diff -r eb1aa6f8701e Lib/test/test_pty.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_pty.py	Sun Dec 25 16:24:15 2016 +0200
+++ b/Lib/test/test_pty.py	Sun Dec 25 17:32:20 2016 +0100
@@ -197,6 +197,48 @@
 
         # pty.fork() passed.
 
+class PtyLinuxIntegrtionTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Test black-box functionality. Linux-specific. May actually fork and exec
+    local programs! Should not be intrusive for your local machine.
+    """
+    def setUp(self):
+        pass
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        pass
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _skip_not_available(exe_path):
+        if not (os.path.isfile(exe_path) and
+                os.access(exe_path, os.R_OK | os.X_OK)):
+            raise unittest.SkipTest("File `{:s}' seems not to be available "
+                                    "on your system".format(exe_path))
+
+    def _spawn_binary_return_returncode(self, binary):
+        """Helper function to do pty.spawn() on binary and return the return
+        code, assuming successful termination."""
+        self._skip_not_available(binary)
+
+        ret = pty.spawn(binary)
+
+        #behavior of waitpid in module posix
+        self.assertLess(ret, 2**16)
+        killsig = ret & 0xff
+        self.assertEqual(killsig, 0)
+
+        retcode = (ret & 0xff00) >> 8
+        return retcode
+
+    def test_spawn_bin_true(self):
+        """Spawn /bin/true and read return code."""
+        retcode = self._spawn_binary_return_returncode('/bin/true')
+        self.assertEqual(retcode, 0)
+
+    def test_spawn_bin_false(self):
+        """Spawn /bin/false and read return code."""
+        retcode = self._spawn_binary_return_returncode('/bin/false')
+        self.assertEqual(retcode, 1)
+
 
 class SmallPtyTests(unittest.TestCase):
     """These tests don't spawn children or hang."""