diff --git a/src/Main/test_posinit.cxx b/src/Main/test_posinit.cxx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f746ab570
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Main/test_posinit.cxx
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+#include "config.h"
+
+#include "unitTestHelpers.hxx"
+
+#include <simgear/misc/test_macros.hxx>
+#include <simgear/props/props_io.hxx>
+
+#include "Main/positioninit.hxx"
+#include "Main/options.hxx"
+#include "Main/globals.hxx"
+#include "Main/fg_props.hxx"
+
+#include "Airports/airport.hxx"
+
+using namespace flightgear;
+
+void testDefaultStartup()
+{
+    fgtest::initTestGlobals("posinit");
+    Options::reset();
+
+    fgLoadProps("defaults.xml", globals->get_props());
+
+    {
+        Options* opts = Options::sharedInstance();
+        opts->setShouldLoadDefaultConfig(false);
+
+        const char* args[] = {"dummypath"};
+        opts->init(1, (char**) args, SGPath());
+        opts->processOptions();
+    }
+
+    initPosition();
+
+    // verify we got the location specified in location-preset.xml
+    // this unfortunately means manually parsing that file, oh well
+
+    {
+        SGPath presets = fgtest::fgdataPath() / "location-presets.xml";
+        SG_VERIFY(presets.exists());
+        SGPropertyNode_ptr props(new SGPropertyNode);
+        readProperties(presets, props);
+
+        std::string icao = props->getStringValue("/sim/presets/airport-id");
+        SG_CHECK_EQUAL(globals->get_props()->getStringValue("/sim/airport/closest-airport-id"), icao);
+
+        SGGeod pos = globals->get_aircraft_position();
+
+        FGAirportRef defaultAirport = FGAirport::getByIdent(icao);
+
+        double dist = SGGeodesy::distanceM(pos, defaultAirport->geod());
+        SG_CHECK_LT(dist, 10000);
+    }
+    fgtest::shutdownTestGlobals();
+
+}
+
+void testAirportOnlyStartup()
+{
+    fgtest::initTestGlobals("posinit");
+    Options::reset();
+    fgLoadProps("defaults.xml", globals->get_props());
+
+    {
+        Options* opts = Options::sharedInstance();
+        opts->setShouldLoadDefaultConfig(false);
+
+        const char* args[] = {"dummypath", "--airport=EDDF"};
+        opts->init(2, (char**) args, SGPath());
+        opts->processOptions();
+    }
+
+    SG_VERIFY(fgGetBool("/sim/presets/airport-requested"));
+    initPosition();
+
+    SG_CHECK_EQUAL(globals->get_props()->getStringValue("/sim/airport/closest-airport-id"), std::string("EDDF"));
+    double dist = SGGeodesy::distanceM(globals->get_aircraft_position(),
+                                       FGAirport::getByIdent("EDDF")->geod());
+    SG_CHECK_LT(dist, 10000);
+    fgtest::shutdownTestGlobals();
+
+}
+
+void testAirportAndMetarStartup()
+{
+    fgtest::initTestGlobals("posinit");
+
+    Options::reset();
+    fgLoadProps("defaults.xml", globals->get_props());
+
+    {
+        Options* opts = Options::sharedInstance();
+        opts->setShouldLoadDefaultConfig(false);
+        const char* args[] = {"dummypath", "--airport=LOWI", "--metar=XXXX 271320Z 08007KT 030V130 CAVOK 17/02 Q1020 NOSIG"};
+        opts->init(3, (char**) args, SGPath());
+        opts->processOptions();
+    }
+
+    initPosition();
+
+    SG_CHECK_EQUAL(globals->get_props()->getStringValue("/sim/airport/closest-airport-id"), std::string("LOWI"));
+    double dist = SGGeodesy::distanceM(globals->get_aircraft_position(),
+                                       FGAirport::getByIdent("LOWI")->geod());
+    SG_CHECK_LT(dist, 10000);
+    ///sim/atc/runway
+    SG_CHECK_EQUAL(globals->get_props()->getStringValue("sim/atc/runway"), std::string("26"));
+
+    fgtest::shutdownTestGlobals();
+}
+
+int main(int argc, char* argv[])
+{
+
+    testDefaultStartup();
+    testAirportOnlyStartup();
+    testAirportAndMetarStartup();
+    
+    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
+}