diff --git a/tests/byte_tests.cpp b/tests/byte_tests.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..41501ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/byte_tests.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//
+// Copyright (c) 2015 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
+//
+// This code is licensed under the MIT License (MIT).
+//
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+// IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+// FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+// AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+// LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+// OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
+// THE SOFTWARE.
+//
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#include <catch/catch.hpp> // for AssertionHandler, StringRef, CHECK, TEST_...
+
+#include <gsl/gsl_byte> // for to_byte, to_integer, byte, operator&, ope...
+
+using namespace std;
+using namespace gsl;
+
+namespace
+{
+
+TEST_CASE("construction")
+{
+    {
+        const byte b = static_cast<byte>(4);
+        CHECK(static_cast<unsigned char>(b) == 4);
+    }
+
+    {
+        const byte b = byte(12);
+        CHECK(static_cast<unsigned char>(b) == 12);
+    }
+
+    {
+        const byte b = to_byte<12>();
+        CHECK(static_cast<unsigned char>(b) == 12);
+    }
+    {
+        const unsigned char uc = 12;
+        const byte b = to_byte(uc);
+        CHECK(static_cast<unsigned char>(b) == 12);
+    }
+
+    // waiting for C++17 enum class direct initializer support
+    //{
+    //    byte b { 14 };
+    //    CHECK(static_cast<unsigned char>(b) == 14);
+    //}
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("bitwise_operations")
+{
+    const byte b = to_byte<0xFF>();
+
+    byte a = to_byte<0x00>();
+    CHECK((b | a) == to_byte<0xFF>());
+    CHECK(a == to_byte<0x00>());
+
+    a |= b;
+    CHECK(a == to_byte<0xFF>());
+
+    a = to_byte<0x01>();
+    CHECK((b & a) == to_byte<0x01>());
+
+    a &= b;
+    CHECK(a == to_byte<0x01>());
+
+    CHECK((b ^ a) == to_byte<0xFE>());
+
+    CHECK(a == to_byte<0x01>());
+    a ^= b;
+    CHECK(a == to_byte<0xFE>());
+
+    a = to_byte<0x01>();
+    CHECK(~a == to_byte<0xFE>());
+
+    a = to_byte<0xFF>();
+    CHECK((a << 4) == to_byte<0xF0>());
+    CHECK((a >> 4) == to_byte<0x0F>());
+
+    a <<= 4;
+    CHECK(a == to_byte<0xF0>());
+    a >>= 4;
+    CHECK(a == to_byte<0x0F>());
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("to_integer")
+{
+    const byte b = to_byte<0x12>();
+
+    CHECK(0x12 == gsl::to_integer<char>(b));
+    CHECK(0x12 == gsl::to_integer<short>(b));
+    CHECK(0x12 == gsl::to_integer<long>(b));
+    CHECK(0x12 == gsl::to_integer<long long>(b));
+
+    CHECK(0x12 == gsl::to_integer<unsigned char>(b));
+    CHECK(0x12 == gsl::to_integer<unsigned short>(b));
+    CHECK(0x12 == gsl::to_integer<unsigned long>(b));
+    CHECK(0x12 == gsl::to_integer<unsigned long long>(b));
+
+    //      CHECK(0x12 == gsl::to_integer<float>(b));   // expect compile-time error
+    //      CHECK(0x12 == gsl::to_integer<double>(b));  // expect compile-time error
+}
+
+int modify_both(gsl::byte & b, int& i)
+{
+    i = 10;
+    b = to_byte<5>();
+    return i;
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("aliasing")
+{
+    int i{0};
+    const int res = modify_both(reinterpret_cast<byte&>(i), i);
+    CHECK(res == i);
+}
+
+}