diff --git a/test_jrnl.py b/test_jrnl.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8280fe6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_jrnl.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# encoding: utf-8
+
+import unittest
+
+class TestClasses(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Test the behavior of the classes.
+
+        tests related to the Journal and the Entry Classes which can
+        be tested withouth command-line interaction
+    """
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        pass
+
+    def test_colon_in_textbody(self):
+        """colons should not cause problems in the text body"""
+        pass
+
+
+class TestCLI(unittest.TestCase):
+    """test the command-line interaction part of the program"""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        pass
+
+    def test_something(self):
+        """first test"""
+        pass
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    unittest.main()