diff --git a/spec/lib_spec.rb b/spec/lib_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9f87292
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/lib_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# encoding: UTF-8
+
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+module ICU
+  describe Lib do
+    describe 'error checking' do
+      let(:return_value) { double }
+
+      context 'upon success' do
+        it 'returns the block result' do
+          Lib.check_error { |status| return_value }.should == return_value
+          Lib.check_error { |status| status.write_int(0); return_value }.should == return_value
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'upon failure' do
+        it 'raises an error' do
+          expect { Lib.check_error { |status| status.write_int(1) } }.to raise_error ICU::Error, /U_.*_ERROR/
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'upon warning' do
+        before(:each) { @verbose = $VERBOSE }
+        after(:each) { $VERBOSE = @verbose }
+
+        context 'when warnings are enabled' do
+          before(:each) { $VERBOSE = true }
+
+          it 'prints to STDERR and returns the block result' do
+            $stderr.should_receive(:puts) { |message| message.should match /U_.*_WARNING/ }
+            Lib.check_error { |status| status.write_int(-127); return_value }.should == return_value
+          end
+        end
+
+        context 'when warnings are disabled' do
+          before(:each) { $VERBOSE = false }
+
+          it 'returns the block result' do
+            $stderr.should_not_receive(:puts)
+            Lib.check_error { |status| status.write_int(-127); return_value }.should == return_value
+          end
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end