diff --git a/tests/test_util_docstrings.py b/tests/test_util_docstrings.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1bdda1021
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_util_docstrings.py
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+"""
+    test_util_docstrings
+    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+    Test sphinx.util.docstrings.
+
+    :copyright: Copyright 2007-2016 by the Sphinx team, see AUTHORS.
+    :license: BSD, see LICENSE for details.
+"""
+
+from sphinx.util.docstrings import prepare_docstring, prepare_commentdoc
+
+
+def test_prepare_docstring():
+    docstring = """multiline docstring
+
+                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.
+                """
+
+    assert (prepare_docstring(docstring) ==
+            ["multiline docstring",
+             "",
+             "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.",
+             ""])
+    assert (prepare_docstring(docstring, 5) ==
+            ["multiline docstring",
+             "",
+             "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.",
+             ""])
+
+    docstring = """
+
+                multiline docstring with leading empty lines
+                """
+    assert (prepare_docstring(docstring) ==
+            ["multiline docstring with leading empty lines",
+             ""])
+
+    docstring = "single line docstring"
+    assert (prepare_docstring(docstring) ==
+            ["single line docstring",
+             ""])
+
+
+def test_prepare_commentdoc():
+    assert prepare_commentdoc("hello world") == []
+    assert prepare_commentdoc("#: hello world") == ["hello world", ""]
+    assert prepare_commentdoc("#:  hello world") == [" hello world", ""]
+    assert prepare_commentdoc("#: hello\n#: world\n") == ["hello", "world", ""]