diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 305963443a49..3a9a6ef138d0 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
     "build": "cross-env NODE_ENV=production webpack",
     "lint": "xo",
     "test": "npm run lint",
+    "test:unit": "ava test/unit",
+    "test:unit:watch": "npm run test:unit -- --watch",
     "prepush": "npm test",
     "postinstall": "install-app-deps && npm run rebuild-node-pty",
     "rebuild-node-pty": "electron-rebuild -f -w app/node_modules/node-pty -m app",
diff --git a/test/testUtils/is-hex-color.js b/test/testUtils/is-hex-color.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..310f7d0900e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/testUtils/is-hex-color.js
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+function isHexColor(color) {
+  return /(^#[0-9A-F]{6,8}$)|(^#[0-9A-F]{3}$)/i.test(color); // https://regex101.com/
+}
+
+module.exports.isHexColor = isHexColor;
diff --git a/test/unit/to-electron-background-color.test.js b/test/unit/to-electron-background-color.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a7fe69b98826
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/to-electron-background-color.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+import test from 'ava';
+import toElectronBackgroundColor from '../../app/utils/to-electron-background-color';
+import {isHexColor} from '../testUtils/is-hex-color';
+
+test('toElectronBackgroundColor', t => {
+  t.false(false);
+});
+
+test(`returns a color that's in hex`, t => {
+  const hexColor = '#BADA55';
+  const rgbColor = 'rgb(0,0,0)';
+  const rgbaColor = 'rgb(0,0,0, 55)';
+  const hslColor = 'hsl(15, 100%, 50%)';
+  const hslaColor = 'hsl(15, 100%, 50%, 1)';
+  const colorKeyword = 'pink';
+
+  t.true(
+    isHexColor(
+      toElectronBackgroundColor(hexColor)
+    )
+  );
+
+  t.true(
+    isHexColor(
+      toElectronBackgroundColor(rgbColor)
+    )
+  );
+
+  t.true(
+    isHexColor(
+      toElectronBackgroundColor(rgbaColor)
+    )
+  );
+
+  t.true(
+    isHexColor(
+      toElectronBackgroundColor(hslColor)
+    )
+  );
+
+  t.true(
+    isHexColor(
+      toElectronBackgroundColor(hslaColor)
+    )
+  );
+
+  t.true(
+    isHexColor(
+      toElectronBackgroundColor(colorKeyword)
+    )
+  );
+});