diff --git a/test/unit_tests/hoc_python/test_reference_counts.py b/test/unit_tests/hoc_python/test_reference_counts.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9f4c7c1fd7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit_tests/hoc_python/test_reference_counts.py
@@ -0,0 +1,300 @@
+import sys
+from neuron import h
+
+
+def test_section():
+    section = h.Section(name="section")
+
+    # this is 1 + the extra ref from getting called by sys.getrefcount
+    base_refcount = 2
+
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_tp_repr, (void*) pysec_repr_safe},
+    repr(section)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_tp_hash, (void*) pysec_hash_safe},
+    hash(section)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_tp_call, (void*) NPySecObj_call_safe},
+    section()
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_tp_getattro, (void*) section_getattro_safe},
+    section.L
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == base_refcount
+
+    section.Ra
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == base_refcount
+
+    section.nseg
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == base_refcount
+
+    section.rallbranch
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == base_refcount
+
+    d = section.__dict__
+    assert sys.getrefcount(d) == 2
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_tp_richcompare, (void*) pysec_richcmp_safe},
+    section == section
+    section != section
+    section < section
+    section <= section
+    section > section
+    section >= section
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_tp_iter, (void*) seg_of_section_iter_safe},
+
+    # {Py_tp_methods, (void*) NPySecObj_methods},
+    for method in (
+        "name",
+        "hname",
+        "cell",
+        "hoc_internal_name",
+        "disconnect",
+        "parentseg",
+        "trueparentseg",
+        "orientation",
+        "children",
+        "subtree",
+        "wholetree",
+        "n3d",
+        "is_pysec",
+        "psection",
+    ):
+        getattr(section, method)()
+        assert sys.getrefcount(section) == base_refcount
+
+    dir(section)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_tp_doc, (void*) "Section objects"},
+    help(section)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_sq_contains, (void*) NPySecObj_contains_safe},
+    "foo" in section
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == base_refcount
+
+    # static PyType_Slot nrnpy_AllSegOfSecIterType_slots[] = {
+    it = section.allseg()
+    assert sys.getrefcount(it) == 2
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == base_refcount + 1
+    del it
+
+    # static PyType_Spec nrnpy_SegOfSecIterType_spec = {
+    it = iter(section)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(it) == 2
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == base_refcount + 1
+
+    n = next(it)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(it) == 2
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == base_refcount + 2
+    del n
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == base_refcount + 1
+    del it
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == base_refcount
+
+
+def test_segment():
+    section = h.Section(name="section_segment")
+    segment = section(0.5)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == 3
+
+    # this is 1 + the extra ref from getting called by sys.getrefcount
+    base_refcount = 2
+    assert sys.getrefcount(segment) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_tp_repr, (void*) pyseg_repr_safe},
+    repr(segment)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(segment) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_tp_hash, (void*) pyseg_hash_safe},
+    hash(segment)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(segment) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_tp_getattro, (void*) segment_getattro_safe},
+    segment.v
+    assert sys.getrefcount(segment) == base_refcount
+
+    # } else if (strncmp(n, "_ref_", 5) == 0) {
+    segment._ref_v
+    assert sys.getrefcount(segment) == base_refcount
+
+    # todo: need to find hoc_built_in_symlist values
+
+    d = segment.__dict__
+    assert sys.getrefcount(d) == 2
+    assert sys.getrefcount(segment) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_tp_richcompare, (void*) pyseg_richcmp_safe},
+    segment == segment
+    segment != segment
+    segment < segment
+    segment <= segment
+    segment > segment
+    segment >= segment
+    assert sys.getrefcount(segment) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_tp_iter, (void*) mech_of_segment_iter_safe},
+
+    # {Py_tp_methods, (void*) NPySegObj_methods},
+    for method in ("point_processes", "node_index", "area", "ri", "volume"):
