diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 15e9bfc9..69d6343e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -20,3 +20,6 @@ public/include/config/global.inc.sha.php
 .buildpath
 .project
 .settings
+
+# Unit testing
+tests/phpunit/*
diff --git a/tests/README.md b/tests/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2f859a90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+How to run these tests
+======================
+
+ * Download and install phpunit (http://phpunit.de/manual/3.7/en/installation.html)
+ * `phpunit tests/unit`
+ 
+ 
+How to add tests
+================
+
+ * Add unit tests to the matching folder/file.php or create a new one
+ * Add any new suites to the phpunit.xml file
+ * Below is the suite entry for the sample test in unit/config/SampleTest.php
+ 
+`<testsuite name="SampleTest">
+  <directory>unit/config</directory>
+</testsuite>`
diff --git a/tests/phpunit.xml b/tests/phpunit.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6cafbdac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/phpunit.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+<testsuites>
+  <testsuite name="SampleTest">
+    <directory>unit/config</directory>
+  </testsuite>
+</testsuites>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/unit/config/SampleTest.php b/tests/unit/config/SampleTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8e45f3e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/config/SampleTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+<?php 
+
+// these are ONLY here because we're checking config options
+// these should NOT be in a normal unit test
+define('SECURITY', 'so we can check config options');
+define("BASEPATH", "./");
+
+require_once(BASEPATH.'public/include/config/global.inc.dist.php');
+require_once("PHPUnit/Autoload.php");
+
+class TestDistConfig extends PHPUnit_Framework_Testcase {
+  /**
+   * Test to make sure SALT is sane
+   */
+  function testSalt() {
+    $this->assertNotEmpty(SALT);
+    $this->assertGreaterThan(1, strlen(SALT));
+  }
+}
+
+?>
\ No newline at end of file