diff --git a/test/internal/sdref.cpp b/test/internal/sdref.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..190d388
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/internal/sdref.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,187 @@
+#include <gmock/gmock.h>
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+#include <sdeventplus/internal/sdref.hpp>
+#include <sdeventplus/test/sdevent.hpp>
+#include <systemd/sd-event.h>
+#include <type_traits>
+#include <utility>
+
+namespace sdeventplus
+{
+namespace internal
+{
+namespace
+{
+
+class SdRefTest : public testing::Test
+{
+  protected:
+    sd_event* const expected_event = reinterpret_cast<sd_event*>(1234);
+    sd_event* const expected_event2 = reinterpret_cast<sd_event*>(2345);
+    testing::StrictMock<test::SdEventMock> mock;
+    testing::StrictMock<test::SdEventMock> mock2;
+};
+
+TEST_F(SdRefTest, ConstructRef)
+{
+    EXPECT_CALL(mock, sd_event_ref(expected_event))
+        .WillOnce(testing::Return(expected_event));
+    SdRef<sd_event> event(expected_event, &SdEvent::sd_event_ref,
+                          &SdEvent::sd_event_unref, &mock);
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event, event.get());
+
+    EXPECT_CALL(mock, sd_event_unref(expected_event))
+        .WillOnce(testing::Return(nullptr));
+}
+
+TEST_F(SdRefTest, ConstructNoRef)
+{
+    SdRef<sd_event> event(expected_event, &SdEvent::sd_event_ref,
+                          &SdEvent::sd_event_unref, std::false_type(), &mock);
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event, event.get());
+
+    EXPECT_CALL(mock, sd_event_unref(expected_event))
+        .WillOnce(testing::Return(nullptr));
+}
+
+TEST_F(SdRefTest, CopyConstruct)
+{
+    SdRef<sd_event> event(expected_event, &SdEvent::sd_event_ref,
+                          &SdEvent::sd_event_unref, std::false_type(), &mock);
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event, event.get());
+
+    EXPECT_CALL(mock, sd_event_ref(expected_event))
+        .WillOnce(testing::Return(expected_event));
+    SdRef<sd_event> event2(event);
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event, event2.get());
+
+    EXPECT_CALL(mock, sd_event_unref(expected_event))
+        .Times(2)
+        .WillRepeatedly(testing::Return(nullptr));
+}
+
+TEST_F(SdRefTest, MoveConstruct)
+{
+    SdRef<sd_event> event(expected_event, &SdEvent::sd_event_ref,
+                          &SdEvent::sd_event_unref, std::false_type(), &mock);
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event, event.get());
+
+    SdRef<sd_event> event2(std::move(event));
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event, event2.get());
+
+    EXPECT_CALL(mock, sd_event_unref(expected_event))
+        .WillOnce(testing::Return(nullptr));
+}
+
+TEST_F(SdRefTest, CopyAssignOverValid)
+{
+    SdRef<sd_event> event(expected_event, &SdEvent::sd_event_ref,
+                          &SdEvent::sd_event_unref, std::false_type(), &mock);
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event, event.get());
+    SdRef<sd_event> event2(expected_event2, &SdEvent::sd_event_ref,
+                           &SdEvent::sd_event_unref, std::false_type(), &mock2);
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event2, event2.get());
+
+    EXPECT_CALL(mock2, sd_event_unref(expected_event2))
+        .WillOnce(testing::Return(nullptr));
+    EXPECT_CALL(mock, sd_event_ref(expected_event))
+        .WillOnce(testing::Return(expected_event));
+    event2 = event;
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event, event2.get());
+
+    EXPECT_CALL(mock, sd_event_unref(expected_event))
+        .Times(2)
+        .WillRepeatedly(testing::Return(nullptr));
+}
+
+TEST_F(SdRefTest, CopyAssignOverMoved)
+{
+    SdRef<sd_event> event(expected_event, &SdEvent::sd_event_ref,
+                          &SdEvent::sd_event_unref, std::false_type(), &mock);
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event, event.get());
+    SdRef<sd_event> event2(expected_event2, &SdEvent::sd_event_ref,
+                           &SdEvent::sd_event_unref, std::false_type(), &mock2);
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event2, event2.get());
+    {
+        SdRef<sd_event> event_mover(std::move(event2));
+        EXPECT_EQ(expected_event2, event_mover.get());
+
+        EXPECT_CALL(mock2, sd_event_unref(expected_event2))
+            .WillOnce(testing::Return(nullptr));
+    }
+
+    EXPECT_CALL(mock, sd_event_ref(expected_event))
+        .WillOnce(testing::Return(expected_event));
+    event2 = event;
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event, event2.get());
+
+    EXPECT_CALL(mock, sd_event_unref(expected_event))
+        .Times(2)
+        .WillRepeatedly(testing::Return(nullptr));
+}
+
+TEST_F(SdRefTest, CopySelf)
+{
+    SdRef<sd_event> event(expected_event, &SdEvent::sd_event_ref,
+                          &SdEvent::sd_event_unref, std::false_type(), &mock);
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event, event.get());
+
+    event = event;
+    EXPECT_CALL(mock, sd_event_unref(expected_event))
+        .WillOnce(testing::Return(nullptr));
+}
+
+TEST_F(SdRefTest, MoveAssignOverValid)
+{
+    SdRef<sd_event> event(expected_event, &SdEvent::sd_event_ref,
+                          &SdEvent::sd_event_unref, std::false_type(), &mock);
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event, event.get());
+    SdRef<sd_event> event2(expected_event2, &SdEvent::sd_event_ref,
+                           &SdEvent::sd_event_unref, std::false_type(), &mock2);
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event2, event2.get());
+
+    EXPECT_CALL(mock2, sd_event_unref(expected_event2))
+        .WillOnce(testing::Return(nullptr));
+    event2 = std::move(event);
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event, event2.get());
+
+    EXPECT_CALL(mock, sd_event_unref(expected_event))
+        .WillOnce(testing::Return(nullptr));
+}
+
+TEST_F(SdRefTest, MoveAssignOverMoved)
+{
+    SdRef<sd_event> event(expected_event, &SdEvent::sd_event_ref,
+                          &SdEvent::sd_event_unref, std::false_type(), &mock);
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event, event.get());
+    SdRef<sd_event> event2(expected_event2, &SdEvent::sd_event_ref,
+                           &SdEvent::sd_event_unref, std::false_type(), &mock2);
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event2, event2.get());
+    {
+        SdRef<sd_event> event_mover(std::move(event2));
+        EXPECT_EQ(expected_event2, event_mover.get());
+
+        EXPECT_CALL(mock2, sd_event_unref(expected_event2))
+            .WillOnce(testing::Return(nullptr));
+    }
+
+    event2 = std::move(event);
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event, event2.get());
+
+    EXPECT_CALL(mock, sd_event_unref(expected_event))
+        .WillOnce(testing::Return(nullptr));
+}
+
+TEST_F(SdRefTest, MoveSelf)
+{
+    SdRef<sd_event> event(expected_event, &SdEvent::sd_event_ref,
+                          &SdEvent::sd_event_unref, std::false_type(), &mock);
+    EXPECT_EQ(expected_event, event.get());
+    event = std::move(event);
+    EXPECT_CALL(mock, sd_event_unref(expected_event))
+        .WillOnce(testing::Return(nullptr));
+}
+
+} // namespace
+} // namespace internal
+} // namespace sdeventplus