+        getattr(segment, method)()
+        assert sys.getrefcount(segment) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_tp_members, (void*) NPySegObj_members},
+    for method in (
+        "x",
+        "sec",
+    ):
+        getattr(segment, method)
+        assert sys.getrefcount(segment) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_tp_doc, (void*) "Segment objects"},
+    help(segment)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(segment) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_sq_contains, (void*) NPySegObj_contains_safe},
+    "foo" in segment
+    assert sys.getrefcount(segment) == base_refcount
+
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == 3
+
+
+def test_mechanisms():
+    section = h.Section(name="section")
+    section.insert("hh")
+
+    # this is 1 + the extra ref from getting called by sys.getrefcount
+    base_refcount = 2
+
+    mech = section(0.5).hh
+    assert sys.getrefcount(mech) == base_refcount
+
+    # note: a mechanism at the same place is not the same one, ie: mech != mech0
+    mech0 = section(0.5).hh
+    assert sys.getrefcount(mech) == base_refcount
+    del mech0
+
+    #    {Py_tp_repr, (void*) pymech_repr_safe},
+    repr(mech)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(mech) == base_refcount
+
+    #    {Py_tp_getattro, (void*) mech_getattro_safe},
+
+    #    {Py_tp_iter, (void*) var_of_mech_iter_safe},
+    it = iter(mech)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(it) == 2
+    assert sys.getrefcount(mech) == base_refcount + 1
+
+    help(it)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(it) == 2
+
+    n = next(it)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(it) == 2
+    assert sys.getrefcount(mech) == base_refcount + 2
+    del n
+    assert sys.getrefcount(mech) == base_refcount + 1
+    del it
+    assert sys.getrefcount(mech) == base_refcount
+
+    #    {Py_tp_methods, (void*) NPyMechObj_methods},
+    for method in (
+        "name",
+        "is_ion",
+        "segment",
+    ):
+        getattr(mech, method)()
+        assert sys.getrefcount(mech) == base_refcount
+
+    #    {Py_tp_members, (void*) NPyMechObj_members},
+    # there are none
+
+    #    {Py_tp_doc, (void*) "Mechanism objects"},
+    help(mech)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(mech) == base_refcount
+
+    # } else if (strcmp(n, "__dict__") == 0) {
+    mech.__dict__
+    assert sys.getrefcount(mech) == base_refcount
+
+    # static PyType_Spec nrnpy_MechOfSegIterType_spec = {
+    segment = section(0.5)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(segment) == base_refcount
+
+    it = iter(segment)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(it) == base_refcount
+
+    # static PyType_Slot nrnpy_MechFuncType_slots[] = {
+    mech_func = mech.rates
+    assert sys.getrefcount(mech_func) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_tp_repr, (void*) pymechfunc_repr_safe},
+    repr(mech_func)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(mech_func) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_tp_methods, (void*) NPyMechFunc_methods},
+    for method in (
+        "name",
+        "mech",
+    ):
+        getattr(mech_func, method)()
+        assert sys.getrefcount(mech_func) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_tp_call, (void*) NPyMechFunc_call_safe},
+    mech_func(0)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(mech_func) == base_refcount
+
+    # {Py_tp_doc, (void*) "Mechanism Function"},
+    help(mech_func)
+    assert sys.getrefcount(mech_func) == base_refcount
+
+    assert sys.getrefcount(section) == 4
+    assert sys.getrefcount(segment) == 3
+    assert sys.getrefcount(mech) == 3
+
+
+def test_range():
+    section = h.Section(name="section")
+    for name in (
+        "vext",
+        "xraxial",
+        "xg",
+        "xc",
+    ):
+        range_var = getattr(section, name)
+        assert sys.getrefcount(range_var) == 2
+
+        # {Py_tp_methods, (void*) NPyRangeVar_methods},
+        dir(range_var)
+        assert sys.getrefcount(range_var) == 2
+
+        # {Py_tp_doc, (void*) "Range Variable Array objects"},
+        help(range_var)
+        assert sys.getrefcount(range_var) == 2
+
+        # {Py_sq_length, (void*) rv_len_safe},
+        len(range_var)
+        assert sys.getrefcount(range_var) == 2
+
+        assert sys.getrefcount(section) == 3
+
+
+# def test_opaque_pointer():
+#    #static PyType_Slot nrnpy_OpaquePointerType_slots[] = {
+#    #    {Py_tp_doc, (void*) "Opaque pointer."},
+#    #    {0, 0},
+#    #};
+#    #static PyType_Spec nrnpy_OpaquePointerType_spec = {
+#    #    "nrn.OpaquePointer",
+#    #    sizeof(NPyOpaquePointer),
+#    #    0,
+#    #    Py_TPFLAGS_DEFAULT | Py_TPFLAGS_BASETYPE,
+#    #    nrnpy_OpaquePointerType_slots,
+#    #};