diff --git a/Makefile.config.in b/Makefile.config.in
index 59730b646..f2273eaed 100644
--- a/Makefile.config.in
+++ b/Makefile.config.in
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ prefix = @prefix@
 sandbox_shell = @sandbox_shell@
 storedir = @storedir@
 sysconfdir = @sysconfdir@
+system = @system@
 doc_generate = @doc_generate@
 xmllint = @xmllint@
 xsltproc = @xsltproc@
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index f5b1614f1..8087f308b 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ NEED_PROG(gzip, gzip)
 NEED_PROG(xz, xz)
 AC_PATH_PROG(dot, dot)
 AC_PATH_PROG(lsof, lsof, lsof)
+NEED_PROG(jq, jq)
 
 
 NEED_PROG(cat, cat)
diff --git a/release-common.nix b/release-common.nix
index 4c5565985..b745932a7 100644
--- a/release-common.nix
+++ b/release-common.nix
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ rec {
       # Tests
       git
       mercurial
+      jq
     ]
     ++ lib.optionals stdenv.isLinux [libseccomp utillinuxMinimal]
     ++ lib.optional (stdenv.isLinux || stdenv.isDarwin) libsodium
diff --git a/tests/config.nix b/tests/config.nix.in
similarity index 92%
rename from tests/config.nix
rename to tests/config.nix.in
index 6ba91065b..ff5aeb31a 100644
--- a/tests/config.nix
+++ b/tests/config.nix.in
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ rec {
 
   path = coreutils;
 
-  system = builtins.currentSystem;
+  system = "@system@";
 
   shared = builtins.getEnv "_NIX_TEST_SHARED";
 
diff --git a/tests/flakes.sh b/tests/flakes.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..26ffd6a9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/flakes.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+source common.sh
+
+if [[ -z $(type -p git) ]]; then
+    echo "Git not installed; skipping flake tests"
+    exit 99
+fi
+
+clearStore
+
+registry=$TEST_ROOT/registry.json
+
+flake1=$TEST_ROOT/flake1
+flake2=$TEST_ROOT/flake2
+flake3=$TEST_ROOT/flake3
+
+for repo in $flake1 $flake2 $flake3; do
+    rm -rf $repo
+    mkdir $repo
+    git -C $repo init
+    git -C $repo config user.email "foobar@example.com"
+    git -C $repo config user.name "Foobar"
+done
+
+cat > $flake1/flake.nix <<EOF
+{
+  name = "flake1";
+
+  epoch = 2019;
+
+  description = "Bla bla";
+
+  provides = deps: rec {
+    packages.foo = import ./simple.nix;
+    defaultPackage = packages.foo;
+  };
+}
+EOF
+
+cp ./simple.nix ./simple.builder.sh ./config.nix $flake1/
+git -C $flake1 add flake.nix simple.nix simple.builder.sh config.nix
+git -C $flake1 commit -m 'Initial'
+
+cat > $flake2/flake.nix <<EOF
+{
+  name = "flake2";
+
+  epoch = 2019;
+
+  requires = [ "flake1" ];
+
+  description = "Fnord";
+
+  provides = deps: rec {
+    packages.bar = deps.flake1.provides.packages.foo;
+  };
+}
+EOF
+
+git -C $flake2 add flake.nix
+git -C $flake2 commit -m 'Initial'
+
+cat > $registry <<EOF
+{
+    "flakes": {
+        "flake1": {
+            "uri": "file://$flake1"
+        },
+        "flake2": {
+            "uri": "file://$flake2"
+        },
+        "flake3": {
+            "uri": "file://$flake3"
+        },
+        "nixpkgs": {
+            "uri": "flake1"
+        }
+    },
+    "version": 1
+}
+EOF
+
+# Test 'nix flake list'.
+(( $(nix flake list --flake-registry $registry | wc -l) == 4 ))
+
+# Test 'nix flake info'.
+nix flake info --flake-registry $registry flake1 | grep -q 'ID: *flake1'
+
+# Test 'nix flake info --json'.
+json=$(nix flake info --flake-registry $registry flake1 --json | jq .)
+[[ $(echo "$json" | jq -r .description) = 'Bla bla' ]]
+[[ -d $(echo "$json" | jq -r .path) ]]
+
+# Test 'nix build' on a flake.
+nix build -o $TEST_ROOT/result --flake-registry $registry flake1:foo
+[[ -e $TEST_ROOT/result/hello ]]
+
+# Test defaultPackage.
+nix build -o $TEST_ROOT/result --flake-registry $registry flake1:
+[[ -e $TEST_ROOT/result/hello ]]
+
+# Building a flake with an unlocked dependency should fail in pure mode.
+(! nix build -o $TEST_ROOT/result --flake-registry $registry flake2:bar)
+
+# But should succeed in impure mode.
+# FIXME: this currently fails.
+#nix build -o $TEST_ROOT/result --flake-registry $registry flake2:bar --impure
+
+# Test automatic lock file generation.
+nix build -o $TEST_ROOT/result --flake-registry $registry $flake2:bar
+[[ -e $flake2/flake.lock ]]
+git -C $flake2 commit flake.lock -m 'Add flake.lock'
+
+# Now we should be able to build the flake in pure mode.
+nix build -o $TEST_ROOT/result --flake-registry $registry flake2:bar
+
+# Or without a registry.
+nix build -o $TEST_ROOT/result file://$flake2:bar
diff --git a/tests/local.mk b/tests/local.mk
index 1ff68348b..a76d720d0 100644
--- a/tests/local.mk
+++ b/tests/local.mk
@@ -26,13 +26,15 @@ nix_tests = \
   check.sh \
   plugins.sh \
   search.sh \
-  nix-copy-ssh.sh
+  nix-copy-ssh.sh \
+  flakes.sh
   # parallel.sh
 
 install-tests += $(foreach x, $(nix_tests), tests/$(x))
 
 tests-environment = NIX_REMOTE= $(bash) -e
 
-clean-files += $(d)/common.sh
+clean-files += $(d)/common.sh $(d)/config.nix
+
+installcheck: $(d)/common.sh $(d)/plugins/libplugintest.$(SO_EXT) $(d)/config.nix
 
-installcheck: $(d)/common.sh $(d)/plugins/libplugintest.$(SO_EXT)