diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 4c114ffa..7d74f5fa 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ LOG_DRIVER = testcpu  ## hack TODO/FIXME ... should be wrapper shell script acce
 A2_TEST_SOURCES = $(apple2ix_SOURCES)
 A2_TEST_CFLAGS = -DTESTING=1 -Isrc/greatest
 
-TESTS          = testcpu testdisplay
-check_PROGRAMS = testcpu testdisplay
+TESTS          = testcpu testdisplay testvm
+check_PROGRAMS = testcpu testdisplay testvm
 
 testcpu_SOURCES = src/test/testcpu.c $(A2_TEST_SOURCES) $(EXTRA_apple2ix_SOURCES)
 testcpu_CFLAGS = $(apple2ix_CFLAGS) $(A2_TEST_CFLAGS)
@@ -97,6 +97,12 @@ testdisplay_CFLAGS = $(apple2ix_CFLAGS) $(A2_TEST_CFLAGS) -UAUDIO_ENABLED -UVIDE
 testdisplay_LDFLAGS = $(apple2ix_LDFLAGS)
 testdisplay_DEPENDENCIES = @VM_O@ @META_O@
 
+testvm_SOURCES = src/test/testvm.c $(A2_TEST_SOURCES) $(VM_SRC) $(META_SRC)
+# HACK FIXME TODO NOTE: why don't these CFLAGS here pass down to the .S and .c files in the subdirectories?
+testvm_CFLAGS = $(apple2ix_CFLAGS) $(A2_TEST_CFLAGS) -UAUDIO_ENABLED -UVIDEO_X11 -UINTERFACE_CLASSIC
+testvm_LDFLAGS = $(apple2ix_LDFLAGS)
+testvm_DEPENDENCIES = @VM_O@ @META_O@
+
 ###############################################################################
 # Misc
 
diff --git a/disks/testvm1.dsk.gz b/disks/testvm1.dsk.gz
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d95e0f75
Binary files /dev/null and b/disks/testvm1.dsk.gz differ
diff --git a/src/test/testcommon.h b/src/test/testcommon.h
index 5ad5bd79..f0456205 100644
--- a/src/test/testcommon.h
+++ b/src/test/testcommon.h
@@ -14,4 +14,33 @@
 
 #include "common.h"
 
+#define TEST_FINISHED 0xff
+#define MIXSWITCH_ADDR 0x1f32   // PEEK(7986)
+#define WATCHPOINT_ADDR 0x1f33  // PEEK(7987)
+#define TESTOUT_ADDR 0x1f43     // PEEK(8003)
+
+#define BLANK_SCREEN "6C8ABA272F220F00BE0E76A8659A1E30C2D3CDBE"
+#define BOOT_SCREEN  "F8D6C781E0BB7B3DDBECD69B25E429D845506594"
+
+#define TESTBUF_SZ 256
+
+#define ASSERT_SHA(SHA_STR) \
+    do { \
+        uint8_t md[SHA_DIGEST_LENGTH]; \
+        char mdstr[(SHA_DIGEST_LENGTH*2)+1]; \
+        const uint8_t * const fb = video_current_framebuffer(); \
+        SHA1(fb, SCANWIDTH*SCANHEIGHT, md); \
+        sha1_to_str(md, mdstr); \
+        ASSERT(strcmp(mdstr, SHA_STR) == 0); \
+    } while(0);
+
+#define BOOT_TO_DOS() \
+    if (test_do_reboot) { \
+        ASSERT(apple_ii_64k[0][WATCHPOINT_ADDR] != TEST_FINISHED); \
+        c_debugger_go(); \
+        ASSERT(apple_ii_64k[0][WATCHPOINT_ADDR] == TEST_FINISHED); \
+        ASSERT_SHA(BOOT_SCREEN); \
+        apple_ii_64k[0][WATCHPOINT_ADDR] = 0x00; \
+    }
+
 #endif // whole file
diff --git a/src/test/testdisplay.c b/src/test/testdisplay.c
index ab9afacd..cb0f36bf 100644
--- a/src/test/testdisplay.c
+++ b/src/test/testdisplay.c
@@ -18,15 +18,6 @@
 #error "these tests require OpenSSL libraries"
 #endif
 
