diff --git a/veilid-core/src/tests/mod.rs b/veilid-core/src/tests/mod.rs
index 2a050ac5..609182dd 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/tests/mod.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/tests/mod.rs
@@ -12,3 +12,4 @@ use super::*;
 pub use common::*;
 pub use crypto::tests::*;
 pub use network_manager::tests::*;
+pub use veilid_api::tests::*;
diff --git a/veilid-core/src/tests/native/mod.rs b/veilid-core/src/tests/native/mod.rs
index d6fa1cfa..f7fcef81 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/tests/native/mod.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/tests/native/mod.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 use crate::crypto::tests::*;
 use crate::network_manager::tests::*;
 use crate::tests::common::*;
+use crate::veilid_api::tests::*;
 use crate::*;
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -163,5 +164,14 @@ cfg_if! {
             })
         }
 
+        #[test]
+        #[serial]
+        fn run_test_serialize_rkyv() {
+            setup();
+            block_on(async {
+                test_serialize_rkyv::test_all().await;
+            })
+        }
+
     }
 }
diff --git a/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/mod.rs b/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/mod.rs
index eb4cb312..d046b71f 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/mod.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/mod.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ mod routing_context;
 mod serialize_helpers;
 mod types;
 
+pub mod tests;
+
 pub use api::*;
 pub use debug::*;
 pub use error::*;
diff --git a/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/tests/mod.rs b/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/tests/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..97891419
--- /dev/null
+++ b/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/tests/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+pub mod test_serialize_rkyv;
+
+use super::*;
diff --git a/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/tests/test_serialize_rkyv.rs b/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/tests/test_serialize_rkyv.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0566f7b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/veilid-core/src/veilid_api/tests/test_serialize_rkyv.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+use crate::*;
+
+pub async fn test_simple_string() {
+    let plain = "basic string".to_string();
+    let serialized = b"basic string\x0c\x00\x00\x00\xf4\xff\xff\xff".to_vec();
+
+    let a = to_rkyv(&plain);
+    assert_eq!(a.unwrap(), serialized);
+
+    let b = from_rkyv::<String>(serialized);
+    assert_eq!(b.unwrap(), plain);
+}
+
+pub async fn test_all() {
+    test_simple_string().await;
+}