diff --git a/test/engine_react_tests.js b/test/engine_react_tests.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7de65b78a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/engine_react_tests.js
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+const path = require('path');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const tap = require('tap');
+const loadPattern = require('../core/lib/loadPattern');
+const testUtils = require('./util/test_utils.js');
+const config = require('./util/patternlab-config.json');
+const engineLoader = require('../core/lib/pattern_engines');
+const testPatternsPath = path.resolve(__dirname, 'files', '_react-test-patterns');
+
+engineLoader.loadAllEngines(config);
+
+// don't run these tests unless the react engine is installed
+if (!engineLoader.react) {
+  tap.test('React engine not installed, skipping tests.', test => {
+    test.end();
+  });
+} else {
+  const fpl = testUtils.fakePatternLab(testPatternsPath);
+
+  tap.test('Load the hello world pattern and verify contents', test => {
+    const patternPath = path.join(testPatternsPath, '00-atoms/00-general/HelloWorld.jsx');
+    const patternContent = fs.readFileSync(patternPath, { encoding: 'utf8' });
+    const pattern = loadPattern(patternPath, fpl);
+
+    test.equals(pattern.template, patternContent);
+    test.end();
+  });
+
+  tap.test('Load the hello world pattern and verify output', test => {
+    const patternPath = path.join(testPatternsPath, '00-atoms/00-general/HelloWorld.jsx');
+    const pattern = loadPattern(patternPath, fpl);
+
+    return pattern.render().then(output => {
+      test.equals(output, '<div>Hello world!</div>\n');
+    });
+  });
+}
diff --git a/test/files/_react-test-patterns/00-atoms/00-general/HelloWorld.jsx b/test/files/_react-test-patterns/00-atoms/00-general/HelloWorld.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c714186b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/files/_react-test-patterns/00-atoms/00-general/HelloWorld.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+import React from 'react';
+
+const HelloWorld = () => (
+  <div>
+    Hello world!
+  </div>
+);
+
+export default HelloWorld;