-#define TEST_FINISHED 0xff
-#define MIXSWITCH_ADDR 0x1f32   // PEEK(7986)
-#define WATCHPOINT_ADDR 0x1f33  // PEEK(7987)
-
-#define BLANK_SCREEN "6C8ABA272F220F00BE0E76A8659A1E30C2D3CDBE"
-#define BOOT_SCREEN  "F8D6C781E0BB7B3DDBECD69B25E429D845506594"
-
-#define TESTBUF_SZ 256
-
 static char *input_str = NULL; // ASCII
 static unsigned int input_length = 0;
 static unsigned int input_counter = 0;
@@ -115,27 +106,6 @@ void c_interface_print(int x, int y, const int cs, const char *s) {
 }
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// VM TESTS ...
-
-#define ASSERT_SHA(SHA_STR) \
-    do { \
-        uint8_t md[SHA_DIGEST_LENGTH]; \
-        char mdstr[(SHA_DIGEST_LENGTH*2)+1]; \
-        const uint8_t * const fb = video_current_framebuffer(); \
-        SHA1(fb, SCANWIDTH*SCANHEIGHT, md); \
-        sha1_to_str(md, mdstr); \
-        ASSERT(strcmp(mdstr, SHA_STR) == 0); \
-    } while(0);
-
-#define BOOT_TO_DOS() \
-    if (test_do_reboot) { \
-        ASSERT(apple_ii_64k[0][WATCHPOINT_ADDR] != TEST_FINISHED); \
-        c_debugger_go(); \
-        ASSERT(apple_ii_64k[0][WATCHPOINT_ADDR] == TEST_FINISHED); \
-        ASSERT_SHA(BOOT_SCREEN); \
-        apple_ii_64k[0][WATCHPOINT_ADDR] = 0x00; \
-    }
-
 
