diff --git a/test/basic_doctest.py b/test/basic_doctest.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5894a01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/basic_doctest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+"""
+>>> from pEp import *
+>>> m = outgoing_message(Identity("vb@dingens.org", "Volker Birk"))
+>>> m.to = [Identity("trischa@dingens.org", "Patricia Bednar")]
+>>> m.shortmsg = "Hello"
+>>> m.longmsg = "Something\\n"
+>>> print(str(m).replace('\\r', ''))
+From: Volker Birk <vb@dingens.org>
+To: Patricia Bednar <trischa@dingens.org>
+Subject: Hello
+MIME-Version: 1.0
+Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
+Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
+Content-Disposition: inline; filename="msg.txt"
+<BLANKLINE>
+Something
+<BLANKLINE>
+>>>
+"""
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    import doctest
+    doctest.testmod()
diff --git a/test/sync_test.py b/test/sync_test.py
index a737cec..6467f84 100644
--- a/test/sync_test.py
+++ b/test/sync_test.py
@@ -19,3 +19,5 @@ class Handler(SyncMixIn):
 
 handler = Handler()
 
+# this is an interactive test, so start it with python -i
+