diff --git a/evennia/commands/default/tests.py b/evennia/commands/default/tests.py
index 20eb3bacae..ffb63ef723 100644
--- a/evennia/commands/default/tests.py
+++ b/evennia/commands/default/tests.py
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ from evennia.commands.default import help, general, system, admin, account, buil
 from evennia.commands.command import Command, InterruptCommand
 from evennia.utils import ansi, utils
 from evennia.server.sessionhandler import SESSIONS
+from evennia import search_object
+from evennia import DefaultObject, DefaultCharacter
 
 
 # set up signal here since we are not starting the server
@@ -296,6 +298,73 @@ class TestBuilding(CommandTest):
     def test_teleport(self):
         self.call(building.CmdTeleport(), "Room2", "Room2(#2)\n|Teleported to Room2.")
 
+    def test_spawn(self):
+        def getObject(commandTest, objKeyStr):
+            # A helper function to get a spawned object and
+            # check that it exists in the process.
+            query = search_object(objKeyStr)
+            commandTest.assertIsNotNone(query)
+            obj = query[0]
+            commandTest.assertIsNotNone(obj)
+            return obj
+
+        # Tests "@spawn" without any arguments.
+        self.call(building.CmdSpawn(), " ", "Usage: @spawn")
+
+        # Tests "@spawn <prototype_dictionary>" without specifying location.
+        self.call(building.CmdSpawn(), \
+                  "{'key':'goblin', 'typeclass':'evennia.DefaultCharacter'}", "Spawned goblin")
+        goblin = getObject(self, "goblin")
+
+        # Tests that the spawned object's type is a DefaultCharacter.
+        self.assertIsInstance(goblin, DefaultCharacter)
+
+        # Tests that the spawned object's location is the same as the caharacter's location, since
+        # we did not specify it.
+        self.assertEqual(goblin.location, self.char1.location)
+        goblin.delete()
+
+        # Test "@spawn <prototype_dictionary>" with a location other than the character's.
+        spawnLoc = self.room2
+        if spawnLoc == self.char1.location:
+            # Just to make sure we use a different location, in case someone changes
+            # char1's default location in the future...
+            spawnLoc = self.room1
+
+        self.call(building.CmdSpawn(), \
+                  "{'prototype':'GOBLIN', 'key':'goblin', 'location':'%s'}" \
+                  % spawnLoc.dbref, "Spawned goblin")
+        goblin = getObject(self, "goblin")
+        self.assertEqual(goblin.location, spawnLoc)
+        goblin.delete()
+
+        # Tests "@spawn <prototype_name>"
+        self.call(building.CmdSpawn(), "'BALL'", "Spawned Ball")
+        ball = getObject(self, "Ball")
+        self.assertEqual(ball.location, self.char1.location)
+        self.assertIsInstance(ball, DefaultObject)
+        ball.delete()
+
+        # Tests "@spawn/noloc ..." without specifying a location.
+        # Location should be "None".
+        self.call(building.CmdSpawn(), "/noloc 'BALL'", "Spawned Ball")
+        ball = getObject(self, "Ball")
+        self.assertIsNone(ball.location)
+        ball.delete()
+
+        # Tests "@spawn/noloc ...", but DO specify a location.
+        # Location should be the specified location.
+        self.call(building.CmdSpawn(),  \
+                  "/noloc {'prototype':'BALL', 'location':'%s'}" \
+                  % spawnLoc.dbref, "Spawned Ball")
+        ball = getObject(self, "Ball")
+        self.assertEqual(ball.location, spawnLoc)
+        ball.delete()
+
+        # test calling spawn with an invalid prototype.
+        self.call(building.CmdSpawn(), \
+                  "'NO_EXIST'", "No prototype named 'NO_EXIST'")
+
 
 class TestComms(CommandTest):
 
diff --git a/evennia/utils/test_prototypes.py b/evennia/utils/test_prototypes.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5c79bad462
--- /dev/null
+++ b/evennia/utils/test_prototypes.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+"""
+test_prototypes
+
+This is meant to be used with Evennia unittest framework
+to provide some named prototypes for use with various tests
+(for example commands that accept named prototypes, not just
+prototype dictionaries)
+"""
+
+GOBLIN = {
+    "key" : "Goblin", \
+    "typeclass" : "DefaultCharacter", \
+    "desc" : "A goblin."
+}
+
+BALL = {
+    "key" : "Ball", \
+    "typeclass" : "DefaultObject", \
+    "desc" : "A ball."
+}
diff --git a/evennia/utils/test_resources.py b/evennia/utils/test_resources.py
index 47716e979e..f6785a2f1f 100644
--- a/evennia/utils/test_resources.py
+++ b/evennia/utils/test_resources.py
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ class EvenniaTest(TestCase):
         self.room1 = create.create_object(self.room_typeclass, key="Room", nohome=True)
         self.room1.db.desc = "room_desc"
         settings.DEFAULT_HOME = "#%i" % self.room1.id  # we must have a default home
+        # Set up fake prototype module for allowing tests to use named prototypes.
+        settings.PROTOTYPE_MODULES = "evennia.utils.test_prototypes"
         self.room2 = create.create_object(self.room_typeclass, key="Room2")
         self.exit = create.create_object(self.exit_typeclass, key='out', location=self.room1, destination=self.room2)
         self.obj1 = create.create_object(self.object_typeclass, key="Obj", location=self.room1, home=self.room1)