diff --git a/test/test_get_fill_value.py b/test/test_get_fill_value.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0e588c0bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_get_fill_value.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import unittest, os, tempfile
+import netCDF4
+from numpy.testing import assert_array_equal
+import numpy as np
+
+fill_val = np.array(9.9e31)
+
+class TestGetFillValue(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.testfile = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(suffix='.nc', delete=False).name
+        f = netCDF4.Dataset(self.testfile, 'w')
+        dim = f.createDimension('x',10)
+        for dt in netCDF4.default_fillvals.keys():
+            if not dt.startswith('c'):
+                v = f.createVariable(dt+'_var',dt,dim)
+        v = f.createVariable('float_var',np.float64,dim,fill_value=fill_val)
+        f.close()
+        
+    def tearDown(self):
+        os.remove(self.testfile)
+
+    def runTest(self):
+        f = netCDF4.Dataset(self.testfile, "r")
+        # no _FillValue set, test that default fill value returned
+        for dt in netCDF4.default_fillvals.keys():
+            if not dt.startswith('c'):
+                fillval = np.array(netCDF4.default_fillvals[dt])
+                if dt == 'S1': fillval = fillval.astype(dt)
+                v = f[dt+'_var']
+                assert_array_equal(fillval, v.get_fill_value())
+        # _FillValue attribute is set.
+        v = f['float_var']
+        assert_array_equal(fill_val, v.get_fill_value())
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    unittest.main()