diff --git a/src/testsuite/test-key_file.cc b/src/testsuite/test-key_file.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6c31b97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/testsuite/test-key_file.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+// src/testsuite/test-stepforward.cc - Copyright 2005, 2006, University
+//               of Padova, dept. of Pure and Applied
+//               Mathematics
+//
+// This file is part of SGPEMv2.
+//
+// This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// SGPEMv2 is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
+// GNU General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+// along with SGPEMv2; if not, write to the Free Software
+// Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA
+
+/* This executable tests for workingness of the save preferences method,
+ * and nothing else. */
+
+#include "config.h"
+#include "glibmm/ustring.h"
+#include "backend/key_file.hh"
+#include <iostream>
+
+
+
+// from here and further until the bottom, all to throw away I suppose
+
+int
+main(int argc, char** argv) {
+  
+  using namespace sgpem;
+  using Glib::ustring;
+  using std::cout;
+  using std::endl;
+  
+  if((argc<4) || (argc%2)!=0)
+  {
+    cout << "KeyFile class test program" << endl;
+    cout << "Syntax: test-key_file filename key1 value1 [key2 value2...]" << endl;
+    cout << "total number of parameters must be odd." 
+      << endl << endl;
+    cout << "This test create a KeyFile object, fill it with all key/value pairs," << endl 
+      << "write it to the file \"filename\", read it into a new KeyFile object" << endl
+      << "and compare all readed values against original values." << endl << endl
+      << "If all key/values match the program print \"Test was successful\" and return 0." << endl
+      << "If some key/values doesn't match the program print \"Test failed\" and return 1." 
+      << endl << endl;
+    cout << "If there isn't any parameter or bad number of parameters return 2." 
+      << endl << endl;
+    cout << "NOTE: 1) Test fails with invalid filenames or duplicated key in input." 
+      << endl;
+    cout << "      2) File \"filename\" remains in current directory after test execution." 
+      << endl << endl;
+    return 2;
+  }
+
+  KeyFile kfile;
+  KeyFile kfile_bis;
+  
+  // fill KeyFile object 
+  for(int index = 2; index<argc; index+=2)
+  {
+    kfile.insert_key_value(Glib::ustring(argv[index]), Glib::ustring(argv[index+1]));
+  }
+  
+  // write KeyFile object to file
+  kfile.file_write(Glib::ustring(argv[1]));
+  
+  // read new KeyFile object from file
+  kfile_bis.file_read(Glib::ustring(argv[1]));
+  
+  // compare writed vs. readed data
+  bool ok = true;
+  for(int index = 2; ok && index<argc; index+=2)
+  {
+    Glib::ustring val(argv[index+1]);
+    const Glib::ustring* pt = kfile_bis.search_value(Glib::ustring(argv[index]));
+    if(!pt || (*pt)!=val)
+    {
+      ok = false;
+    }
+  }
+  
+  // output response...
+  if(ok)
+  {
+    cout << "Test successful" << endl;
+    return 0;
+  }
+  else 
+  {
+    cout << "Test failed" << endl;
+    return 1;
+  }
+
+  exit(0);
+}