diff --git a/tests/cpptest.cpp b/tests/cpptest.cpp
index 94618e7..051a9cf 100644
--- a/tests/cpptest.cpp
+++ b/tests/cpptest.cpp
@@ -1,54 +1,103 @@
 #include <pcp++.h>
 #include <string>
+#include <iomanip>
+#include <fstream>
 
 using namespace pcp;
 using namespace std;
 
 void pr(string name, unsigned char *data, size_t len) {
-  int i;
+  size_t i;
   cout << name << ": ";
   for ( i = 0;i < len;++i)
     printf("%02x", (unsigned int) data[i]);
   cout << endl;
 }
 
+void test0() {
+  // test keygen and crypto
+  Key A = Key("a", "alicia", "alicia@local");
+  Key B = Key("b", "bobby",  "bobby@local");
+  PubKey PA = A.get_public();
+  PubKey PB = B.get_public();
 
-int main() {
+  A.decrypt("a");
+  B.decrypt("b");
+  
+  Crypto A2B(A, PB);
+  Crypto B2A(B, PA);
+  
+  string cipher = A2B.encrypt("Hallo");
+  ResultSet res = B2A.decrypt(cipher);
+
+  if(res.String == "Hallo")
+    cout << "0 ok" << endl;
+  else
+    throw pcp::exception("wtf - decryption failed (uncatched as well)");
+}
+
+void test1() {
+  // test the vault
+  Key A = Key("a", "alicia", "alicia@local");
+  Key B = Key("b", "bobby",  "bobby@local");
+  PubKey PA = A.get_public();
+  PubKey PB = B.get_public();
+
+  Vault vault = Vault("vcpp1");
+  vault.key_add(A);
+  vault.pubkey_add(PB);
+
+  KeyMap m = vault.keys();
+  bool gotp, gots;
+  gotp = gots = false;
+  for(KeyIterator it=m.begin(); it != m.end(); ++it) {
+    if(it->first == A.get_id())
+      gots = true;
+  }
+
+  PubKeyMap p = vault.pubkeys();
+  for(PubKeyIterator it=p.begin(); it != p.end(); ++it) {
+    if(it->first == PB.get_id())
+      gotp = true;
+  }
+
+  if(gotp == false || gots == false)
+    throw pcp::exception("wtf - didnt find installed keys");
+  else
+    cout << "1 ok" << endl;
+}
+
+void test2() {
+  // try importing a key from disk
+  ifstream pf("key-bobby-pub");
+  string z;
+  int max = 1024;
+  char buf[max];
+  while(pf) {
+    pf.getline(buf, max);
+    if(strlen(buf) > 0)
+      z += buf + string("\n");
+  }
+  PubKey B(z);
+  //cout << B.to_text();
+  cout << "2 ok" << endl;
+}
+
+int main(int argc, char **argv) {
   try {
-    Key A = Key("a", "alicia", "alicia@local");
-    Key B = Key("b", "bobby",  "bobby@local");
-    PubKey PA = A.get_public();
-    PubKey PB = B.get_public();
+    switch(argv[1][0]) {
+    case '0':
+      test0();
+      break;
 
-    A.decrypt("a");
-    B.decrypt("b");
+    case '1':
+      test1();
+      break;
 
-    pr("A secret", A.K->secret, 32);
-    pr("A public", A.K->pub, 32);
-    pr("B secret", B.K->secret, 32);
-    pr("B public", B.K->pub, 32);
-
-
-    string cipher = A.encrypt(PB, "Hallo");
-    ResultSet res = B.decrypt(PA, cipher);
-
-    cout << " Input: Hallo" << endl;
-    cout << "Cipher: " << cipher << endl;
-    cout << " Clear: " << res.String << endl;
-
-    Vault vault = Vault("vcpp");
-    vault.key_add(A);
-    vault.pubkey_add(PB);
-
-    KeyMap m = vault.keys();
-    for(KeyIterator it=m.begin(); it != m.end(); ++it) {
-      cout << "id: " << it->first << endl;
-    }
-
-    PubKeyMap p = vault.pubkeys();
-    for(PubKeyIterator it=p.begin(); it != p.end(); ++it) {
-      cout << "id: " << it->first << endl;
-    }
+    case '2':
+      test2();
+      break;
+    };
   }
   catch (pcp::exception &E) {
     cerr << "Catched exception: " << E.what() << endl;
diff --git a/tests/unittests.cfg b/tests/unittests.cfg
index 810ba0c..41e91dc 100644
--- a/tests/unittests.cfg
+++ b/tests/unittests.cfg
@@ -484,3 +484,21 @@ dxmorg@florida.cops.gov
         | $pcp -V $vault -k -x $passwd
   expect = /Generated new secret key/
 </test>
+
+
+#
+# test the c++ api
+<test check-cpp-crypto>
+  cmd = ./cpptest 0
+  expect = /ok/
+</test>
+
+<test check-cpp-vault>
+  cmd = ./cpptest 1
+  expect = /ok/
+</test>
+
+<test check-cpp-import-pub>
+  cmd = ./cpptest 1
+  expect = /ok/
+</test>