diff --git a/src/backend/postgres/test/.cvsignore b/src/backend/postgres/test/.cvsignore
index bfc22c2b30..39c324c265 100644
--- a/src/backend/postgres/test/.cvsignore
+++ b/src/backend/postgres/test/.cvsignore
@@ -2,4 +2,3 @@ Makefile
 Makefile.in
 gnc_test
 test-db
-test-file-*
diff --git a/src/backend/postgres/test/Makefile.am b/src/backend/postgres/test/Makefile.am
index 1d31cf075c..95b198846b 100644
--- a/src/backend/postgres/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/backend/postgres/test/Makefile.am
@@ -32,5 +32,3 @@ INCLUDES = \
 EXTRA_DIST = \
   db-control.sh
 
-CLEANFILES = test-file-*
-
diff --git a/src/backend/postgres/test/run-tests.sh b/src/backend/postgres/test/run-tests.sh
index c11fd4feda..88a7e8ebc4 100755
--- a/src/backend/postgres/test/run-tests.sh
+++ b/src/backend/postgres/test/run-tests.sh
@@ -17,6 +17,5 @@ diff -u test-file-1 test-file-2 || EXIT_VALUE=1
 if test $EXIT_VALUE != 0; then exit $EXIT_VALUE; fi
 
 #./db-control.sh destroy
-rm -f test-file-*
 
 exit $EXIT_VALUE
diff --git a/src/backend/postgres/test/test-db.c b/src/backend/postgres/test/test-db.c
index 323ab9adbb..492161f2e0 100644
--- a/src/backend/postgres/test/test-db.c
+++ b/src/backend/postgres/test/test-db.c
@@ -16,33 +16,12 @@ static void
 run_test (void)
 {
   GNCBook *book;
+  GNCBook *book_db;
   GNCBackendError io_err;
-  char cwd[1024];
   char *filename;
 
   book = get_random_book ();
 
-  getcwd (cwd, sizeof (cwd));
-
-  filename = g_strconcat ("file:/", cwd, "/test-file-1", NULL);
-  gnc_book_begin (book, filename, FALSE, TRUE);
-  g_free (filename);
-
-  io_err = gnc_book_get_error (book);
-  if (!do_test (io_err == ERR_BACKEND_NO_ERR, "Beginning test-file-1"))
-    return;
-
-  gnc_book_save (book);
-  if (!do_test (io_err == ERR_BACKEND_NO_ERR, "Saving test-file-1"))
-    return;
-
-  gnc_book_end (book);
-  if (!do_test (io_err == ERR_BACKEND_NO_ERR, "Ending test-file-1"))
-    return;
-
-  if (!do_test (gnc_book_get_url (book) == NULL, "book url not NULL"))
-    return;
-
   filename = g_strdup ("postgres://localhost:7777/gnc_test?mode=single-file");
   gnc_book_begin (book, filename, FALSE, TRUE);
 
@@ -58,58 +37,48 @@ run_test (void)
   if (!do_test (io_err == ERR_BACKEND_NO_ERR, "Ending gnc_test"))
     return;
 
-  gnc_book_destroy (book);
+  if (!do_test (gnc_book_get_url (book) == NULL, "book url not NULL"))
+    return;
 
-  book = gnc_book_new ();
+  book_db = gnc_book_new ();
 
-  gnc_book_begin (book, filename, FALSE, FALSE);
+  gnc_book_begin (book_db, filename, FALSE, FALSE);
   g_free (filename);
 
-  io_err = gnc_book_get_error (book);
+  io_err = gnc_book_get_error (book_db);
   if (!do_test (io_err == ERR_BACKEND_NO_ERR, "Beginning gnc_test load"))
     return;
 
-  gnc_book_load (book);
+  gnc_book_load (book_db);
   if (!do_test (io_err == ERR_BACKEND_NO_ERR, "Loading gnc_test"))
     return;
 
-  gnc_book_end (book);
+  gnc_book_end (book_db);
   if (!do_test (io_err == ERR_BACKEND_NO_ERR, "Ending gnc_test load"))
     return;
 
-  filename = g_strconcat ("file:/", cwd, "/test-file-2", NULL);
-  gnc_book_begin (book, filename, FALSE, TRUE);
-  g_free (filename);
-
-  io_err = gnc_book_get_error (book);
-  if (!do_test (io_err == ERR_BACKEND_NO_ERR, "Beginning test-file-2"))
-    return;
-
-  gnc_book_save (book);
-  if (!do_test (io_err == ERR_BACKEND_NO_ERR, "Saving test-file-2"))
-    return;
-
-  gnc_book_end (book);
-  if (!do_test (io_err == ERR_BACKEND_NO_ERR, "Ending test-file-2"))
-    return;
+  do_test (gnc_book_equal (book, book_db), "Books not equal");
 }
 
 static void
 guile_main (int argc, char **argv)
 {
-  GNCBook *book;
-
   gnc_module_system_init ();
   gnc_module_load ("gnucash/engine", 0);
 
   glist_exclude_type (KVP_TYPE_BINARY);
   glist_exclude_type (KVP_TYPE_GLIST);
+
   /* The random double generator is making values
    * that postgres doesn't like. */
   glist_exclude_type (KVP_TYPE_DOUBLE);
+
   set_max_kvp_depth (3);
   set_max_kvp_frame_elements (3);
 
