diff --git a/scripts/privValUpgrade_test.go b/scripts/privValUpgrade_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..25768283
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/privValUpgrade_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/privval"
+)
+
+const oldPrivvalContent = `{
+  "address": "1D8089FAFDFAE4A637F3D616E17B92905FA2D91D",
+  "pub_key": {
+    "type": "tendermint/PubKeyEd25519",
+    "value": "r3Yg2AhDZ745CNTpavsGU+mRZ8WpRXqoJuyqjN8mJq0="
+  },
+  "last_height": "5",
+  "last_round": "0",
+  "last_step": 3,
+  "last_signature": "CTr7b9ZQlrJJf+12rPl5t/YSCUc/KqV7jQogCfFJA24e7hof69X6OMT7eFLVQHyodPjD/QTA298XHV5ejxInDQ==",
+  "last_signbytes": "750802110500000000000000220B08B398F3E00510F48DA6402A480A20FC258973076512999C3E6839A22E9FBDB1B77CF993E8A9955412A41A59D4CAD312240A20C971B286ACB8AAA6FCA0365EB0A660B189EDC08B46B5AF2995DEFA51A28D215B10013211746573742D636861696E2D533245415533",
+  "priv_key": {
+    "type": "tendermint/PrivKeyEd25519",
+    "value": "7MwvTGEWWjsYwjn2IpRb+GYsWi9nnFsw8jPLLY1UtP6vdiDYCENnvjkI1Olq+wZT6ZFnxalFeqgm7KqM3yYmrQ=="
+  }
+}`
+
+func TestLoadAndUpgrade(t *testing.T) {
+
+	oldFilePath := initTmpOldFile(t)
+	defer os.Remove(oldFilePath)
+	newStateFile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "priv_validator_state*.json")
+	defer os.Remove(newStateFile.Name())
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	newKeyFile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "priv_validator_key*.json")
+	defer os.Remove(newKeyFile.Name())
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	emptyOldFile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "priv_validator_empty*.json")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer os.Remove(emptyOldFile.Name())
+
+	type args struct {
+		oldPVPath      string
+		newPVKeyPath   string
+		newPVStatePath string
+	}
+	tests := []struct {
+		name    string
+		args    args
+		wantErr bool
+	}{
+		{"successful upgrade",
+			args{oldPVPath: oldFilePath, newPVKeyPath: newKeyFile.Name(), newPVStatePath: newStateFile.Name()},
+			false,
+		},
+		{"unsuccessful upgrade: empty old privval file",
+			args{oldPVPath: emptyOldFile.Name(), newPVKeyPath: newKeyFile.Name(), newPVStatePath: newStateFile.Name()},
+			true,
+		},
+		{"unsuccessful upgrade: invalid new paths (1/3)",
+			args{oldPVPath: emptyOldFile.Name(), newPVKeyPath: "", newPVStatePath: newStateFile.Name()},
+			true,
+		},
+		{"unsuccessful upgrade: invalid new paths (2/3)",
+			args{oldPVPath: emptyOldFile.Name(), newPVKeyPath: newKeyFile.Name(), newPVStatePath: ""},
+			true,
+		},
+		{"unsuccessful upgrade: invalid new paths (3/3)",
+			args{oldPVPath: emptyOldFile.Name(), newPVKeyPath: "", newPVStatePath: ""},
+			true,
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			err := loadAndUpgrade(tt.args.oldPVPath, tt.args.newPVKeyPath, tt.args.newPVStatePath)
+			if tt.wantErr {
+				assert.Error(t, err)
+			} else {
+				assert.NoError(t, err)
+				upgradedPV := privval.LoadFilePV(tt.args.newPVKeyPath, tt.args.newPVStatePath)
+				oldPV, err := privval.LoadOldFilePV(tt.args.oldPVPath + ".bak")
+				require.NoError(t, err)
+
+				assert.Equal(t, oldPV.Address, upgradedPV.Key.Address)
+				assert.Equal(t, oldPV.Address, upgradedPV.GetAddress())
+				assert.Equal(t, oldPV.PubKey, upgradedPV.Key.PubKey)
+				assert.Equal(t, oldPV.PubKey, upgradedPV.GetPubKey())
+				assert.Equal(t, oldPV.PrivKey, upgradedPV.Key.PrivKey)
+
+				assert.Equal(t, oldPV.LastHeight, upgradedPV.LastSignState.Height)
+				assert.Equal(t, oldPV.LastRound, upgradedPV.LastSignState.Round)
+				assert.Equal(t, oldPV.LastSignature, upgradedPV.LastSignState.Signature)
+				assert.Equal(t, oldPV.LastSignBytes, upgradedPV.LastSignState.SignBytes)
+				assert.Equal(t, oldPV.LastStep, upgradedPV.LastSignState.Step)
+
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func initTmpOldFile(t *testing.T) string {
+	tmpfile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "priv_validator_*.json")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	t.Logf("created test file %s", tmpfile.Name())
+	_, err = tmpfile.WriteString(oldPrivvalContent)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	return tmpfile.Name()
+}