diff --git a/test/unit/task_test.rb b/test/unit/task_test.rb
--- a/test/unit/task_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/task_test.rb
@@ -3,8 +3,39 @@
 class TaskTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
   fixtures :tasks
 
-  # Replace this with your real tests.
-  def test_truth
-    assert true
+  self.use_transactional_fixtures = false
+
+  def test_get_inqueue_simple
+    task1 = Task.get_inqueue_and_change_status(Task::STATUS_GRADING)    
+    
+    assert_equal task1.id, 3, "should get the earliest task"
+    assert_equal task1.status, Task::STATUS_GRADING, "status changes"
+    
+    task2 = Task.get_inqueue_and_change_status(Task::STATUS_GRADING)    
+    
+    assert_equal task2.id, 4, "should get the next task"
+    assert_equal task2.status, Task::STATUS_GRADING, "status changes"
   end
+  
+  def generate_tasks(n)
+    n.times do |i|
+      Task.create(:submission_id => i, 
+                  :status => Task::STATUS_INQUEUE,
+                  :create_at => Time.now + i.minutes)
+    end
+  end
+  
+  # use the process version in /test/concurrent instead
+  def UNUSED_test_get_inqueue_concurrent
+    ActiveRecord::Base.allow_concurrency = true
+
+    task1 = Task.get_inqueue_and_change_status(Task::STATUS_GRADING)    
+
+    assert_equal task1.id, 3, "should get the earliest task"
+    assert_equal task1.status, Task::STATUS_GRADING, "status changes"
+
+    ActiveRecord::Base.verify_active_connections!
+  end
+
 end
+