diff --git a/test/variables.test.js b/test/variables.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..688f294f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/variables.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+import {expect} from 'chai'
+import {evaluateBottomUp, evaluateVariable} from '../source/engine/variables'
+
+describe('evaluateVariable', function() {
+
+	it ("should directly return the value of any rule that specifies a format (i.e currency, duration)", function() {
+		let rule = {format: "euros"},
+			state = {salaire: "2300"},
+			situationGate = (name) => state[name]
+
+		expect(evaluateVariable(situationGate, "salaire", rule)).to.equal("2300")
+	});
+
+	it ("should interpret rules without a formula as boolean-valued, with 'oui' for true", function() {
+		let rule = {},
+			state = {condition: "oui"},
+			situationGate = (name) => state[name]
+
+		expect(evaluateVariable(situationGate, "condition", rule)).to.be.true
+	});
+
+	it ("should interpret rules without a formula as boolean-valued, with values other than 'oui' meaning false", function() {
+		let rule = {},
+			state = {condition: "nope"},
+			situationGate = (name) => state[name]
+
+		expect(evaluateVariable(situationGate, "condition", rule)).to.be.false
+	});
+
+	it ("should interpret rules with 'one of these', with 'oui' for true", function() {
+		let rule = {formule: {"une possibilité": ["noir","blanc"]}},
+			state = {condition: "oui"},
+			situationGate = (name) => state[name]
+
+		expect(evaluateVariable(situationGate, "condition", rule)).to.be.true
+	});
+
+	it ("should walk up the namespace chain until it finds the tail as the value", function() {
+		let rule = {formule: {"une possibilité": ["noir","blanc"]}},
+			state = {"contrat salarié . CDD . motif": "classique . accroissement activité"},
+			situationGate = (name) => state[name]
+
+		expect(evaluateVariable(situationGate, "contrat salarié . CDD . motif . classique . accroissement activité", rule)).to.be.true
+	});
+
+	it ("should return null if a value isn't found for the name given", function() {
+		let rule = {formule: {"une possibilité": ["noir","blanc"]}},
+			state = {"condition": "classique . accroissement activité"},
+			situationGate = (name) => state[name]
+
+		expect(evaluateVariable(situationGate, "contrat salarié . CDD . motif . classique . accroissement activité", rule)).to.be.null
+	});
+
+});