diff --git a/test/shell/file-source.mcl b/test/shell/file-source.mcl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b647e02f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/shell/file-source.mcl
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+file "/tmp/mgmt/file-source.txt" {
+	source => "file-source.txt",
+	state => "exists",
+}
diff --git a/test/shell/file-source.sh b/test/shell/file-source.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..85afd0c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/shell/file-source.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#!/bin/bash -e
+# vim: noet:ts=8:sts=8:sw=8
+
+set -x
+
+if ! timeout 1s sudo -A true; then
+	echo "sudo disabled: not checking file owner and group"
+	exit
+fi
+
+# run till completion
+$timeout --kill-after=30s 25s sudo -A "$MGMT" run --lang file-source.mcl --converged-timeout=5 --no-watch --tmp-prefix &
+pid=$!
+wait $pid	# get exit status
+e=$?
+
+ls -l /tmp/mgmt
+
+test -e /tmp/mgmt/file-source.txt
+cmp --silent file-source.txt /tmp/mgmt/file-source.txt || exit 1
+
+exit $e
diff --git a/test/shell/file-source.txt b/test/shell/file-source.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7b95d6b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/shell/file-source.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor
+incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis
+nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
+Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu
+fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in
+culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.