diff --git a/pkg/runtime/core/scope_test.go b/pkg/runtime/core/scope_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..da2cfec0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/runtime/core/scope_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+package core_test
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/MontFerret/ferret/pkg/runtime/core"
+	"github.com/MontFerret/ferret/pkg/runtime/values"
+	. "github.com/smartystreets/goconvey/convey"
+)
+
+func TestScope(t *testing.T) {
+	Convey("Should match", t, func() {
+		rs, cf := core.NewRootScope()
+
+		So(cf, ShouldNotBeNil)
+
+		s := core.NewScope(rs)
+
+		So(s.HasVariable("a"), ShouldBeFalse)
+
+		s.SetVariable("a", values.NewString("test"))
+
+		So(s.HasVariable("a"), ShouldBeTrue)
+
+		v, err := s.GetVariable("a")
+
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+		So(v, ShouldEqual, "test")
+
+		c := s.Fork()
+
+		So(c.HasVariable("a"), ShouldBeTrue)
+
+		cv, err := c.GetVariable("a")
+
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+		So(cv, ShouldEqual, "test")
+	})
+}
+
+func TestScopeTraversing(t *testing.T) {
+	Convey("Should match", t, func() {
+		rs, cf := core.NewRootScope()
+		So(cf, ShouldNotBeNil)
+
+		s := core.NewScope(rs)
+
+		rs.SetVariable("a", values.NewString("test"))
+		v, err := s.GetVariable("a")
+
+		// root traversal should work
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+		So(v, ShouldEqual, "test")
+
+		s.SetVariable("b", values.NewString("test2"))
+		s2 := core.NewScope(rs)
+		_, err = s2.GetVariable("b")
+
+		// child traversal should fail
+		So(err, ShouldNotBeNil)
+
+		v2, err := s2.GetVariable("a")
+
+		// root traversal should work
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+		So(v2, ShouldEqual, "test")
+
+	})
+}