diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 76074539..669f1a69 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@
 *.o
 .deps
 .dirstamp
+.eggs
+__pycache__
+.pytest_cache
+*.egg-info
 
 # ignore Codeblocks temporary files and build directories.
 # Codeblocks project file (*.cbp) is added although it may contain some user preferences (eg. program's arguments), it may be useful for some people
diff --git a/python/tests/test_mrmailbox.py b/python/tests/test_mrmailbox.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1978094d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/tests/test_mrmailbox.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import pathlib
+
+import pytest
+
+from deltachat import capi
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def tmppath(tmpdir):
+    return pathlib.Path(tmpdir.strpath)
+
+
+def test_new():
+    mbox = capi.lib.mrmailbox_new(capi.ffi.NULL, capi.ffi.NULL, capi.ffi.NULL)
+    capi.lib.mrmailbox_close(mbox)
+    assert 0