diff --git a/artiq/test/test_datasets.py b/artiq/test/test_datasets.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..710e34116
--- /dev/null
+++ b/artiq/test/test_datasets.py
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+"""Tests for the (Env)Experiment-facing dataset interface."""
+
+import copy
+import unittest
+
+from artiq.experiment import EnvExperiment
+from artiq.master.worker_db import DatasetManager
+from artiq.protocols.sync_struct import process_mod
+
+
+class MockDatasetDB:
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.data = dict()
+
+    def get(self, key):
+        return self.data[key][1]
+
+    def update(self, mod):
+        # Copy mod before applying to avoid sharing references to objects
+        # between this and the DatasetManager, which would lead to mods being
+        # applied twice.
+        process_mod(self.data, copy.deepcopy(mod))
+
+    def delete(self, key):
+        del self.data[key]
+
+
+class TestExperiment(EnvExperiment):
+    def get(self, key):
+        return self.get_dataset(key)
+
+    def set(self, key, value, **kwargs):
+        self.set_dataset(key, value, **kwargs)
+
+
+KEY = "foo"
+
+
+class ExperimentDatasetCase(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        # Create an instance of TestExperiment locally in this process and a
+        # mock dataset db to back it. When used from the master, the worker IPC
+        # connection would marshal updates between dataset_mgr and dataset_db.
+        self.dataset_db = MockDatasetDB()
+        self.dataset_mgr = DatasetManager(self.dataset_db)
+        self.exp = TestExperiment((None, self.dataset_mgr, None))
+
+    def test_set_local(self):
+        with self.assertRaises(KeyError):
+            self.exp.get(KEY)
+
+        for i in range(2):    
+            self.exp.set(KEY, i)
+            self.assertEqual(self.exp.get(KEY), i)
+            with self.assertRaises(KeyError):
+                self.dataset_db.get(KEY)
+
+    def test_set_broadcast(self):
+        with self.assertRaises(KeyError):
+            self.exp.get(KEY)
+
+        self.exp.set(KEY, 0, broadcast=True)
+        self.assertEqual(self.exp.get(KEY), 0)
+        self.assertEqual(self.dataset_db.get(KEY), 0)
+
+        self.exp.set(KEY, 1, broadcast=False)
+        self.assertEqual(self.exp.get(KEY), 1)
+        with self.assertRaises(KeyError):
+            self.dataset_db.get(KEY)