diff --git a/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/base.py b/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/base.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b2faa66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/base.py
@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2013 Intel Corporation
+#
+# Released under the MIT license (see COPYING.MIT)
+
+
+# DESCRIPTION
+# Base class inherited by test classes in meta/lib/selftest
+
+import unittest
+import os
+import sys
+import shutil
+import logging
+import errno
+
+import oeqa.utils.ftools as ftools
+from oeqa.utils.commands import runCmd, bitbake, get_bb_var, get_test_layer
+from oeqa.utils.decorators import LogResults
+
+@LogResults
+class oeSelfTest(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    log = logging.getLogger("selftest.base")
+    longMessage = True
+
+    def __init__(self, methodName="runTest"):
+        self.builddir = os.environ.get("BUILDDIR")
+        self.localconf_path = os.path.join(self.builddir, "conf/local.conf")
+        self.testinc_path = os.path.join(self.builddir, "conf/selftest.inc")
+        self.local_bblayers_path = os.path.join(self.builddir, "conf/bblayers.conf")
+        self.testinc_bblayers_path = os.path.join(self.builddir, "conf/bblayers.inc")
+        self.testlayer_path = oeSelfTest.testlayer_path
+        self._extra_tear_down_commands = []
+        self._track_for_cleanup = []
+        super(oeSelfTest, self).__init__(methodName)
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        os.chdir(self.builddir)
+        # we don't know what the previous test left around in config or inc files
+        # if it failed so we need a fresh start
+        try:
+            os.remove(self.testinc_path)
+        except OSError as e:
+            if e.errno != errno.ENOENT:
+                raise
+        for root, _, files in os.walk(self.testlayer_path):
+            for f in files:
+                if f == 'test_recipe.inc':
+                    os.remove(os.path.join(root, f))
+        try:
+            os.remove(self.testinc_bblayers_path)
+        except OSError as e:
+            if e.errno != errno.ENOENT:
+                raise
+        # tests might need their own setup
+        # but if they overwrite this one they have to call
+        # super each time, so let's give them an alternative
+        self.setUpLocal()
+
+    def setUpLocal(self):
+        pass
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        if self._extra_tear_down_commands:
+            failed_extra_commands = []
+            for command in self._extra_tear_down_commands:
+                result = runCmd(command, ignore_status=True)
+                if not result.status ==  0:
+                    failed_extra_commands.append(command)
+            if failed_extra_commands:
+                self.log.warning("tearDown commands have failed: %s" % ', '.join(map(str, failed_extra_commands)))
+                self.log.debug("Trying to move on.")
+            self._extra_tear_down_commands = []
+
+        if self._track_for_cleanup:
+            for path in self._track_for_cleanup:
+                if os.path.isdir(path):
+                    shutil.rmtree(path)
+                if os.path.isfile(path):
+                    os.remove(path)
+            self._track_for_cleanup = []
+
+        self.tearDownLocal()
+
+    def tearDownLocal(self):
+        pass
+
+    # add test specific commands to the tearDown method.
+    def add_command_to_tearDown(self, command):
+        self.log.debug("Adding command '%s' to tearDown for this test." % command)
+        self._extra_tear_down_commands.append(command)
+    # add test specific files or directories to be removed in the tearDown method
+    def track_for_cleanup(self, path):
+        self.log.debug("Adding path '%s' to be cleaned up when test is over" % path)
+        self._track_for_cleanup.append(path)
+
+    # write to <builddir>/conf/selftest.inc
+    def write_config(self, data):
+        self.log.debug("Writing to: %s\n%s\n" % (self.testinc_path, data))
+        ftools.write_file(self.testinc_path, data)
+
+    # append to <builddir>/conf/selftest.inc
+    def append_config(self, data):
+        self.log.debug("Appending to: %s\n%s\n" % (self.testinc_path, data))
+        ftools.append_file(self.testinc_path, data)
+
+    # remove data from <builddir>/conf/selftest.inc
+    def remove_config(self, data):
+        self.log.debug("Removing from: %s\n\%s\n" % (self.testinc_path, data))
+        ftools.remove_from_file(self.testinc_path, data)
+
+    # write to meta-sefltest/recipes-test/<recipe>/test_recipe.inc
+    def write_recipeinc(self, recipe, data):
+        inc_file = os.path.join(self.testlayer_path, 'recipes-test', recipe, 'test_recipe.inc')
+        self.log.debug("Writing to: %s\n%s\n" % (inc_file, data))
+        ftools.write_file(inc_file, data)
+
+    # append data to meta-sefltest/recipes-test/<recipe>/test_recipe.inc
+    def append_recipeinc(self, recipe, data):
+        inc_file = os.path.join(self.testlayer_path, 'recipes-test', recipe, 'test_recipe.inc')
+        self.log.debug("Appending to: %s\n%s\n" % (inc_file, data))
+        ftools.append_file(inc_file, data)
+
+    # remove data from meta-sefltest/recipes-test/<recipe>/test_recipe.inc
+    def remove_recipeinc(self, recipe, data):
+        inc_file = os.path.join(self.testlayer_path, 'recipes-test', recipe, 'test_recipe.inc')
+        self.log.debug("Removing from: %s\n%s\n" % (inc_file, data))
+        ftools.remove_from_file(inc_file, data)
+
+    # delete meta-sefltest/recipes-test/<recipe>/test_recipe.inc file
+    def delete_recipeinc(self, recipe):
+        inc_file = os.path.join(self.testlayer_path, 'recipes-test', recipe, 'test_recipe.inc')
+        self.log.debug("Deleting file: %s" % inc_file)
+        try:
+            os.remove(inc_file)
+        except OSError as e:
+            if e.errno != errno.ENOENT:
+                raise
+
+    # write to <builddir>/conf/bblayers.inc
+    def write_bblayers_config(self, data):
+        self.log.debug("Writing to: %s\n%s\n" % (self.testinc_bblayers_path, data))
+        ftools.write_file(self.testinc_bblayers_path, data)
+
+    # append to <builddir>/conf/bblayers.inc
+    def append_bblayers_config(self, data):
+        self.log.debug("Appending to: %s\n%s\n" % (self.testinc_bblayers_path, data))
+        ftools.append_file(self.testinc_bblayers_path, data)
+
+    # remove data from <builddir>/conf/bblayers.inc
+    def remove_bblayers_config(self, data):
+        self.log.debug("Removing from: %s\n\%s\n" % (self.testinc_bblayers_path, data))
+        ftools.remove_from_file(self.testinc_bblayers_path, data)