diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index c22aaeb..a2771c2 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -39,3 +39,6 @@ Makefile*
 
 # documentation
 /doc
+
+# tests
+*.backup
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 5d984ff..ab25aef 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -19,6 +19,13 @@ set(SRC_FILES
     util/openssl.cpp
     util/opensslrandomdevice.cpp
 )
+set(TEST_HEADER_FILES
+
+)
+set(TEST_SRC_FILES
+    tests/cppunit.cpp
+    tests/passwordfiletests.cpp
+)
 
 # meta data
 set(META_PROJECT_NAME passwordfile)
@@ -93,6 +100,18 @@ if(MINGW)
     )
 endif(MINGW)
 
+# add check target
+if(NOT TARGET check)
+    set(CMAKE_CTEST_COMMAND ctest -V)
+    add_custom_target(check COMMAND ${CMAKE_CTEST_COMMAND})
+    enable_testing()
+endif()
+add_executable(${META_PROJECT_NAME}_tests EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ${TEST_HEADER_FILES} ${TEST_SRC_FILES})
+target_link_libraries(${META_PROJECT_NAME}_tests ${META_PROJECT_NAME} cppunit)
+set_target_properties(${META_PROJECT_NAME}_tests PROPERTIES CXX_STANDARD 11)
+add_test(NAME ${META_PROJECT_NAME}_cppunit COMMAND ${META_PROJECT_NAME}_tests -p "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/testfiles")
+add_dependencies(check ${META_PROJECT_NAME}_tests)
+
 # add install target
 install(TARGETS ${META_PROJECT_NAME}
     RUNTIME DESTINATION bin
diff --git a/testfiles/testfile1.pwmgr b/testfiles/testfile1.pwmgr
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2b245ae
Binary files /dev/null and b/testfiles/testfile1.pwmgr differ
diff --git a/testfiles/testfile2.pwmgr b/testfiles/testfile2.pwmgr
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6e3f6fa
Binary files /dev/null and b/testfiles/testfile2.pwmgr differ
diff --git a/tests/cppunit.cpp b/tests/cppunit.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..67aaee6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cppunit.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#include <c++utilities/tests/cppunit.h>
diff --git a/tests/passwordfiletests.cpp b/tests/passwordfiletests.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..064768b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/passwordfiletests.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,155 @@
+#include "../io/passwordfile.h"
+#include "../io/cryptoexception.h"
+#include "../io/entry.h"
+
+#include <c++utilities/tests/testutils.h>
+#include <c++utilities/application/global.h>
+
+#include <cppunit/extensions/HelperMacros.h>
+#include <cppunit/TestFixture.h>
+
+using namespace std;
+using namespace Io;
+
+using namespace CPPUNIT_NS;
+
+class PasswordFileTests : public TestFixture
+{
+    CPPUNIT_TEST_SUITE(PasswordFileTests);
+    CPPUNIT_TEST(testReading);
+#ifdef PLATFORM_UNIX
+    CPPUNIT_TEST(testWriting);
+#endif
+    CPPUNIT_TEST_SUITE_END();
+
+public:
+    void setUp();
+    void tearDown();
+
+    void testReading();
+    void testReading(const string &testfile1path, const string &testfile1password, const string &testfile2, const string &testfile2password, bool testfile2Mod);
+#ifdef PLATFORM_UNIX
+    void testWriting();
+#endif
+};
+
+CPPUNIT_TEST_SUITE_REGISTRATION(PasswordFileTests);
+
+void PasswordFileTests::setUp()
+{}
+
+void PasswordFileTests::tearDown()
+{}
+
+/*!
+ * \brief Tests reading the testfiles testfile{1,2}.pwmgr.
+ */
+void PasswordFileTests::testReading()
+{
+    testReading(TestUtilities::testFilePath("testfile1.pwmgr"), "123456",
+                TestUtilities::testFilePath("testfile2.pwmgr"), string(), false);
+}
+
+void PasswordFileTests::testReading(const string &testfile1path, const string &testfile1password, const string &testfile2, const string &testfile2password, bool testfile2Mod)
+{
+    PasswordFile file;
+
+    // open testfile 1 ...
+    file.setPath(testfile1path);
+    file.open(true);
+
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(file.isEncryptionUsed() == !testfile1password.empty());
+    // attempt to decrypt using a wrong password
+    file.setPassword(testfile1password + "asdf");
+    if(!testfile1password.empty()) {
+        CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(file.load(), CryptoException);
+    }
+    // attempt to decrypt using the correct password
+    file.setPassword(testfile1password);
