diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 1ff35d0b78461d19d03810ff686373d25465280b..c0d81297145ce0a2c99ce97f08d8b1c47d301a12 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -768,6 +768,8 @@ TEST_FILES = \
 	test/data/vgs-missing-pvs-2.02.02.txt \
 	test/data/vgs-missing-pvs-2.02.66.txt \
 	test/import-export_unittest-helper \
+	test/gnt-cli.test \
+	test/ganeti-cli.test \
 	test/htools-balancing.test \
 	test/htools-basic.test \
 	test/htools-dynutil.test \
@@ -857,6 +859,7 @@ dist_TESTS = \
 	test/daemon-util_unittest.bash \
 	test/ganeti-cleaner_unittest.bash \
 	test/import-export_unittest.bash \
+	test/cli-test.bash \
 	$(python_tests)
 
 nodist_TESTS =
@@ -872,8 +875,10 @@ TESTS = $(dist_TESTS) $(nodist_TESTS)
 
 # Environment for all tests
 PLAIN_TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = \
-	PYTHONPATH=. TOP_SRCDIR=$(abs_top_srcdir) PYTHON=$(PYTHON) \
-	FAKEROOT=$(FAKEROOT_PATH) $(RUN_IN_TEMPDIR)
+	PYTHONPATH=. \
+	TOP_SRCDIR=$(abs_top_srcdir) TOP_BUILDDIR=$(abs_top_builddir) \
+	PYTHON=$(PYTHON) FAKEROOT=$(FAKEROOT_PATH) \
+	$(RUN_IN_TEMPDIR)
 
 # Environment for tests run by automake
 TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = \
@@ -906,6 +911,7 @@ srclink_files = \
 	test/daemon-util_unittest.bash \
 	test/ganeti-cleaner_unittest.bash \
 	test/import-export_unittest.bash \
+	test/cli-test.bash \
 	htools/offline-test.sh \
 	htools/cli-tests-defs.sh \
 	$(all_python_code) \
diff --git a/htools/offline-test.sh b/htools/offline-test.sh
index 51ff12c9ea8daf6e74e4153ae9b293a818d823ae..cd62c0c8329c151dd9a5fefecd376de3332cd4b8 100755
--- a/htools/offline-test.sh
+++ b/htools/offline-test.sh
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ echo OK
 
 echo Running shelltest...
 
-shelltest $SHELLTESTARGS ${TOP_SRCDIR:-.}/test/ -- --hide-successes
+shelltest $SHELLTESTARGS \
+  ${TOP_SRCDIR:-.}/test/htools-*.test \
+  -- --hide-successes
 
 echo All OK
diff --git a/test/cli-test.bash b/test/cli-test.bash
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..9c1f1fab002b6a6a22b7ffed5c5ab60c4d24abfa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli-test.bash
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+export SCRIPTS=${TOP_BUILDDIR:-.}/scripts
+export DAEMONS=${TOP_BUILDDIR:-.}/daemons
+
+shelltest $SHELLTESTARGS \
+  ${TOP_SRCDIR:-.}/test/gnt-*.test \
+  -- --hide-successes
diff --git a/test/ganeti-cli.test b/test/ganeti-cli.test
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..054a6189bced12ec06da560b6409aceb555d2a82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/ganeti-cli.test
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# test the various gnt-commands for common options
+$SCRIPTS/ganeti-masterd --help
+>>>/Usage:/
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
+$SCRIPTS/ganeti-masterd --version
+>>>/^ganeti-/
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
+
+$SCRIPTS/ganeti-noded --help
+>>>/Usage:/
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
+$SCRIPTS/ganeti-noded --version
+>>>/^ganeti-/
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
+
+$SCRIPTS/ganeti-rapi --help
+>>>/Usage:/
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
+$SCRIPTS/ganeti-rapi --version
+>>>/^ganeti-/
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
+
+$SCRIPTS/ganeti-watcher --help
+>>>/Usage:/
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
+$SCRIPTS/ganeti-watcher --version
+>>>/^ganeti-/
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
diff --git a/test/gnt-cli.test b/test/gnt-cli.test
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..1c1f936e39671f96305c1b63bc717fc2f3eedcac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/gnt-cli.test
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+# test the various gnt-commands for common options
+$SCRIPTS/gnt-node --help
+>>>/Usage:/
+>>>2
+>>>= 1
+$SCRIPTS/gnt-node --version
+>>>/^gnt-/
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
+
+$SCRIPTS/gnt-instance --help
+>>>/Usage:/
+>>>2
+>>>= 1
+$SCRIPTS/gnt-instance --version
+>>>/^gnt-instance/
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
+
+$SCRIPTS/gnt-os --help
+>>>/Usage:/
+>>>2
+>>>= 1
+$SCRIPTS/gnt-os --version
+>>>/^gnt-/
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
+
+$SCRIPTS/gnt-group --help
+>>>/Usage:/
+>>>2
+>>>= 1
+$SCRIPTS/gnt-group --version
+>>>/^gnt-/
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
+
+$SCRIPTS/gnt-job --help
+>>>/Usage:/
+>>>2
+>>>= 1
+$SCRIPTS/gnt-job --version
+>>>/^gnt-/
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
+
+$SCRIPTS/gnt-cluster --help
+>>>/Usage:/
+>>>2
+>>>= 1
+$SCRIPTS/gnt-cluster --version
+>>>/^gnt-/
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
+
+$SCRIPTS/gnt-backup --help
+>>>/Usage:/
+>>>2
+>>>= 1
+$SCRIPTS/gnt-backup --version
+>>>/^gnt-/
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
+
+$SCRIPTS/gnt-debug --help
+>>>/Usage:/
+>>>2
+>>>= 1
+$SCRIPTS/gnt-debug --version
+>>>/^gnt-/
+>>>2
+>>>= 0