diff --git a/pkg/beam/unix_test.go b/pkg/beam/unix_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bdd03b1a07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/beam/unix_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+package beam
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestSocketPair(t *testing.T) {
+	a, b, err := SocketPair()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	go func() {
+		a.Write([]byte("hello world!"))
+		fmt.Printf("done writing. closing\n")
+		a.Close()
+		fmt.Printf("done closing\n")
+	}()
+	data, err := ioutil.ReadAll(b)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	fmt.Printf("--> %s\n", data)
+	fmt.Printf("still open: %v\n", a.Fd())
+}
+
+func TestSendUnixSocket(t *testing.T) {
+	a1, a2, err := USocketPair()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	// defer a1.Close()
+	// defer a2.Close()
+	b1, b2, err := USocketPair()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	// defer b1.Close()
+	// defer b2.Close()
+	glueA, glueB, err := SocketPair()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	// defer glueA.Close()
+	// defer glueB.Close()
+	go func() {
+		err := Send(b2, []byte("a"), glueB)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}()
+	go func() {
+		err := Send(a2, []byte("b"), glueA)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}()
+	connAhdr, connA, err := Receive(a1)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if string(connAhdr) != "b" {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected: %s", connAhdr)
+	}
+	connBhdr, connB, err := Receive(b1)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if string(connBhdr) != "a" {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected: %s", connBhdr)
+	}
+	fmt.Printf("received both ends: %v <-> %v\n", connA.Fd(), connB.Fd())
+	go func() {
+		fmt.Printf("sending message on %v\n", connA.Fd())
+		connA.Write([]byte("hello world"))
+		connA.Sync()
+		fmt.Printf("closing %v\n", connA.Fd())
+		connA.Close()
+	}()
+	data, err := ioutil.ReadAll(connB)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	fmt.Printf("---> %s\n", data)
+}