diff --git a/tests/swf/test_layer1.py b/tests/swf/test_layer1.py
@@ -46,28 +46,34 @@
 # Some API calls establish resources, but these resources are not instantly
 # available to the next API call.  For testing purposes, it is necessary to
 # have a short pause to avoid having tests fail for invalid reasons.
-PAUSE_SECONDS = 2
+PAUSE_SECONDS = 4
 
 
 
-class SimpleWorkflowLayer1Test (unittest.TestCase):
-
+class SimpleWorkflowLayer1TestBase(unittest.TestCase):
+    """
+    There are at least two test cases which share this setUp/tearDown
+    and the class-based parameter definitions:
+        * SimpleWorkflowLayer1Test
+        * tests.swf.test_layer1_workflow_execution.SwfL1WorkflowExecutionTest
+    """
     # Some params used throughout the tests...
     # Domain registration params...
     _domain = BOTO_SWF_UNITTEST_DOMAIN
     _workflow_execution_retention_period_in_days = 'NONE'
     _domain_description = 'test workflow domain'
     # Type registration params used for workflow type and activity type...
-    _version = '1'
     _task_list = 'tasklist1'
     # Workflow type registration params...
-    _workflow_type_name  = 'wft1'
+    _workflow_type_name = 'wft1'
+    _workflow_type_version = '1'
     _workflow_type_description = 'wft1 description'
     _default_child_policy = 'REQUEST_CANCEL'
     _default_execution_start_to_close_timeout = '600'
     _default_task_start_to_close_timeout = '60'
     # Activity type registration params...
     _activity_type_name = 'at1'
+    _activity_type_version = '1'
     _activity_type_description = 'at1 description'
     _default_task_heartbeat_timeout = '30'
     _default_task_schedule_to_close_timeout = '90'
@@ -95,7 +101,7 @@ def setUp(self):
         # SWFTypeAlreadyExistsError.
         try:
             r = self.conn.register_workflow_type(self._domain,
-                    self._workflow_type_name, self._version,
+                    self._workflow_type_name, self._workflow_type_version,
                     task_list=self._task_list,
                     default_child_policy=self._default_child_policy,
                     default_execution_start_to_close_timeout=
@@ -112,7 +118,7 @@ def setUp(self):
         # SWFTypeAlreadyExistsError.
         try:
             r = self.conn.register_activity_type(self._domain,
-                    self._activity_type_name, self._version,
+                    self._activity_type_name, self._activity_type_version,
                     task_list=self._task_list,
                     default_task_heartbeat_timeout=
                         self._default_task_heartbeat_timeout,
@@ -123,13 +129,20 @@ def setUp(self):
                     default_task_start_to_close_timeout=
                         self._default_task_start_to_close_timeout,
                     description=self._activity_type_description)
+            assert r is None
+            time.sleep(PAUSE_SECONDS)
         except swf_exceptions.SWFTypeAlreadyExistsError:
             pass
 
     def tearDown(self):
         # Delete what we can...
         pass
 
+
+
+
+class SimpleWorkflowLayer1Test(SimpleWorkflowLayer1TestBase):
+
     def test_list_domains(self):
         # Find the domain.
         r = self.conn.list_domains('REGISTERED')
@@ -151,7 +164,7 @@ def test_list_workflow_types(self):
         found = None
         for info in r['typeInfos']:
             if ( info['workflowType']['name'] == self._workflow_type_name and
-                 info['workflowType']['version'] == self._version ):
+                 info['workflowType']['version'] == self._workflow_type_version ):
                 found = info
                 break
         self.assertNotEqual(found, None, 'list_workflow_types; test type not found')
@@ -169,7 +182,7 @@ def test_list_activity_types(self):
             if info['activityType']['name'] == self._activity_type_name:
                 found = info
                 break
-        self.assertNotEqual(found, None, 'list_workflow_types; test type not found')
+        self.assertNotEqual(found, None, 'list_activity_types; test type not found')
         # Validate some properties.
         self.assertEqual(found['description'], self._activity_type_description,
                          'list_activity_types; description does not match')

