diff --git a/tests/schema.py b/tests/schema.py
index 14061e6ff..5ae94480f 100644
--- a/tests/schema.py
+++ b/tests/schema.py
@@ -10,6 +10,20 @@
 schema = dj.schema(PREFIX + '_test1', locals(), connection=dj.conn(**CONN_INFO))
 
 
+@schema
+class Auto(dj.Lookup):
+    definition = """
+    id  :int auto_increment
+    ---
+    name :varchar(12)
+    """
+    contents = (
+        dict(name="Godel"),
+        dict(name="Escher"),
+        dict(name="Bach")
+    )
+
+
 @schema
 class User(dj.Lookup):
     definition = """      # lab members
diff --git a/tests/test_declare.py b/tests/test_declare.py
index ef760d2ce..d856c750c 100644
--- a/tests/test_declare.py
+++ b/tests/test_declare.py
@@ -2,24 +2,31 @@
 from . import schema
 
 
+auto = schema.Auto()
+user = schema.User()
+subject = schema.Subject()
+experiment = schema.Experiment()
+trial = schema.Trial()
+ephys = schema.Ephys()
+channel = schema.EphysChannel()
+
+
 class TestDeclare:
-    def __init__(self):
-        self.user = schema.User()
-        self.subject = schema.Subject()
-        self.experiment = schema.Experiment()
-        self.trial = schema.Trial()
-        self.ephys = schema.Ephys()
-        self.channel = schema.EphysChannel()
-
-    def test_attributes(self):
-        assert_list_equal(self.subject.heading.names,
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def test_attributes():
+        # test autoincrement declaration
+        assert_list_equal(auto.heading.names, ['id', 'name'])
+        assert_true(auto.heading.attributes['id'].autoincrement)
+
+        # test attribute declarations
+        assert_list_equal(subject.heading.names,
                           ['subject_id', 'real_id', 'species', 'date_of_birth', 'subject_notes'])
-        assert_list_equal(self.subject.primary_key,
+        assert_list_equal(subject.primary_key,
                           ['subject_id'])
-        assert_true(self.subject.heading.attributes['subject_id'].numeric)
-        assert_false(self.subject.heading.attributes['real_id'].numeric)
+        assert_true(subject.heading.attributes['subject_id'].numeric)
+        assert_false(subject.heading.attributes['real_id'].numeric)
 
-        experiment = schema.Experiment()
         assert_list_equal(experiment.heading.names,
                           ['subject_id', 'experiment_id', 'experiment_date',
                            'username', 'data_path',
@@ -27,34 +34,35 @@ def test_attributes(self):
         assert_list_equal(experiment.primary_key,
                           ['subject_id', 'experiment_id'])
 
-        assert_list_equal(self.trial.heading.names,
+        assert_list_equal(trial.heading.names,
                           ['subject_id', 'experiment_id', 'trial_id', 'start_time'])
-        assert_list_equal(self.trial.primary_key,
+        assert_list_equal(trial.primary_key,
                           ['subject_id', 'experiment_id', 'trial_id'])
 
-        assert_list_equal(self.ephys.heading.names,
+        assert_list_equal(ephys.heading.names,
                           ['subject_id', 'experiment_id', 'trial_id', 'sampling_frequency', 'duration'])
-        assert_list_equal(self.ephys.primary_key,
+        assert_list_equal(ephys.primary_key,
                           ['subject_id', 'experiment_id', 'trial_id'])
 
-        assert_list_equal(self.channel.heading.names,
+        assert_list_equal(channel.heading.names,
                           ['subject_id', 'experiment_id', 'trial_id', 'channel', 'voltage'])
-        assert_list_equal(self.channel.primary_key,
+        assert_list_equal(channel.primary_key,
                           ['subject_id', 'experiment_id', 'trial_id', 'channel'])
-        assert_true(self.channel.heading.attributes['voltage'].is_blob)
+        assert_true(channel.heading.attributes['voltage'].is_blob)
+
 
     def test_dependencies(self):
-        assert_equal(self.user.references, [self.experiment.full_table_name])
-        assert_equal(self.experiment.referenced, [self.user.full_table_name])
+        assert_equal(user.references, [experiment.full_table_name])
+        assert_equal(experiment.referenced, [user.full_table_name])
 
-        assert_equal(self.subject.children, [self.experiment.full_table_name])
-        assert_equal(self.experiment.parents, [self.subject.full_table_name])
+        assert_equal(subject.children, [experiment.full_table_name])
+        assert_equal(experiment.parents, [subject.full_table_name])
 
-        assert_equal(self.experiment.children, [self.trial.full_table_name])
-        assert_equal(self.trial.parents, [self.experiment.full_table_name])
+        assert_equal(experiment.children, [trial.full_table_name])
+        assert_equal(trial.parents, [experiment.full_table_name])
 
-        assert_equal(self.trial.children, [self.ephys.full_table_name])
-        assert_equal(self.ephys.parents, [self.trial.full_table_name])
+        assert_equal(trial.children, [ephys.full_table_name])
+        assert_equal(ephys.parents, [trial.full_table_name])
 
-        assert_equal(self.ephys.children, [self.channel.full_table_name])
-        assert_equal(self.channel.parents, [self.ephys.full_table_name])
+        assert_equal(ephys.children, [channel.full_table_name])
+        assert_equal(channel.parents, [ephys.full_table_name])