diff --git a/test/basetest/__init__.py b/test/basetest/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b6cd4e0c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/basetest/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+
+import os
+import tempfile
+import shutil
+import unittest
+from subprocess import Popen, PIPE, STDOUT
+
+
+class BaseTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls):
+        """Executed once before any test in the class"""
+        cls._original_pwd = os.getcwd()
+        cls._new_pwd = tempfile.mkdtemp()
+
+        # Chdir into the temporary folder
+        os.chdir(cls._new_pwd)
+
+        # Change environment Prepare Env
+        cls.prepareEnv()
+
+        # Make task available locally
+        cls.prepareExecutable()
+
+        # Prepare the environment
+        cls.prepare()
+
+    @classmethod
+    def prepareEnv(cls):
+        """Ensure that any ENV variable used by task and setup in the
+        environment doesn't affect the test
+        """
+        try:
+            del os.environ["TASKDATA"]
+        except KeyError:
+            pass
+
+        try:
+            del os.environ["TASKRC"]
+        except KeyError:
+            pass
+
+    @classmethod
+    def prepareExecutable(cls):
+        """Link the binary to be tested in the temporary folder"""
+        src = os.path.join(cls._original_pwd, "..", "src", "task")
+        os.symlink(src, "task")
+
+    @classmethod
+    def prepare(cls):
+        """Additional setup, executed only once before any test
+
+        The current (temporary) work dir is available as cls._new_pwd
+        and the original work dir as cls._original_pwd
+        """
+        pass
+
+    @classmethod
+    def tearDownClass(cls):
+        """Executed once after all tests in the class"""
+        # Finishing steps before removal of temp dir
+        cls.finish()
+
+        # Finally remove whatever's left of the temporary folder
+        os.chdir(cls._original_pwd)
+        shutil.rmtree(cls._new_pwd)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def finish(cls):
+        """Finishing steps, executed once after all tests are executed and
+        before removal of the temporary directory
+
+        The current (temporary) work dir is available as cls._new_pwd
+        and the original work dir as cls._original_pwd
+
+        Any files not removed here or via self.addCleanup() will be deleted
+        once this function completes, as part of the removal of the temporary
+        directory. Still it is good practice to explicitly clean your leftovers
+
+        NOTE: If setUpClass or any of prepare* methods fails, finish() will
+        not get called.
+        """
+        pass
+
+    def callTask(self, args, input=None, merge_streams=True):
+        """Invoke src/task with the given arguments
+
+        Use callTaskSuccess or callTaskError if you want exit_code to be tested
+        automatically and fail if result is unexpected.
+
+        If you wish to pass instructions to task you can do so by providing a
+        string via input. Such as input="add Hello task\n1 delete".
+
+        If merge_streams=True stdout and stderr will be merged into stdout.
+
+        Returns (exit_code, stdout, stderr)
+        """
+        if merge_streams:
+            stderr = STDOUT
+        else:
+            stderr = PIPE
+
+        if input is not None:
+            stdin = PIPE
+        else:
+            stdin = None
+
+        command = ["./task"]
+        command.extend(args)
+
+        p = Popen(command, stdin=stdin, stdout=PIPE, stderr=STDOUT)
+        out, err = p.communicate(input)
+        # In python3 we will be able use the following instead of the previous
+        # line to avoid locking if task is unexpectedly waiting for input
+        #try:
+        #    out, err = p.communicate(input, timeout=15)
+        #except TimeoutExpired:
+        #    p.kill()
+        #    out, err = proc.communicate()
+
+
+        return p.returncode, out, err
+
+    def callTaskSuccess(self, args, input=None, merge_streams=True):
+        """Invoke src/task with the given arguments and expect a zero exit
+        code.
+        Causes test to fail if exit_code != 0
+
+        If you wish to pass instructions to task you can do so by providing a
+        string via input. Such as input="add Hello task\n1 delete".
+
+        If merge_streams=True stdout and stderr will be merged into stdout.
+
+        Returns (exit_code, stdout, stderr)
+        """
+        out = self.callTask(args, input, merge_streams)
+
+        self.assertEqual(out[0], 0, "Task finished with non-zero ({0}) exit "
+            "code".format(out[0]))
+        return out
+
+    def callTaskError(self, args, input=None, merge_streams=True):
+        """Invoke src/task with the given arguments and expect a non-zero exit
+        code.
+        Causes test to fail if exit_code == 0
+
+        If you wish to pass instructions to task you can do so by providing a
+        string via input. Such as input="add Hello task\n1 delete".
+
+        If merge_streams=True stdout and stderr will be merged into stdout.
+
+        Returns (exit_code, stdout, stderr)
+        """
+        out = self.callTask(args, input, merge_streams)
+
+        self.assertNotEqual(out[0], 0, "Task finished with zero exit (0) code")
+        return out
+
+
+# vim: ai sts=4 et sw=4