diff --git a/skylab/gen_skylab.go b/skylab/gen_skylab.go
index 9f954cd..80d18a2 100644
--- a/skylab/gen_skylab.go
+++ b/skylab/gen_skylab.go
@@ -53,55 +53,6 @@ type PacketDef struct {
 // we need to generate bitfield types.
 // constants for packet IDs or a map.
 
-
-var test = `
-packets:
-  - name: dashboard_pedal_percentages
-    description: ADC values from the brake and accelerator pedals.
-    id: 0x290
-    endian: little
-    frequency: 10
-    data:
-      - name: reason1
-        type: bitfield
-        bits:
-          - name: OVERVOLT
-          - name: UNDERVOLT
-          - name: OVERTEMP
-          - name: TEMP_DISCONNECT
-          - name: COMM_FAIL
-      - name: reason2
-        type: bitfield
-        bits:
-          - name: HARDWARE
-          - name: KILL_PACKET
-          - name: UKNOWN
-          - name: OVERCURRENT
-          - name: PRECHARGE_FAIL
-          - name: AUX_OVER_UNDER
-      - name: module
-        type: uint16_t
-      - name: value
-        type: float
-  - name: bms_module
-    description: Voltage and temperature for a single module
-    id: 0x01C
-    endian: little
-    repeat: 36
-    offset: 1
-    frequency: 2
-    data:
-      - name: voltage
-        type: float
-        units: V
-        conversion: 1
-      - name: temperature
-        type: float
-        units: C
-        conversion: 1
-`
-
-
 var typeMap = map[string]string{
 	"uint16_t": "uint16",
 	"uint32_t": "uint32",
@@ -381,14 +332,28 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	f, err := os.Create("skylab_gen.go")
+	defer f.Close()
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 	err = tmpl.Execute(f, v)
 
+
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 
+	tests := tmpl.Lookup("golang_tests.go.tmpl")
+	if tests == nil {
+		panic("tests not found")
+	}
+
+	testF, err := os.Create("skylab_gen_test.go")
+	defer f.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	tests.Execute(testF, v)
+
 }
 
diff --git a/skylab/templates/golang.go.tmpl b/skylab/templates/golang.go.tmpl
index b31919e..42a5eee 100644
--- a/skylab/templates/golang.go.tmpl
+++ b/skylab/templates/golang.go.tmpl
@@ -145,13 +145,13 @@ func FromJson (raw []byte) (Packet, error) {
 {{- range $p := .Packets }}
 	{{- if $p.Repeat }}
 	case {{ Nx (int $p.Id) $p.Repeat $p.Offset | mapf "0x%X" | strJoin ", " -}}:
-		var res *{{camelCase $p.Name true}}
+		var res = &{{camelCase $p.Name true}}{}
 		err := json.Unmarshal(jp.Data, res)
 		res.Idx = jp.Id -  {{ $p.Id | printf "0x%X" }}
 		return res, err
 	{{- else }}
 	case {{ $p.Id | printf "0x%X" }}:
-		var res *{{camelCase $p.Name true}}
+		var res = &{{camelCase $p.Name true}}{}
 		err := json.Unmarshal(jp.Data, res)
 		return res, err
 	{{- end }}
diff --git a/skylab/templates/golang_tests.go.tmpl b/skylab/templates/golang_tests.go.tmpl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fedf567
--- /dev/null
+++ b/skylab/templates/golang_tests.go.tmpl
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+
+package skylab
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"encoding/json"
+)
+
+{{ range .Packets }}
+{{- $structName := camelCase .Name true}}
+func TestMarshalUnmarshal{{$structName}}(t *testing.T) {
+	v := &{{$structName}}{}
+	bin, err := v.MarshalPacket()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	err = v.UnmarshalPacket(bin)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestJSON{{$structName}}(t *testing.T) {
+
+	v := &{{$structName}}{}
+	jp, err := ToJson(v)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	rawData, err := json.Marshal(jp)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	p, err := FromJson(rawData)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	switch underlying := p.(type) {
+	case *{{$structName}}:
+		break
+	default:
+		t.Fatalf("didn't match type: %T, %v", underlying, underlying)
+	}
+	
+
+}
+
+{{- end }}