diff --git a/tools/qfcc/test/Makefile.am b/tools/qfcc/test/Makefile.am
index 23e366078..cf982bd69 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/tools/qfcc/test/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
 AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS= foreign
+
+QFCC_LIBS=@QFCC_LIBS@
+QFCC_DEPS=@QFCC_DEPS@
+QFCC_INCS=@QFCC_INCS@
+
 AM_CPPFLAGS= -I$(top_srcdir)/include $(QFCC_INCS)
 
 QFCC_DEP=$(builddir)/../source/qfcc$(EXEEXT)
@@ -18,6 +23,11 @@ QFCC_TEST_LIBS=@QFCC_TEST_LIBS@
 QFCC_TEST_DEPS=@QFCC_TEST_DEPS@
 QFCC_TEST_INCS=@QFCC_TEST_INCS@
 
+test_bins=\
+	test-defspace
+
+fail_bins=
+
 test_progs_dat=\
 	chewed-alias.dat \
 	chewed-return.dat \
@@ -40,10 +50,17 @@ test_progs_dat=\
 
 fail_progs_dat=
 
-TESTS=$(test_progs_dat:.dat=.run)
-XFAIL_TESTS=$(fail_progs_dat:.dat=.run)
+test_defspace_src=\
+	tw-defspace.c tw-diagnostic.c tw-strpool.c
 
-check_PROGRAMS=test-harness $(test_progs_dat)
+TESTS=$(test_bins) $(test_progs_dat:.dat=.run)
+XFAIL_TESTS=$(fail_bins) $(fail_progs_dat:.dat=.run)
+
+check_PROGRAMS=test-harness $(test_progs_dat) $(test_bins)
+
+test_defspace_SOURCES=		test-defspace.c $(test_defspace_src)
+test_defspace_LDADD=		$(QFCC_LIBS)
+test_defspace_DEPENDENCIES=	$(QFCC_DEPS)
 
 test_harness_SOURCES=		test-bi.c test-harness.c
 test_harness_LDADD=			$(QFCC_TEST_LIBS)
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/test/test-defspace.c b/tools/qfcc/test/test-defspace.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bc5f45077
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/qfcc/test/test-defspace.c
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+# include "config.h"
+#endif
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+#include "class.h"
+#include "defspace.h"
+#include "expr.h"
+#include "function.h"
+#include "options.h"
+#include "strpool.h"
+#include "qfcc.h"
+
+options_t   options;
+pr_info_t   pr;
+function_t *current_func;
+class_type_t *current_class;
+
+const char *
+get_class_name (class_type_t *class_type, int prett)
+{
+	return 0;
+}
+
+expr_t *
+new_expr (void)
+{
+	return calloc(1, sizeof (expr_t));
+}
+
+static int
+check_init_state (const defspace_t *space, const char *name)
+{
+	int pass = 1;
+
+	if (space->free_locs) {
+		printf ("%s free_locs not null\n", name);
+		pass = 0;
+	}
+	if (space->defs) {
+		printf ("%s defs not null\n", name);
+		pass = 0;
+	}
+	if (space->def_tail != &space->defs) {
+		printf ("%s def_tail not pointing to defs\n", name);
+		pass = 0;
+	}
+	if (space->data) {
+		printf ("%s data not null\n", name);
+		pass = 0;
+	}
+	if (space->size) {
+		printf ("%s size not 0\n", name);
+		pass = 0;
+	}
+	if (space->max_size) {
+		printf ("%s max_size not 0\n", name);
+		pass = 0;
+	}
+	if (!space->grow) {
+		printf ("%s grow is null\n", name);
+		pass = 0;
+	}
+	if (space->qfo_space) {
+		printf ("%s qfo_space not 0\n", name);
+		pass = 0;
+	}
+	return pass;
+}
+
+static int
+test_init (void)
+{
+	int pass = 1;
+	defspace_t *backed = defspace_new (ds_backed);
+	defspace_t *virtual = defspace_new (ds_virtual);
+
+	if (backed->grow == virtual->grow) {
+		printf ("expected different grow functions for backed and virtual\n");
+		pass = 0;
+	}
+
+	if (backed->type != ds_backed) {
+		printf ("backed ds has wrong type\n");
+		pass = 0;
+	}
+
+	if (virtual->type != ds_virtual) {
+		printf ("virtual ds has wrong type\n");
+		pass = 0;
+	}
+
+	pass &= check_init_state (backed, "backed");
+	pass &= check_init_state (virtual, "virtual");
+
+	return pass;
+}
+
+int
+main (int argc, const char **argv)
+{
+	pr.strings = strpool_new ();
+
+	int pass = 1;
+
+	pass &= test_init ();
+
+	return !pass;
+}
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/test/tw-defspace.c b/tools/qfcc/test/tw-defspace.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c3b950324
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/qfcc/test/tw-defspace.c
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#include "../source/defspace.c"
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/test/tw-diagnostic.c b/tools/qfcc/test/tw-diagnostic.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d84f8ad33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/qfcc/test/tw-diagnostic.c
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#include "../source/diagnostic.c"
diff --git a/tools/qfcc/test/tw-strpool.c b/tools/qfcc/test/tw-strpool.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..74fbb8d75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/qfcc/test/tw-strpool.c
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#include "../source/strpool.c"