diff --git a/common_test.go b/common_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..89f7dc69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2013 Conformal Systems LLC.
+// Use of this source code is governed by an ISC
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package btcdb_test
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"github.com/conformal/btcdb"
+	_ "github.com/conformal/btcdb/ldb"
+	_ "github.com/conformal/btcdb/sqlite3"
+	"github.com/conformal/btcutil"
+	"github.com/conformal/btcwire"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+)
+
+var zeroHash = btcwire.ShaHash{}
+
+// testDbRoot is the root directory used to create all test databases.
+const testDbRoot = "testdbs"
+
+// filesExists returns whether or not the named file or directory exists.
+func fileExists(name string) bool {
+	if _, err := os.Stat(name); err != nil {
+		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+// openDB is used to open an existing database based on the database type and
+// name.
+func openDB(dbType, dbName string) (btcdb.Db, error) {
+	// Handle memdb specially since it has no files on disk.
+	if dbType == "memdb" {
+		db, err := btcdb.OpenDB(dbType, "")
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("error opening db: %v", err)
+		}
+		return db, nil
+	}
+
+	dbPath := filepath.Join(testDbRoot, dbName)
+	db, err := btcdb.OpenDB(dbType, dbPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error opening db: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	return db, nil
+}
+
+// createDB creates a new db instance and returns a teardown function the caller
+// should invoke when done testing to clean up.  The close flag indicates
+// whether or not the teardown function should sync and close the database
+// during teardown.
+func createDB(dbType, dbName string, close bool) (btcdb.Db, func(), error) {
+	// Handle memory database specially since it doesn't need the disk
+	// specific handling.
+	if dbType == "memdb" {
+		db, err := btcdb.CreateDB(dbType, "")
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("error creating db: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		// Setup a teardown function for cleaning up.  This function is
+		// returned to the caller to be invoked when it is done testing.
+		teardown := func() {
+			if close {
+				db.Close()
+			}
+		}
+
+		return db, teardown, nil
+	}
+
+	// Create the root directory for test databases.
+	if !fileExists(testDbRoot) {
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(testDbRoot, 0700); err != nil {
+			err := fmt.Errorf("unable to create test db "+
+				"root: %v", err)
+			return nil, nil, err
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Create a new database to store the accepted blocks into.
+	dbPath := filepath.Join(testDbRoot, dbName)
+	_ = os.RemoveAll(dbPath)
+	db, err := btcdb.CreateDB(dbType, dbPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("error creating db: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Setup a teardown function for cleaning up.  This function is
+	// returned to the caller to be invoked when it is done testing.
+	teardown := func() {
+		dbVersionPath := filepath.Join(testDbRoot, dbName+".ver")
+		if close {
+			db.Sync()
+			db.Close()
+		}
+		os.RemoveAll(dbPath)
+		os.Remove(dbVersionPath)
+		os.RemoveAll(testDbRoot)
+	}
+
+	return db, teardown, nil
+}
+
+// setupDB is used to create a new db instance with the genesis block already
+// inserted.  In addition to the new db instance, it returns a teardown function
+// the caller should invoke when done testing to clean up.
+func setupDB(dbType, dbName string) (btcdb.Db, func(), error) {
+	db, teardown, err := createDB(dbType, dbName, true)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, err
+	}
+
+	// Insert the main network genesis block.  This is part of the initial
+	// database setup.
+	genesisBlock := btcutil.NewBlock(&btcwire.GenesisBlock)
+	_, err = db.InsertBlock(genesisBlock)
+	if err != nil {
+		teardown()
+		err := fmt.Errorf("failed to insert genesis block: %v", err)
+		return nil, nil, err
+	}
+
+	return db, teardown, nil
+}
diff --git a/interface_test.go b/interface_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ce3c50a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/interface_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2013 Conformal Systems LLC.
+// Use of this source code is governed by an ISC
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package btcdb_test
+
+import (
+	"github.com/conformal/btcdb"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// testNewestShaEmpty ensures the NewestSha returns the values expected by
+// the interface contract.
+func testNewestShaEmpty(t *testing.T, db btcdb.Db) {
+	sha, height, err := db.NewestSha()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("NewestSha error %v", err)
+	}
+	if !sha.IsEqual(&zeroHash) {
+		t.Errorf("NewestSha wrong hash got: %s, want %s", sha, &zeroHash)
+
+	}
+	if height != -1 {
+		t.Errorf("NewestSha wrong height got: %s, want %s", height, -1)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestEmptyDB tests that empty databases are handled properly.
+func TestEmptyDB(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, dbType := range btcdb.SupportedDBs() {
+		// Ensure NewestSha returns expected values for a newly created
+		// db.
+		db, teardown, err := createDB(dbType, "emptydb", false)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("Failed to create test database %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+		testNewestShaEmpty(t, db)
+
+		// Ensure NewestSha still returns expected values for an empty
+		// database after reopen.
+		db.Close()
+		db, err = openDB(dbType, "emptydb")
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("Failed to open test database %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+		testNewestShaEmpty(t, db)
+		db.Close()
+
+		// Clean up the old db.
+		teardown()
+	}
+}