diff --git a/src/tests/test_proofofwork.py b/src/tests/test_proofofwork.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..567c201d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/test_proofofwork.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+"""
+Tests for proofofwork module
+"""
+import unittest
+
+from .common import skip_python3
+
+skip_python3()  # noqa:E402
+
+from pybitmessage import proofofwork
+
+
+class TestProofofwork(unittest.TestCase):
+    """The main test case for proofofwork"""
+
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls):
+        proofofwork.init()
+
+    def test_empty(self):
+        """just reproducing the empty test from proofofwork.init()"""
+        self.assertEqual(
+            proofofwork._doCPoW(2**63, ""), [6485065370652060397, 4])