diff --git a/test/fixtures/planets/jupiter-from-cassini.jpg b/test/fixtures/planets/jupiter-from-cassini.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0b431852
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/fixtures/planets/jupiter-from-cassini.jpg differ
diff --git a/test/pin.js b/test/pin.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1ca28000
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/pin.js
@@ -0,0 +1,232 @@
+/* eslint-env mocha */
+'use strict'
+
+const fs = require('fs')
+const chai = require('chai')
+const dirtyChai = require('dirty-chai')
+const expect = chai.expect
+chai.use(dirtyChai)
+
+const DaemonFactory = require('ipfsd-ctl')
+
+const utils = require('./utils/pin-utils')
+
+describe('pin', function () {
+  this.timeout(5 * 1000)
+
+  const filePath = 'test/fixtures/planets/jupiter-from-cassini.jpg'
+  const jupiter = [{
+    path: filePath,
+    content: fs.readFileSync(filePath)
+  }]
+
+  let daemons = []
+  function spawnAndStart (type, repoPath = utils.tmpPath()) {
+    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+      DaemonFactory.create({ type })
+        .spawn({
+          repoPath,
+          disposable: false
+        }, (err, daemon) => {
+          if (err) return reject(err)
+          daemons.push(daemon)
+
+          if (daemon.initialized) {
+            // repo already exists, no need to init
+            daemon.start(err => err ? reject(err) : resolve(daemon))
+          } else {
+            daemon.init((err, initRes) => {
+              if (err) return reject(err)
+              daemon.start(err => err ? reject(err) : resolve(daemon))
+            })
+          }
+        })
+    })
+  }
+
+  function withDaemons (pipeline) {
+    return Promise.all([
+      spawnAndStart('go').then(utils.removeAllPins).then(pipeline),
+      spawnAndStart('js').then(utils.removeAllPins).then(pipeline)
+    ])
+  }
+
+  afterEach(function () {
+    this.timeout(25 * 1000)
+    return utils.stopDaemons(daemons)
+      .then(() => { daemons = [] })
+  })
+
+  describe('pin add', function () {
+    // Pinning a large file recursively results in the same pins
+    it('pin recursively', function () {
+      this.timeout(30 * 1000)
+      this.slow(30 * 1000)
+
+      function pipeline (daemon) {
+        return daemon.api.add(jupiter, { pin: false })
+          .then(chunks => daemon.api.pin.add(chunks[0].hash))
+          .then(() => daemon.api.pin.ls())
+      }
+
+      return withDaemons(pipeline)
+        .then(([goPins, jsPins]) => {
+          expect(goPins.length).to.be.gt(0)
+          expect(jsPins).to.deep.include.members(goPins)
+          expect(goPins).to.deep.include.members(jsPins)
+          // expect(jsPins).to.deep.eql(goPins) // fails due to ordering
+        })
+    })
+
+    // Pinning a large file with recursive=false results in the same direct pin
+    it('pin directly', function () {
+      this.timeout(30 * 1000)
+      this.slow(20 * 1000)
+
+      function pipeline (daemon) {
+        return daemon.api.add(jupiter, { pin: false })
+          .then(chunks => daemon.api.pin.add(chunks[0].hash, { recursive: false }))
+          .then(() => daemon.api.pin.ls())
+      }
+
+      return withDaemons(pipeline)
+        .then(([goPins, jsPins]) => {
+          expect(goPins.length).to.be.gt(0)
+          expect(jsPins).to.deep.include.members(goPins)
+          expect(goPins).to.deep.include.members(jsPins)
+          // expect(jsPins).to.deep.eql(goPins) // fails due to ordering
+        })
+    })
+  })
+
+  describe('pin rm', function () {
+    // removing a root pin removes children as long as they're
+    // not part of another pin's dag
+    it('pin recursively, remove the root pin', function () {
+      this.timeout(20 * 1000)
+      this.slow(20 * 1000)
+
+      function pipeline (daemon) {
+        return daemon.api.add(jupiter)
+          .then(chunks => {
+            const testFolder = chunks.find(chunk => chunk.path === 'test')
+            return daemon.api.pin.rm(testFolder.hash)
+          })
+          .then(() => daemon.api.pin.ls())
+      }
+
+      return withDaemons(pipeline)
+        .then(([goPins, jsPins]) => {
+          expect(goPins.length).to.eql(0)
+          expect(jsPins.length).to.eql(0)
+        })
+    })
+
+    // When a pin contains the root of another pin and we remove it, it is
+    // instead kept but its type is changed to 'indirect'
+    it('remove a child shared by multiple pins', function () {
+      this.timeout(20 * 1000)
+      this.slow(20 * 1000)
+
+      let jupiterDir
+      function pipeline (daemon) {
