diff --git a/testhelpers/fat/action_client.go b/testhelpers/fat/action_client.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f285e0cdf3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testhelpers/fat/action_client.go
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+package fat
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-filecoin/address"
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-filecoin/protocol/storage"
+
+	"gx/ipfs/QmR8BauakNcBa3RbE4nbQu76PDiJgoQgz8AJdhJuiU4TAw/go-cid"
+	"gx/ipfs/QmXWZCd8jfaHmt4UDSnjKmGcrQMw95bDGWqEeVLVJjoANX/go-ipfs-files"
+)
+
+// ClientCat runs the client cat command against the filecoin process.
+// A ReadCloser is returned representing the data.
+// TODO(frrist): address buffering in filecoin plugins to exert appropriate backpressure on the
+// reader IPTB returns.
+func (f *Filecoin) ClientCat(ctx context.Context, cid cid.Cid) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
+	out, err := f.RunCmdWithStdin(ctx, nil, "go-filecoin", "client", "cat", cid.String())
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return out.Stdout(), err
+}
+
+// ClientImportData runs the client import data command against the filecoin process.
+func (f *Filecoin) ClientImportData(ctx context.Context, data files.File) (cid.Cid, error) {
+	var out cid.Cid
+	if err := f.RunCmdJSONWithStdin(ctx, data, &out, "go-filecoin", "client", "import"); err != nil {
+		return cid.Undef, err
+	}
+	return out, nil
+}
+
+// ClientProposeStorageDeal runs the client propose-storage-deal command against the filecoin process.
+func (f *Filecoin) ClientProposeStorageDeal(ctx context.Context, data cid.Cid,
+	miner address.Address, ask uint64, duration uint64, allowDuplicates bool) (*storage.DealResponse, error) {
+
+	var out storage.DealResponse
+	sData := data.String()
+	sMiner := miner.String()
+	sAsk := fmt.Sprintf("%d", ask)
+	sDuration := fmt.Sprintf("%d", duration)
+
+	if err := f.RunCmdJSONWithStdin(ctx, nil, &out, "go-filecoin", "client", "propose-storage-deal", sMiner, sData, sAsk, sDuration); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return &out, nil
+}
+
+// ClientQueryStorageDeal runs the client query-storage-deal command against the filecoin process.
+func (f *Filecoin) ClientQueryStorageDeal(ctx context.Context, prop cid.Cid) (*storage.DealResponse, error) {
+	var out storage.DealResponse
+
+	if err := f.RunCmdJSONWithStdin(ctx, nil, &out, "go-filecoin", "client", "query-storage-deal", prop.String()); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return &out, nil
+}
+
+// ClientListAsks runs the client list-asks command against the filecoin process.
+// A json decoer is returned that asks may be decoded from.
+func (f *Filecoin) ClientListAsks(ctx context.Context) (*json.Decoder, error) {
+	return f.RunCmdLDJSONWithStdin(ctx, nil, "go-filecoin", "client", "list-asks")
+}
diff --git a/testhelpers/fat/action_retrieval_client.go b/testhelpers/fat/action_retrieval_client.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3710581c31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testhelpers/fat/action_retrieval_client.go
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+package fat
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"io"
+
+	"gx/ipfs/QmR8BauakNcBa3RbE4nbQu76PDiJgoQgz8AJdhJuiU4TAw/go-cid"
+
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-filecoin/address"
+)
+
+// RetrievalClientRetrievePiece runs the retrieval-client retrieve-piece commands against the filecoin process.
+func (f *Filecoin) RetrievalClientRetrievePiece(ctx context.Context, pieceCID cid.Cid, minerAddr address.Address) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
+	out, err := f.RunCmdWithStdin(ctx, nil, "go-filecoin", "retrieval-client", "retrieve-piece", minerAddr.String(), pieceCID.String())
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return out.Stdout(), nil
+}