diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 23b1bc4c4..98b390d52 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -602,6 +602,7 @@ if(WITH_TESTS)
     compat_test
     dwarfs_test
     entry_test
+    file_access_test
     incompressible_categorizer_test
     metadata_requirements_test
     pcm_sample_transformer_test
diff --git a/test/file_access_test.cpp b/test/file_access_test.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e131077f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/file_access_test.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+/* vim:set ts=2 sw=2 sts=2 et: */
+/**
+ * \author     Marcus Holland-Moritz (github@mhxnet.de)
+ * \copyright  Copyright (c) Marcus Holland-Moritz
+ *
+ * This file is part of dwarfs.
+ *
+ * dwarfs is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * dwarfs is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with dwarfs.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include <filesystem>
+
+#include <gmock/gmock.h>
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+
+#include <folly/experimental/TestUtil.h>
+
+#include "dwarfs/file_access.h"
+#include "dwarfs/file_access_generic.h"
+#include "test_helpers.h"
+
+using namespace dwarfs;
+namespace fs = std::filesystem;
+
+TEST(file_access_generic_test, basic) {
+  folly::test::TemporaryDirectory tempdir("dwarfs");
+  auto td = fs::path(tempdir.path().string());
+
+  auto text_file = td / "test.txt";
+  auto binary_file = td / "test.bin";
+
+  auto fa = create_file_access_generic();
+
+  {
+    auto text_os = fa->open_output(text_file);
+    text_os->os() << "line1" << std::endl;
+    text_os->os() << "line2" << std::endl;
+    text_os->close();
+  }
+
+  auto binary_data = test::create_random_string(4096);
+
+  {
+    auto binary_os = fa->open_output_binary(binary_file);
+    binary_os->os().write(binary_data.data(), binary_data.size());
+    binary_os->close();
+  }
+
+  EXPECT_TRUE(fa->exists(text_file));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(fa->exists(binary_file));
+
+  EXPECT_TRUE(std::filesystem::exists(text_file));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(std::filesystem::exists(binary_file));
+
+  EXPECT_FALSE(fa->exists(td / "nonexistent"));
+
+  auto binary_size = std::filesystem::file_size(binary_file);
+
+  {
+    auto text_is = fa->open_input(text_file);
+    std::string line;
+    std::getline(text_is->is(), line);
+    EXPECT_EQ(line, "line1");
+    std::getline(text_is->is(), line);
+    EXPECT_EQ(line, "line2");
+    text_is->close();
+  }
+
+  {
+    auto binary_is = fa->open_input_binary(binary_file);
+    std::string data;
+    data.resize(binary_size);
+    binary_is->is().read(data.data(), data.size());
+    EXPECT_EQ(data, binary_data);
+    binary_is->close();
+  }
+}
+
+TEST(file_access_generic_test, error_handling) {
+  folly::test::TemporaryDirectory tempdir("dwarfs");
+  auto td = fs::path(tempdir.path().string());
+
+  auto nonexistent_file = td / "nonexistent";
+  auto file_in_subdir = td / "subdir" / "test.txt";
+
+  auto fa = create_file_access_generic();
+
+  {
+    auto matcher = testing::Throws<std::system_error>(testing::Property(
+        &std::system_error::code,
+        testing::Property(&std::error_code::value,
+                          testing::Eq(static_cast<int>(
+                              std::errc::no_such_file_or_directory)))));
+
+    EXPECT_THAT([&] { fa->open_input(nonexistent_file); }, matcher);
+    EXPECT_THAT([&] { fa->open_input_binary(nonexistent_file); }, matcher);
+  }
+
+  {
+    auto matcher = testing::Throws<std::system_error>(testing::Property(
+        &std::system_error::code,
+        testing::Property(&std::error_code::value,
+                          testing::Eq(static_cast<int>(
+                              std::errc::no_such_file_or_directory)))));
+
+    EXPECT_THAT([&] { fa->open_output(file_in_subdir); }, matcher);
+    EXPECT_THAT([&] { fa->open_output_binary(file_in_subdir); }, matcher);
+  }
+}