+    test.app.amqp_internal_connection_obj = connection_from_config(test.app.config)
+    test.queue_worker = GalaxyQueueWorker(app=test.app, task_mapping=control_message_to_task)
+    test.queue_worker.bind_and_start()
+    yield test.app
+    test.queue_worker.shutdown()
+
+
+def test_queue_worker_echo(simple_app):
+    simple_app.some_var = 'foo'
+    send_control_task(app=simple_app, task='echo')
+    wait_for_var(simple_app, 'some_var', 'bar')
+
+
+def wait_for_var(obj, var, value, tries=10, sleep=0.25):
+    while getattr(obj, var) != value and tries >= 0:
+        tries -= 1
+        time.sleep(sleep)
+    assert getattr(obj, var) == value