diff --git a/swh/loader/core/tests/test_tests.py b/swh/loader/core/tests/test_tests.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b138b37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/swh/loader/core/tests/test_tests.py
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+# Copyright (C) 2018  The Software Heritage developers
+# See the AUTHORS file at the top-level directory of this distribution
+# License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
+# See top-level LICENSE file for more information
+
+import os.path
+from os.path import join
+import pytest
+import re
+import tarfile
+import tempfile
+from unittest import TestCase
+
+from . import BaseLoaderStorageTest
+
+from swh.loader.core.tests import BaseLoaderTest
+
+
+class TestsTest(BaseLoaderStorageTest, TestCase):
+    """Test the helpers provided to other loaders' tests."""
+
+    def _build_archive(self, fd):
+        with tarfile.open(mode='w', fileobj=fd) as tf:
+            with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as src_dir:
+                with open(join(src_dir, 'hello.txt'), 'a') as src_file:
+                    src_file.write('world\n')
+                tf.add(src_dir, arcname='test_dir')
+
+    def _build_workdir(self, workdir):
+        os.mkdir(join(workdir, 'resources'))
+        tarball_path = join(workdir, 'resources', 'test_archive.tar')
+        with open(tarball_path, 'a+b') as tar_fd:
+            self._build_archive(tar_fd)
+
+    @pytest.mark.fs
+    def test_uncompress_setup_auto_name(self):
+        loader_test = BaseLoaderTest()
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as workdir:
+            self._build_workdir(workdir)
+
+            loader_test.setUp('test_archive.tar', start_path=workdir)
+
+        self.assertTrue(re.match('^file://.*-tests/test_archive.tar$',
+                                 loader_test.repo_url),
+                        msg=loader_test.repo_url)
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.isdir(loader_test.destination_path))
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.isdir(join(loader_test.destination_path,
+                                           'test_dir')))
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(join(loader_test.destination_path,
+                                            'test_dir',
+                                            'hello.txt')))
+
+        loader_test.tearDown()
+        self.assertFalse(os.path.isdir(loader_test.destination_path))
+
+    @pytest.mark.fs
+    def test_uncompress_setup_provided_name(self):
+        loader_test = BaseLoaderTest()
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as workdir:
+            self._build_workdir(workdir)
+
+            loader_test.setUp('test_archive.tar', start_path=workdir,
+                              filename='test_dir')
+
+        self.assertTrue(re.match('^file://.*-tests/test_dir$',
+                                 loader_test.repo_url),
+                        msg=loader_test.repo_url)
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.isdir(loader_test.destination_path))
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(join(loader_test.destination_path,
+                                            'hello.txt')))
+
+        loader_test.tearDown()
+        self.assertFalse(os.path.isdir(loader_test.destination_path))
+
+    @pytest.mark.fs
+    def test_setup_no_uncompress(self):
+        loader_test = BaseLoaderTest()
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as workdir:
+            self._build_workdir(workdir)
+
+            loader_test.setUp('test_archive.tar', start_path=workdir,
+                              uncompress_archive=False)
+
+        self.assertEqual('file://' + workdir + '/resources/test_archive.tar',
+                         loader_test.repo_url)
+        self.assertEqual(workdir + '/resources/test_archive.tar',
+                         loader_test.destination_path)