diff --git a/tests/backends/events_test.py b/tests/backends/events_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c988244d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/backends/events_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+import threading
+import unittest
+
+from pykka.actor import ThreadingActor
+from pykka.registry import ActorRegistry
+
+from mopidy.backends.dummy import DummyBackend
+from mopidy.listeners import BackendListener
+from mopidy.models import Track
+
+class BackendEventsTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.events = {
+            'started_playing': threading.Event(),
+            'stopped_playing': threading.Event(),
+        }
+        self.backend = DummyBackend.start().proxy()
+        self.listener = DummyBackendListener.start(self.events).proxy()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        ActorRegistry.stop_all()
+
+    def test_play_sends_started_playing_event(self):
+        self.backend.current_playlist.add([Track(uri='a')])
+        self.backend.playback.play()
+        self.events['started_playing'].wait(timeout=1)
+        self.assertTrue(self.events['started_playing'].is_set())
+
+    def test_stop_sends_stopped_playing_event(self):
+        self.backend.current_playlist.add([Track(uri='a')])
+        self.backend.playback.play()
+        self.backend.playback.stop()
+        self.events['stopped_playing'].wait(timeout=1)
+        self.assertTrue(self.events['stopped_playing'].is_set())
+
+
+class DummyBackendListener(ThreadingActor, BackendListener):
+    def __init__(self, events):
+        self.events = events
+
+    def started_playing(self, track):
+        self.events['started_playing'].set()
+
+    def stopped_playing(self, track, stop_position):
+        self.events['stopped_playing'].set()