diff --git a/tests/swf/test_layer1_workflow_execution.py b/tests/swf/test_layer1_workflow_execution.py
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+"""
+Tests for Layer1 of Simple Workflow
+
+"""
+import time
+import uuid
+import json
+import traceback
+
+from boto.swf.layer1_decisions import Layer1Decisions
+
+from test_layer1 import SimpleWorkflowLayer1TestBase
+
+
+
+class SwfL1WorkflowExecutionTest(SimpleWorkflowLayer1TestBase):
+    """
+    test a simple workflow execution
+    """
+    def run_decider(self):
+        """
+        run one iteration of a simple decision engine
+        """
+        # Poll for a decision task.
+        tries = 0 
+        while 1:
+            dtask = self.conn.poll_for_decision_task(self._domain, 
+                self._task_list, reverse_order=True)
+            if dtask.get('taskToken') is not None:
+                # This means a real decision task has arrived.
+                break
+            time.sleep(2)
+            tries += 1
+            if tries > 10:
+                # Give up if it's taking too long.  Probably
+                # means something is broken somewhere else.
+                assert False, 'no decision task occurred'
+
+        # Get the most recent interesting event.
+        ignorable = (
+            'DecisionTaskScheduled',
+            'DecisionTaskStarted',
+            'DecisionTaskTimedOut',
+        )
+        event = None
+        for tevent in dtask['events']:
+            if tevent['eventType'] not in ignorable:
+                event = tevent
+                break
+
+        # Construct the decision response.
+        decisions = Layer1Decisions()
+        if event['eventType'] == 'WorkflowExecutionStarted':
+            activity_id = str(uuid.uuid1())
+            decisions.schedule_activity_task(activity_id, 
+                self._activity_type_name, self._activity_type_version, 
+                task_list=self._task_list,
+                input=event['workflowExecutionStartedEventAttributes']['input'])
+        elif event['eventType'] == 'ActivityTaskCompleted':
+            decisions.complete_workflow_execution(
+                result=event['activityTaskCompletedEventAttributes']['result'])
+        elif event['eventType'] == 'ActivityTaskFailed':
+            decisions.fail_workflow_execution(
+                reason=event['activityTaskFailedEventAttributes']['reason'],
+                details=event['activityTaskFailedEventAttributes']['details'])
+        else:
+            decisions.fail_workflow_execution(
+                reason='unhandled decision task type; %r' % (event['eventType'],))
+
+        # Send the decision response.
+        r = self.conn.respond_decision_task_completed(dtask['taskToken'],
+                                                      decisions=decisions._data,
+                                                      execution_context=None)
+        assert r is None
+
+
+    def run_worker(self):
+        """
+        run one iteration of a simple worker engine
+        """
+        # Poll for an activity task.
+        tries = 0 
+        while 1:
+            atask = self.conn.poll_for_activity_task(self._domain, 
+                self._task_list, identity='test worker')
+            if atask.get('activityId') is not None:
+                # This means a real activity task has arrived.
+                break
+            time.sleep(2)
+            tries += 1
+            if tries > 10:
+                # Give up if it's taking too long.  Probably
+                # means something is broken somewhere else.
+                assert False, 'no activity task occurred'
+        # Do the work or catch a "work exception."
+        reason = None
+        try:
+            result = json.dumps(sum(json.loads(atask['input'])))
+        except:
+            reason = 'an exception was raised'
+            details = traceback.format_exc()
+        if reason is None:
+            r = self.conn.respond_activity_task_completed(
+                atask['taskToken'], result)
+        else: 
+            r = self.conn.respond_activity_task_failed(
+                atask['taskToken'], reason=reason, details=details)
+        assert r is None
+
+
+    def test_workflow_execution(self):
+        # Start a workflow execution whose activity task will succeed.
+        workflow_id = 'wfid-%.2f' % (time.time(),)
+        r = self.conn.start_workflow_execution(self._domain,
+                                               workflow_id,
+                                               self._workflow_type_name,
+                                               self._workflow_type_version,
+                                               execution_start_to_close_timeout='20',
+                                               input='[600, 15]')
+        # Need the run_id to lookup the execution history later.
+        run_id = r['runId']
+
+        # Move the workflow execution forward by having the
+        # decider schedule an activity task.
+        self.run_decider()
+
+        # Run the worker to handle the scheduled activity task.
+        self.run_worker()
+
+        # Complete the workflow execution by having the
+        # decider close it down.
+        self.run_decider()
+
+        # Check that the result was stored in the execution history.
+        r = self.conn.get_workflow_execution_history(self._domain, 
+                                                     run_id, workflow_id,
+                                                     reverse_order=True)['events'][0]
+        result = r['workflowExecutionCompletedEventAttributes']['result']
+        assert json.loads(result) == 615
+
+
+    def test_failed_workflow_execution(self):
+        # Start a workflow execution whose activity task will fail.
+        workflow_id = 'wfid-%.2f' % (time.time(),)
+        r = self.conn.start_workflow_execution(self._domain,
+                                               workflow_id,
+                                               self._workflow_type_name,
+                                               self._workflow_type_version,
+                                               execution_start_to_close_timeout='20',
+                                               input='[600, "s"]')
+        # Need the run_id to lookup the execution history later.
+        run_id = r['runId']
+
+        # Move the workflow execution forward by having the
+        # decider schedule an activity task.
+        self.run_decider()
+
+        # Run the worker to handle the scheduled activity task.
+        self.run_worker()
+
+        # Complete the workflow execution by having the
+        # decider close it down.
+        self.run_decider()
+
+        # Check that the failure was stored in the execution history.
+        r = self.conn.get_workflow_execution_history(self._domain, 
+                                                     run_id, workflow_id,
+                                                     reverse_order=True)['events'][0]
+        reason = r['workflowExecutionFailedEventAttributes']['reason']
+        assert reason == 'an exception was raised'
+
diff --git a/tests/test.py b/tests/test.py
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
 from dynamodb.test_layer2 import DynamoDBLayer2Test
 from sts.test_session_token import SessionTokenTest
 from swf.test_layer1 import SimpleWorkflowLayer1Test
+from swf.test_layer1_workflow_execution import SwfL1WorkflowExecutionTest
 
 def usage():
     print "test.py  [-t testsuite] [-v verbosity]"
@@ -138,8 +139,10 @@ def suite(testsuite="all"):
         tests.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(SessionTokenTest))
     elif testsuite == "swf":
         tests.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(SimpleWorkflowLayer1Test))
+        tests.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(SwfL1WorkflowExecutionTest))
     elif testsuite == "swfL1":
         tests.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(SimpleWorkflowLayer1Test))
+        tests.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(SwfL1WorkflowExecutionTest))
     else:
         raise ValueError("Invalid choice.")
     return tests