diff --git a/cloud/shepherd/provider/equinix/initializer_test.go b/cloud/shepherd/provider/equinix/initializer_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3100ad2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cloud/shepherd/provider/equinix/initializer_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,169 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"crypto/ed25519"
+	"crypto/rand"
+	"fmt"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/packethost/packngo"
+	"golang.org/x/time/rate"
+
+	"source.monogon.dev/cloud/bmaas/bmdb"
+	"source.monogon.dev/cloud/bmaas/bmdb/model"
+	"source.monogon.dev/cloud/lib/component"
+	"source.monogon.dev/cloud/shepherd/manager"
+)
+
+type initializerDut struct {
+	f        *fakequinix
+	i        *manager.Initializer
+	bmdb     *bmdb.Connection
+	ctx      context.Context
+	provider *equinixProvider
+}
+
+func newInitializerDut(t *testing.T) *initializerDut {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	sc := providerConfig{
+		ProjectId:    "noproject",
+		KeyLabel:     "somekey",
+		DevicePrefix: "test-",
+	}
+	_, key, _ := ed25519.GenerateKey(rand.Reader)
+	k := manager.SSHKey{
+		Key: key,
+	}
+
+	f := newFakequinix(sc.ProjectId, 100)
+	provider, err := sc.New(&k, f)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Could not create Provider: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	ic := manager.InitializerConfig{
+		ControlLoopConfig: manager.ControlLoopConfig{
+			DBQueryLimiter: rate.NewLimiter(rate.Every(time.Second), 10),
+		},
+		Executable:        []byte("beep boop i'm a real program"),
+		TargetPath:        "/fake/path",
+		Endpoint:          "example.com:1234",
+		SSHConnectTimeout: time.Second,
+		SSHExecTimeout:    time.Second,
+	}
+
+	i, err := manager.NewInitializer(provider, &manager.FakeSSHClient{}, ic)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Could not create Initializer: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	b := bmdb.BMDB{
+		Config: bmdb.Config{
+			Database: component.CockroachConfig{
+				InMemory: true,
+			},
+			ComponentName: "test",
+			RuntimeInfo:   "test",
+		},
+	}
+	conn, err := b.Open(true)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Could not create in-memory BMDB: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	ctx, ctxC := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	t.Cleanup(ctxC)
+
+	if err := provider.SSHEquinixEnsure(ctx); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to ensure SSH key: %v", err)
+	}
+	go manager.RunControlLoop(ctx, conn, i)
+
+	return &initializerDut{
+		f:        f,
+		i:        i,
+		bmdb:     conn,
+		ctx:      ctx,
+		provider: provider,
+	}
+}
+
+// TestInitializerSmokes makes sure the Initializer doesn't go up in flames on
+// the happy path.
+func TestInitializerSmokes(t *testing.T) {
+	dut := newInitializerDut(t)
+	f := dut.f
+	ctx := dut.ctx
+	conn := dut.bmdb
+
+	reservations, _ := f.ListReservations(ctx, f.pid)
+	kid, err := dut.provider.sshEquinixId(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to retrieve equinix key ID: %v", err)
+	}
+	sess, err := conn.StartSession(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to create BMDB session for verifiaction: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Create 10 provided machines for testing.
+	for i := 0; i < 10; i++ {
+		res := reservations[i]
+		dev, _ := f.CreateDevice(ctx, &packngo.DeviceCreateRequest{
+			Hostname:              fmt.Sprintf("test-%d", i),
+			OS:                    "fake",
+			ProjectID:             f.pid,
+			HardwareReservationID: res.ID,
+			ProjectSSHKeys:        []string{kid},
+		})
+		f.devices[dev.ID].Network = []*packngo.IPAddressAssignment{
+			{
+				IpAddressCommon: packngo.IpAddressCommon{
+					ID:            "fake",
+					Address:       "1.2.3.4",
+					Management:    true,
+					AddressFamily: 4,
+					Public:        true,
+				},
+			},
+		}
+		err = sess.Transact(ctx, func(q *model.Queries) error {
+			machine, err := q.NewMachine(ctx)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			return q.MachineAddProvided(ctx, model.MachineAddProvidedParams{
+				MachineID:  machine.MachineID,
+				Provider:   model.ProviderEquinix,
+				ProviderID: dev.ID,
+			})
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to create BMDB machine: %v", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Expect to find 0 machines needing start.
+	for {
+		time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
+
+		var machines []model.MachineProvided
+		err = sess.Transact(ctx, func(q *model.Queries) error {
+			var err error
+			machines, err = q.GetMachinesForAgentStart(ctx, model.GetMachinesForAgentStartParams{
+				Limit:    100,
+				Provider: model.ProviderEquinix,
+			})
+			return err
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to run Transaction: %v", err)
+		}
+		if len(machines) == 0 {
+			break
+		}
+	}
+}