 TEST test_boot_disk() {
     char *disk = "./disks/testdisplay1.dsk.gz";
diff --git a/src/test/testvm.c b/src/test/testvm.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..87f5038d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/testvm.c
@@ -0,0 +1,229 @@
+/*
+ * Apple // emulator for *nix
+ *
+ * This software package is subject to the GNU General Public License
+ * version 2 or later (your choice) as published by the Free Software
+ * Foundation.
+ *
+ * THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES WHATSOEVER.
+ *
+ */
+
+#include "greatest.h"
+#include "testcommon.h"
+
+#ifdef HAVE_OPENSSL
+#include <openssl/sha.h>
+#else
+#error "these tests require OpenSSL libraries (SHA)"
+#endif
+
+static char *input_str = NULL; // ASCII
+static unsigned int input_length = 0;
+static unsigned int input_counter = 0;
+static bool test_do_reboot = true;
+
+extern unsigned char joy_button0;
+
+static void testvm_setup(void *arg) {
+    apple_ii_64k[0][MIXSWITCH_ADDR] = 0x00;
+    apple_ii_64k[0][WATCHPOINT_ADDR] = 0x00;
+    apple_ii_64k[0][TESTOUT_ADDR] = 0x00;
+    input_counter = 0;
+    input_length = 0;
+    joy_button0 = 0xff; // OpenApple
+    if (test_do_reboot) {
+        cpu65_interrupt(ResetSig);
+    }
+}
+
+static void testvm_teardown(void *arg) {
+    if (input_str) {
+        free(input_str);
+    }
+    input_str = NULL;
+}
+
+static void testvm_breakpoint(void *arg) {
+    fprintf(GREATEST_STDOUT, "set breakpoint on testvm_breakpoint to check for problems...\n");
+}
+
+static void sha1_to_str(const uint8_t * const md, char *buf) {
+    int i=0;
+    for (int j=0; j<SHA_DIGEST_LENGTH; j++, i+=2) {
+        sprintf(buf+i, "%02X", md[j]);
+    }
+    sprintf(buf+i, "%c", '\0');
+}
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// test video functions and stubs
+
+void video_sync(int ignored) {
+
+    if (input_counter >= input_length) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    uint8_t ch = (uint8_t)input_str[input_counter];
+    if (ch == '\n') {
+        fprintf(stderr, "converting '\\n' to '\\r' in test input string...");
+        ch = '\r';
+    }
+
+    if ( (apple_ii_64k[0][0xC000] & 0x80) || (apple_ii_64k[1][0xC000] & 0x80) ) {
+        // last character typed not processed by emulator...
+        return;
+    }
+
+    apple_ii_64k[0][0xC000] = ch | 0x80;
+    apple_ii_64k[1][0xC000] = ch | 0x80;
+
+    ++input_counter;
+}
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Stub functions because I've reached diminishing returns with the build system ...
+//
+// NOTE: You'd think the commandline CFLAGS set specifically for this test program would pass down to the sources in
+// subdirectories, but it apparently isn't.  GNU buildsystem bug?  Also see HACK FIXME TODO NOTE in Makefile.am
+//
+
+uint8_t c_MB_Read(uint16_t addr) {
+    return 0x0;
+}
+
+void c_MB_Write(uint16_t addr, uint8_t byte) {
+}
+
+uint8_t c_PhasorIO(uint16_t addr) {
+    return 0x0;
+}
+
+void SpkrToggle() {
+}
+
+void c_interface_print(int x, int y, const int cs, const char *s) {
+}
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// VM TESTS ...
+
+TEST test_boot_disk() {
+    char *disk = "./disks/testvm1.dsk.gz";
+    ASSERT(!c_new_diskette_6(0, disk, 0));
+
+    BOOT_TO_DOS();
+
+    PASS();
+}
+
+TEST test_read_keyboard() {
+    BOOT_TO_DOS();
+
+    ASSERT(apple_ii_64k[0][WATCHPOINT_ADDR] != TEST_FINISHED);
+    ASSERT(apple_ii_64k[0][TESTOUT_ADDR]    == 0x00);
+
+    input_str = strdup("RUN TESTGETKEY\rZ");
+    input_length = strlen(input_str);
+    c_debugger_go();
+
+    ASSERT(apple_ii_64k[0][WATCHPOINT_ADDR] == TEST_FINISHED);
+    ASSERT(apple_ii_64k[0][TESTOUT_ADDR] == 'Z');
+
+    PASS();
+}
+
+TEST test_clear_keyboard() {
+    BOOT_TO_DOS();
+
+    ASSERT(apple_ii_64k[0][WATCHPOINT_ADDR] != TEST_FINISHED);
+    ASSERT(apple_ii_64k[0][TESTOUT_ADDR]    == 0x00);
+
+    input_str = strdup("RUN TESTCLEARKEY\rZA");
+    input_length = strlen(input_str);
+    c_debugger_go();
+
+    ASSERT(apple_ii_64k[0][WATCHPOINT_ADDR] == TEST_FINISHED);
+    ASSERT(apple_ii_64k[0][TESTOUT_ADDR] == 'A');
+
+    PASS();
+}
+
+TEST test_read_random() {
+    SKIPm("random numbers current b0rken...");
+
+    BOOT_TO_DOS();
+
+    ASSERT(apple_ii_64k[0][WATCHPOINT_ADDR] != TEST_FINISHED);
+    ASSERT(apple_ii_64k[0][TESTOUT_ADDR]    == 0x00);
+
+    input_str = strdup("RUN TESTRND\r");
+    input_length = strlen(input_str);
+    c_debugger_go();
+
+    ASSERT(apple_ii_64k[0][WATCHPOINT_ADDR] == TEST_FINISHED);
+    ASSERT(apple_ii_64k[0][TESTOUT_ADDR] == 0xFF);
+
+    PASS();
+}
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Test Suite
+
+extern void cpu_thread(void *dummyptr);
+
+GREATEST_SUITE(test_suite_vm) {
+
+    c_read_random();
+    srandom(0); // force a known sequence
+
+    GREATEST_SET_SETUP_CB(testvm_setup, NULL);
+    GREATEST_SET_TEARDOWN_CB(testvm_teardown, NULL);
+    GREATEST_SET_BREAKPOINT_CB(testvm_breakpoint, NULL);
+
+    do_logging = false;// silence regular emulator logging
+    setenv("APPLE2IXCFG", "nosuchconfigfile", 1);
+
+    load_settings();
+    c_initialize_firsttime();
+
+    // kludgey set max CPU speed... 
+    cpu_scale_factor = CPU_SCALE_FASTEST;
+    cpu_altscale_factor = CPU_SCALE_FASTEST;
+    g_bFullSpeed = true;
+
+    caps_lock = true;
+
+    // spin off cpu thread
+    pthread_create(&cpu_thread_id, NULL, (void *) &cpu_thread, (void *)NULL);
+
+    pthread_mutex_lock(&interface_mutex);
+
+    c_debugger_set_watchpoint(WATCHPOINT_ADDR);
+    c_debugger_set_timeout(5);
+
+    // TESTS --------------------------
+
+    RUN_TESTp(test_boot_disk);
+
+    RUN_TESTp(test_read_keyboard);
+
+    RUN_TESTp(test_clear_keyboard);
+
+    RUN_TESTp(test_read_random);
+
+    // ...
+    c_eject_6(0);
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&interface_mutex);
+}
+
+SUITE(test_suite_vm);
+GREATEST_MAIN_DEFS();
+
+int main(int argc, char **argv) {
+    GREATEST_MAIN_BEGIN();
+    RUN_SUITE(test_suite_vm);
+    GREATEST_MAIN_END();
+}
+