diff --git a/test/cask/system_command_test.rb b/test/cask/system_command_test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..8e17e12609eac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cask/system_command_test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+require 'test_helper'
+
+describe Cask::SystemCommand do
+  describe "when the exit code is 0" do
+    result = nil
+
+    before do
+      command = '/usr/bin/true'
+      options = {
+        :must_succeed => false
+      }
+      result = Cask::SystemCommand.run(command, options)
+    end
+
+    it "says the command was successful" do
+      result.success?.must_equal(true)
+    end
+
+    it "says the exit status is 0" do
+      result.exit_status.must_equal(0)
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "when the exit code is 1" do
+    before do
+      # See: https://bugs.ruby-lang.org/issues/1287
+      skip("Ruby 1.8.7 doesn’t see exit statuses") if TestHelper.ruby18?
+    end
+
+    describe "and the command must succeed" do
+      it "throws an error" do
+        lambda {
+          command = '/usr/bin/false'
+          options = {
+            :must_succeed => true
+          }
+          result = Cask::SystemCommand.run(command, options)
+        }.must_raise(CaskCommandFailedError)
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe "and the command does not have to succeed" do
+      result = nil
+
+      before do
+        command = '/usr/bin/false'
+        options = {
+          :must_succeed => false
+        }
+        result = Cask::SystemCommand.run(command, options)
+      end
+
+      it "says the command failed" do
+        result.success?.must_equal(false)
+      end
+
+      it "says the exit status is 1" do
+        result.exit_status.must_equal(1)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/syntax_test.rb b/test/syntax_test.rb
index 2fdc14e637f6d..75d8de0c47dc6 100644
--- a/test/syntax_test.rb
+++ b/test/syntax_test.rb
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@
 
           # Reason for this hack is unknown. Travis appears to freeze,
           # but only in one section of the build matrix.
-          skip if ENV.key?('TRAVIS_JOB_ID')     and
-                  RUBY_VERSION.match(%r{^1\.8})
+          skip if ENV.key?('TRAVIS_JOB_ID') and TestHelper.ruby18?
 
           args = flags + [ '--', file ]
           shutup do
diff --git a/test/test_helper.rb b/test/test_helper.rb
index 7d1f092327512..e1aa05e414fae 100644
--- a/test/test_helper.rb
+++ b/test/test_helper.rb
@@ -111,6 +111,10 @@ def self.install_without_artifacts(cask)
       end
     end
   end
+
+  def self.ruby18?
+    RUBY_VERSION.match(%r{^1\.8})
+  end
 end
 
 require 'support/fake_fetcher'