+  set_max_group_depth (3);
+  set_max_group_accounts (5);
+
   xaccLogDisable ();
 
   run_test ();
@@ -121,7 +90,7 @@ guile_main (int argc, char **argv)
 int
 main (int argc, char ** argv)
 {
-  getchar ();
+  /* getchar (); */
 
   gh_enter (argc, argv, guile_main);
 
diff --git a/src/engine/gnc-book.c b/src/engine/gnc-book.c
index 84180904b7..fa2d00666d 100644
--- a/src/engine/gnc-book.c
+++ b/src/engine/gnc-book.c
@@ -738,6 +738,26 @@ gnc_book_destroy (GNCBook *book)
   LEAVE(" ");
 }
 
+gboolean
+gnc_book_equal (GNCBook *book_1, GNCBook *book_2)
+{
+  if (book_1 == book_2) return TRUE;
+  if (!book_1 || !book_2) return FALSE;
+
+  if (!xaccGroupEqual (gnc_book_get_group (book_1),
+                       gnc_book_get_group (book_2),
+                       TRUE))
+    return FALSE;
+
+  if (!gnc_pricedb_equal (gnc_book_get_pricedb (book_1),
+                          gnc_book_get_pricedb (book_2)))
+    return FALSE;
+
+  /* FIXME: do scheduled transactions and template group */
+
+  return TRUE;
+}
+
 gboolean
 gnc_book_events_pending (GNCBook *book)
 {
diff --git a/src/engine/gnc-book.h b/src/engine/gnc-book.h
index f47def413e..b80881c3e7 100644
--- a/src/engine/gnc-book.h
+++ b/src/engine/gnc-book.h
@@ -182,6 +182,10 @@ gboolean gnc_book_save_may_clobber_data (GNCBook *book);
 void     gnc_book_save (GNCBook *book);
 void     gnc_book_end  (GNCBook *book);
 
+/* The gnc_book_equal() method returns TRUE if the engine data
+ * in the two given books is equal. */
+gboolean gnc_book_equal (GNCBook *book_1, GNCBook *book_2);
+
 /* The gnc_book_events_pending() method will return TRUE if the backend
  *    has pending events which must be processed to bring the engine
  *    up to date with the backend.
diff --git a/src/engine/test-core/test-engine-stuff.c b/src/engine/test-core/test-engine-stuff.c
index 8fa1e979fb..4c8f396ce4 100644
--- a/src/engine/test-core/test-engine-stuff.c
+++ b/src/engine/test-core/test-engine-stuff.c
@@ -23,12 +23,26 @@ static GHashTable *exclude_kvp_types = NULL;
 static gint kvp_max_depth = G_MAXINT;
 static gint kvp_frame_max_elements = 10;
 
+static gint max_group_depth = 4;
+static gint max_group_accounts = 10;
 
 static kvp_value* get_random_kvp_value_depth (int type, gint depth);
 
 
 /***********************************************************************/
 
+void
+set_max_group_depth (gint max_group_depth_in)
+{
+  max_group_depth = MAX (max_group_depth_in, 1);
+}
+
+void
+set_max_group_accounts (gint max_group_accounts_in)
+{
+  max_group_accounts = MAX (max_group_accounts_in, 1);
+}
+
 void
 set_max_kvp_depth (gint max_kvp_depth)
 {
@@ -427,7 +441,8 @@ get_random_group_depth(int depth)
 
   group = xaccMallocAccountGroup ();
 
-  num_accounts = get_random_int_in_range (1, 10);
+  num_accounts = get_random_int_in_range (1, max_group_accounts);
+
   while (num_accounts-- > 0)
   {
     Account *account = get_random_account ();
@@ -445,7 +460,7 @@ get_random_group(void)
 {
   int depth;
 
-  depth = get_random_int_in_range (1, 4);
+  depth = get_random_int_in_range (1, max_group_depth);
 
   return get_random_group_depth (depth);
 }
diff --git a/src/engine/test-core/test-engine-stuff.h b/src/engine/test-core/test-engine-stuff.h
index e3c16b70d4..b56e2a7211 100644
--- a/src/engine/test-core/test-engine-stuff.h
+++ b/src/engine/test-core/test-engine-stuff.h
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ void random_glist_strings_only (gboolean strings_only);
 void glist_exclude_type (kvp_value_t kvp_type);
 void set_max_kvp_depth (gint max_kvp_depth);
 void set_max_kvp_frame_elements (gint max_kvp_frame_elements);
+void set_max_group_depth (gint max_group_depth);
+void set_max_group_accounts (gint max_group_accounts);
 
 GNCPrice * get_random_price(void);
 void make_random_pricedb (GNCPriceDB *pdb);