+        return daemon.api.add(jupiter, { pin: false })
+        .then(chunks => {
+          jupiterDir = jupiterDir ||
+            chunks.find(chunk => chunk.path === 'test/fixtures/planets')
+
+          // by separately pinning all the DAG nodes created when adding,
+          // dirs are pinned as type=recursive and
+          // nested pins reference each other
+          return daemon.api.pin.add(chunks.map(chunk => chunk.hash))
+        })
+        .then(() => daemon.api.pin.rm(jupiterDir.hash))
+        .then(() => daemon.api.pin.ls())
+      }
+
+      return withDaemons(pipeline)
+        .then(([goPins, jsPins]) => {
+          expect(goPins.length).to.be.gt(0)
+          expect(goPins).to.deep.include.members(jsPins)
+          expect(jsPins).to.deep.include.members(goPins)
+
+          const dirPin = goPins.find(pin => pin.hash === jupiterDir.hash)
+          expect(dirPin.type).to.eql('indirect')
+          // expect(jsPins).to.deep.eql(goPins) // fails due to ordering
+        })
+    })
+  })
+
+  describe('ls', function () {
+    it('print same pins', function () {
+      this.timeout(30 * 1000)
+
+      function pipeline (daemon) {
+        return daemon.api.add(jupiter)
+          .then(() => daemon.api.pin.ls())
+      }
+
+      return withDaemons(pipeline)
+        .then(([goPins, jsPins]) => {
+          expect(goPins.length).to.be.gt(0)
+          expect(goPins).to.deep.include.members(jsPins)
+          expect(jsPins).to.deep.include.members(goPins)
+          // expect(jsPins).to.deep.eql(goPins) // fails due to ordering
+        })
+    })
+  })
+
+  describe(`go and js pinset storage are compatible`, function () {
+    function pipeline (options) {
+      // by starting each daemon with the same repoPath, they
+      // will read/write pins from the same datestore.
+      const repoPath = utils.tmpPath()
+      const content = Buffer.from(String(Math.random()))
+      const pins = []
+
+      return spawnAndStart(options.first, repoPath)
+        .then(daemon => {
+          return daemon.api.add(content)
+            .then(() => daemon.api.pin.ls())
+        })
+        .then(ls => pins.push(ls))
+        .then(() => utils.stopDaemons(daemons))
+        .then(() => spawnAndStart(options.second, repoPath))
+        .then(daemon => daemon.api.pin.ls())
+        .then(ls => pins.push(ls))
+        .then(() => pins)
+    }
+
+    // js-ipfs can read pins stored by go-ipfs
+    // tests that go's pin.flush and js' pin.load are compatible
+    it('go -> js', function () {
+      this.timeout(20 * 1000)
+      this.slow(15000)
+
+      return pipeline({ first: 'go', second: 'js' })
+        .then(([goPins, jsPins]) => {
+          expect(goPins.length).to.be.gt(0)
+          expect(jsPins).to.deep.include.members(goPins)
+          expect(goPins).to.deep.include.members(jsPins)
+          // expect(goPins).to.deep.eql(jsPins) // fails due to ordering
+        })
+    })
+
+    // go-ipfs can read pins stored by js-ipfs
+    // tests that js' pin.flush and go's pin.load are compatible
+    it.skip('js -> go', function () {
+      // skipped because go can not be spawned on a js repo due to changes in
+      // the DataStore config [link]
+      this.timeout(20 * 1000)
+      this.slow(15000)
+
+      return pipeline({ first: 'js', second: 'go' })
+        .then(([jsPins, goPins]) => {
+          expect(jsPins.length).to.be.gt(0)
+          expect(goPins).to.deep.include.members(jsPins)
+          expect(jsPins).to.deep.include.members(goPins)
+          // expect(goPins).to.deep.eql(jsPins) // fails due to ordering
+        })
+    })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/test/utils/pin-utils.js b/test/utils/pin-utils.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..29319faa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/utils/pin-utils.js
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+'use strict'
+
+const os = require('os')
+const path = require('path')
+const hat = require('hat')
+
+exports.removeAllPins = function removeAllPins (daemon) {
+  return daemon.api.pin.ls()
+    .then(pins => {
+      const rootPins = pins.filter(
+        pin => pin.type === 'recursive' || pin.type === 'direct'
+      )
+      return Promise.all(rootPins.map(pin => daemon.api.pin.rm(pin.hash)))
+    })
+    .then(() => daemon)
+}
+
+exports.stopDaemons = function stopDaemons (daemons) {
+  return Promise.all(
+    daemons.map(daemon => new Promise((resolve, reject) =>
+      daemon.stop(err => err ? reject(err) : resolve())
+    ))
+  )
+}
+
+exports.tmpPath = function tmpPath () {
+  return path.join(os.tmpdir(), hat())
+}