diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e6646c9..212e7d1 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
 plenary.nvim/
-tests/default_data/
-tests/custom_data/
+!tests/**/*
 .luarc.json
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b0b13b9..2272acb 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 all: test
 
 test:
+	nvim --headless --noplugin -u tests/minimal.vim +Setup
+	nvim --headless --noplugin -u tests/minimal.vim +TestAutoloading
 	nvim --headless --noplugin -u tests/minimal.vim +Test
+	nvim --headless --noplugin -u tests/minimal.vim +TearDown
 
 check:
 	stylua --color always --check .
diff --git a/tests/autoload/autoload_allowed_dir_spec.lua b/tests/autoload/autoload_allowed_dir_spec.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7cce379
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/autoload/autoload_allowed_dir_spec.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+local e = vim.fn.fnameescape
+local session_dir = vim.fn.getcwd() .. "/tests/dummy_data/"
+require("persisted").setup({
+  dir = session_dir,
+  autoload = true,
+  autosave = true,
+  allowed_dirs = { vim.fn.getcwd() },
+})
+
+describe("With custom settings:", function()
+
+  -- after_each(function()
+  --   vim.fn.system("rm -rf " .. e(session_dir))
+  -- end)
+
+  it("autoloads a file with allowed_dirs", function()
+    local content = vim.fn.getline(1, '$')
+    assert.equals(content[1], "If you're reading this, I guess auto-loading works")
+  end)
+
+end)
diff --git a/tests/autoload/autoload_session_spec.lua b/tests/autoload/autoload_session_spec.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6479ada
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/autoload/autoload_session_spec.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+local e = vim.fn.fnameescape
+local session_dir = vim.fn.getcwd() .. "/tests/dummy_data/"
+require("persisted").setup({
+  dir = session_dir,
+  autoload = true,
+  autosave = true,
+})
+
+describe("With custom settings:", function()
+
+  it("autoloads a file", function()
+    local content = vim.fn.getline(1, '$')
+    assert.equals(content[1], "If you're reading this, I guess auto-loading works")
+  end)
+
+end)
diff --git a/tests/minimal.vim b/tests/minimal.vim
index da1e24a..e38889e 100644
--- a/tests/minimal.vim
+++ b/tests/minimal.vim
@@ -8,4 +8,7 @@ set noswapfile
 set noundofile
 
 runtime plugin/plenary.vim
-command Test PlenaryBustedDirectory tests/ {minimal_init = 'tests/minimal.vim'} 
+command Setup PlenaryBustedFile tests/setup/create_sessions_spec.lua
+command TestAutoloading PlenaryBustedDirectory tests/autoload {minimal_init = 'tests/minimal.vim'}
+command Test PlenaryBustedDirectory tests/ {minimal_init = 'tests/minimal.vim'}
+command TearDown PlenaryBustedFile tests/teardown/clean_up_dirs.lua
diff --git a/tests/setup/create_sessions_spec.lua b/tests/setup/create_sessions_spec.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4fa88d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/setup/create_sessions_spec.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+pcall(vim.fn.system, "rm -rf tests/dummy_data")
+
+local session_dir = vim.fn.getcwd() .. "/tests/dummy_data/"
+require("persisted").setup({
+  dir = session_dir,
+  autoload = true,
+  autosave = true,
+})
+
+describe("As part of the setup", function()
+  it("a session is created to autoload from", function()
+
+    vim.cmd(":e tests/stubs/test_autoload.txt")
+    vim.cmd(":w")
+
+    require("persisted").save()
+  end)
+  -- it("autoloads a file", function()
+  --   local content = vim.fn.getline(1, '$')
+  --   assert.equals(content[1], "This is a test file for custom config")
+  -- end)
+end)
diff --git a/tests/stubs/test_autoload.txt b/tests/stubs/test_autoload.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0509b5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/stubs/test_autoload.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+If you're reading this, I guess auto-loading works
diff --git a/tests/teardown/clean_up_dirs.lua b/tests/teardown/clean_up_dirs.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f627986
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/teardown/clean_up_dirs.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+describe("As part of the teardown", function()
+  it("dummy data is deleted", function()
+    pcall(vim.fn.system, "rm -rf tests/dummy_data")
+    pcall(vim.fn.system, "rm -rf tests/default_data")
+  end)
+end)