diff --git a/artiq/test/lda.py b/artiq/test/lda.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6b35d7fae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/artiq/test/lda.py
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import unittest
+import os
+from artiq.devices.lda.driver import Lda, Ldasim
+from artiq.language.units import dB
+
+
+no_hardware = bool(os.getenv("ARTIQ_NO_HARDWARE"))
+
+
+class GenericLdaTest:
+    def test_attenuation(self):
+        step = self.cont.get_att_step_size().amount
+        max = self.cont.get_att_max().amount
+        test_vector = [i*step*dB for i in range(0, int(max*int(1/step)+1))]
+        for i in test_vector:
+            with self.subTest(i=i):
+                self.cont.set_attenuation(i)
+                self.assertEqual(i, self.cont.get_attenuation())
+
+
+@unittest.skipIf(no_hardware, "no hardware")
+class TestLda(GenericLdaTest, unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        device = os.getenv("ARTIQ_LDA_DEVICE")
+        serial = os.getenv("ARTIQ_LDA_SERIAL")
+        args = dict()
+        if device is not None:
+            args["product"] = device
+        if serial is not None:
+            args["serial"] = serial
+
+        self.cont = Lda(**args)
+
+
+class TestLdaSim(GenericLdaTest, unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.cont = Ldasim()
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()