+    file.load();
+    // test root entry
+    const NodeEntry *rootEntry = file.rootEntry();
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(rootEntry->label() == "testfile1");
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(rootEntry->children().size() == 4);
+
+    // test testaccount1
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(rootEntry->children()[0]->label() == "testaccount1");
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(rootEntry->children()[0]->type() == EntryType::Account);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(static_cast<AccountEntry *>(rootEntry->children()[0])->fields().at(0).name() == "pin");
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(static_cast<AccountEntry *>(rootEntry->children()[0])->fields().at(0).value() == "123456");
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(static_cast<AccountEntry *>(rootEntry->children()[0])->fields().at(0).type() == FieldType::Password);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(static_cast<AccountEntry *>(rootEntry->children()[0])->fields().at(0).tiedAccount() == static_cast<AccountEntry *>(rootEntry->children()[0]));
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(static_cast<AccountEntry *>(rootEntry->children()[0])->fields().at(1).type() == FieldType::Normal);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(static_cast<AccountEntry *>(rootEntry->children()[0])->fields().at(2), out_of_range);
+
+    // test testaccount2
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(rootEntry->children()[1]->label() == "testaccount2");
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(rootEntry->children()[1]->type() == EntryType::Account);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(static_cast<AccountEntry *>(rootEntry->children()[1])->fields().empty());
+
+    // test testcategory1
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(rootEntry->children()[2]->label() == "testcategory1");
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(rootEntry->children()[2]->type() == EntryType::Node);
+    const NodeEntry *category = static_cast<NodeEntry *>(rootEntry->children()[2]);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(category->children().size() == 3);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(category->children()[2]->type() == EntryType::Node);
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(static_cast<NodeEntry *>(category->children()[2])->children().size() == 2);
+
+    // test testaccount3
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(rootEntry->children()[3]->label() == "testaccount3");
+
+    // open testfile 2
+    file.setPath(testfile2);
+    file.open(true);
+
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT(file.isEncryptionUsed() == !testfile2password.empty());
+    file.setPassword(testfile2password);
+    file.load();
+    rootEntry = file.rootEntry();
+    if(testfile2Mod) {
+        CPPUNIT_ASSERT(rootEntry->label() == "testfile2 - modified");
+        CPPUNIT_ASSERT(rootEntry->children().size() == 2);
+        CPPUNIT_ASSERT(rootEntry->children()[1]->label() == "newAccount");
+    } else {
+        CPPUNIT_ASSERT(rootEntry->label() == "testfile2");
+        CPPUNIT_ASSERT(rootEntry->children().size() == 1);
+    }
+}
+
+#ifdef PLATFORM_UNIX
+/*!
+ * \brief Tests writing and reading.
+ */
+void PasswordFileTests::testWriting()
+{
+    string testfile1 = TestUtilities::workingCopyPath("testfile1.pwmgr");
+    string testfile2 = TestUtilities::workingCopyPath("testfile2.pwmgr");
+    PasswordFile file;
+
+    // resave testfile 1
+    file.setPath(testfile1);
+    file.open(false);
+    file.setPassword("123456");
+    file.load();
+    file.doBackup();
+    file.save(false, true);
+
+    // resave testfile 2
+    file.setPath(testfile2);
+    file.open(false);
+    file.load();
+    file.rootEntry()->setLabel("testfile2 - modified");
+    new AccountEntry("newAccount", file.rootEntry());
+    file.setPassword("654321");
+    file.doBackup();
+    file.save(true, false);
+
+    // check results using the reading test
+    testReading(testfile1, string(),
+                testfile2, "654321", true);
+
+    // check backup files
+    testReading(testfile1 + ".backup", "123456",
+                testfile2 + ".backup", string(), false);
+}
+#endif