diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 18fcbbb250..358a569e57 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -16,6 +16,16 @@ dist:
 
 test: test_unit test_cli
 
+clitest/shunit2:
+	wget "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kward/shunit2/master/source/2.1/src/shunit2" \
+		-q -O clitest/shunit2
+
+test_cli: clitest/shunit2
+	# sudo apt-get install jq
+	@./clitest/basictx.sh
+	@./clitest/counter.sh
+	# @./clitest/ibc.sh
+
 test_unit:
 	go test $(PACKAGES)
 	#go run tests/tendermint/*.go
diff --git a/clitest/common.sh b/tests/cli/common.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from clitest/common.sh
rename to tests/cli/common.sh
diff --git a/tests/cli/counter.sh b/tests/cli/counter.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..ea3069a2bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cli/counter.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# these are two globals to control all scripts (can use eg. counter instead)
+SERVER_EXE=counter
+CLIENT_EXE=basecli  # TODO: move to countercli
+
+oneTimeSetUp() {
+  # these are passed in as args
+  BASE_DIR=$HOME/.basecoin_test_counter
+  CHAIN_ID="counter-chain"
+
+  rm -rf $BASE_DIR 2>/dev/null
+  mkdir -p $BASE_DIR
+
+  # set up client - make sure you use the proper prefix if you set
+  # a custom CLIENT_EXE
+  export BC_HOME=${BASE_DIR}/client
+  prepareClient
+
+  # start basecoin server (with counter)
+  initServer $BASE_DIR $CHAIN_ID 1234
+  echo pid $PID_SERVER
+
+  initClient $CHAIN_ID 1234
+
+  echo "...Testing may begin!"
+  echo
+  echo
+  echo
+}
+
+oneTimeTearDown() {
+  echo
+  echo
+  echo "stopping $SERVER_EXE test server..."
+  kill -9 $PID_SERVER >/dev/null 2>&1
+  sleep 1
+}
+
+# blatently copied to make sure it works with counter as well
+test00GetAccount() {
+  SENDER=$(getAddr $RICH)
+  RECV=$(getAddr $POOR)
+
+  assertFalse "requires arg" "${CLIENT_EXE} query account"
+  ACCT=$(${CLIENT_EXE} query account $SENDER)
+  assertTrue "must have proper genesis account" $?
+  assertEquals "no tx" "0" $(echo $ACCT | jq .data.sequence)
+  assertEquals "has money" "9007199254740992" $(echo $ACCT | jq .data.coins[0].amount)
+
+  ACCT2=$(${CLIENT_EXE} query account $RECV)
+  assertFalse "has no genesis account" $?
+}
+
+# blatently copied to make sure it works with counter as well
+test01SendTx() {
+  SENDER=$(getAddr $RICH)
+  RECV=$(getAddr $POOR)
+
+  assertFalse "missing dest" "${CLIENT_EXE} tx send --amount=992mycoin --sequence=1 2>/dev/null"
+  assertFalse "bad password" "echo foo | ${CLIENT_EXE} tx send --amount=992mycoin --sequence=1 --to=$RECV --name=$RICH 2>/dev/null"
+  # we have to remove the password request from stdout, to just get the json
+  RES=$(echo qwertyuiop | ${CLIENT_EXE} tx send --amount=992mycoin --sequence=1 --to=$RECV --name=$RICH 2>/dev/null | tail -n +2)
+  assertTrue "sent tx" $?
+  HASH=$(echo $RES | jq .hash | tr -d \")
+  TX_HEIGHT=$(echo $RES | jq .height)
+  assertEquals "good check" "0" $(echo $RES | jq .check_tx.code)
+  assertEquals "good deliver" "0" $(echo $RES | jq .deliver_tx.code)
+
+  # make sure sender goes down
+  ACCT=$(${CLIENT_EXE} query account $SENDER)
+  assertTrue "must have genesis account" $?
+  assertEquals "one tx" "1" $(echo $ACCT | jq .data.sequence)
+  assertEquals "has money" "9007199254740000" $(echo $ACCT | jq .data.coins[0].amount)
+
+  # make sure recipient goes up
+  ACCT2=$(${CLIENT_EXE} query account $RECV)
+  assertTrue "must have new account" $?
+  assertEquals "no tx" "0" $(echo $ACCT2 | jq .data.sequence)
+  assertEquals "has money" "992" $(echo $ACCT2 | jq .data.coins[0].amount)
+
+  # make sure tx is indexed
+  TX=$(${CLIENT_EXE} query tx $HASH)
+  assertTrue "found tx" $?
+  assertEquals "proper height" $TX_HEIGHT $(echo $TX | jq .height)
+  assertEquals "type=send" '"send"' $(echo $TX | jq .data.type)
+  assertEquals "proper sender" "\"$SENDER\"" $(echo $TX | jq .data.data.inputs[0].address)
+  assertEquals "proper out amount" "992" $(echo $TX | jq .data.data.outputs[0].coins[0].amount)
+}
+
+test02GetCounter() {
+  COUNT=$(${CLIENT_EXE} query counter)
+  assertFalse "no default count" $?
+}
+
+test02AddCount() {
+  SENDER=$(getAddr $RICH)
+  assertFalse "bad password" "echo hi | ${CLIENT_EXE} tx counter --amount=1000mycoin --sequence=2 --name=${RICH} 2>/dev/null"
+
+  # we have to remove the password request from stdout, to just get the json
+  RES=$(echo qwertyuiop | ${CLIENT_EXE} tx counter --amount=10mycoin --sequence=2 --name=${RICH} --valid --countfee=5mycoin 2>/dev/null | tail -n +2)
+  assertTrue "sent tx" $?
+  HASH=$(echo $RES | jq .hash | tr -d \")
+  TX_HEIGHT=$(echo $RES | jq .height)
+  assertEquals "good check" "0" $(echo $RES | jq .check_tx.code)
+  assertEquals "good deliver" "0" $(echo $RES | jq .deliver_tx.code)
+
+  # check new state
+  COUNT=$(${CLIENT_EXE} query counter)
+  assertTrue "count now set" $?
+  assertEquals "one tx" "1" $(echo $COUNT | jq .data.Counter)
+  assertEquals "has money" "5" $(echo $COUNT | jq .data.TotalFees[0].amount)
+
+  # FIXME: cannot load apptx properly.
+  # Look at the stack trace
+  # This cannot be fixed with the current ugly apptx structure...
+  # Leave for refactoring
+
+  # make sure tx is indexed
+  # echo hash $HASH
+  # TX=$(${CLIENT_EXE} query tx $HASH --trace)
+  # echo tx $TX
+  # if [-z assertTrue "found tx" $?]; then
+  #   assertEquals "proper height" $TX_HEIGHT $(echo $TX | jq .height)
+  #   assertEquals "type=app" '"app"' $(echo $TX | jq .data.type)
+  #   assertEquals "proper sender" "\"$SENDER\"" $(echo $TX | jq .data.data.input.address)
+  # fi
+  # echo $TX
+}
+
+# load and run these tests with shunit2!
+DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" && pwd )" #get this files directory
+
+# load common helpers
+. $DIR/common.sh
+
+. $DIR/shunit2