diff --git a/test/io/test_io.py b/test/io/test_io.py
index 9b551b693..76fe83399 100644
--- a/test/io/test_io.py
+++ b/test/io/test_io.py
@@ -15,12 +15,6 @@ from util import *
 from postgrest import *
 
 
-def test_port_connection(defaultenv):
-    "Connections via a port on localhost should work."
-    with run(env=defaultenv, port=freeport()):
-        pass
-
-
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "secretpath",
     [path for path in (BASEDIR / "secrets").iterdir() if path.suffix != ".jwt"],
diff --git a/test/io/test_sanity.py b/test/io/test_sanity.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6bbd8e3aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/io/test_sanity.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+"Sanity checks for the PostgREST black box testing infrastructure."
+
+from datetime import datetime
+from operator import attrgetter
+import os
+import re
+import signal
+import socket
+import time
+
+import pytest
+
+from config import *
+from util import *
+from postgrest import *
+
+
+def test_port_connection(defaultenv):
+    "Connections via a port on localhost should work."
+    with run(env=defaultenv, port=freeport()):
+        pass
+
+
+def test_plain_get(defaultenv):
+    "run() should give a working PostgREST."
+    with run(env=defaultenv) as postgrest:
+        response = postgrest.session.get("/projects")
+        assert response.status_code == 200
+
+
+@pytest.mark.xfail(reason="option is broken, issue #2456")
+def test_no_pool_connection_available(defaultenv):
+    "no_pool_connection_available option is functional"
+    with run(env=defaultenv, no_pool_connection_available=True) as postgrest:
+        with pytest.raises(Exception) as e:
+            postgrest.session.get("/projects", timeout=1)