diff --git a/cloud/shepherd/equinix/manager/initializer_test.go b/cloud/shepherd/equinix/manager/initializer_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f07341c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cloud/shepherd/equinix/manager/initializer_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,183 @@
+package manager
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"crypto/ed25519"
+	"crypto/rand"
+	"fmt"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/packethost/packngo"
+	"golang.org/x/crypto/ssh"
+	"golang.org/x/time/rate"
+	"google.golang.org/protobuf/proto"
+
+	apb "source.monogon.dev/cloud/agent/api"
+	"source.monogon.dev/cloud/bmaas/bmdb"
+	"source.monogon.dev/cloud/bmaas/bmdb/model"
+	"source.monogon.dev/cloud/lib/component"
+)
+
+// fakeSSHClient is an SSHClient that pretends to start an agent, but in reality
+// just responds with what an agent would respond on every execution attempt.
+type fakeSSHClient struct {
+}
+
+type fakeSSHConnection struct {
+}
+
+func (f *fakeSSHClient) Dial(ctx context.Context, address, username string, sshkey ssh.Signer, timeout time.Duration) (SSHConnection, error) {
+	return &fakeSSHConnection{}, nil
+}
+
+func (f *fakeSSHConnection) Execute(ctx context.Context, command string, stdin []byte) (stdout []byte, stderr []byte, err error) {
+	var aim apb.TakeoverInit
+	if err := proto.Unmarshal(stdin, &aim); err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("while unmarshaling TakeoverInit message: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Agent should send back apb.TakeoverResponse on its standard output.
+	pub, _, err := ed25519.GenerateKey(rand.Reader)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("while generating agent public key: %v", err)
+	}
+	arsp := apb.TakeoverResponse{
+		InitMessage: &aim,
+		Key:         pub,
+	}
+	arspb, err := proto.Marshal(&arsp)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("while marshaling TakeoverResponse message: %v", err)
+	}
+	return arspb, nil, nil
+}
+
+func (f *fakeSSHConnection) Upload(ctx context.Context, targetPath string, data []byte) error {
+	if targetPath != "/fake/path" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("unexpected target path in test")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (f *fakeSSHConnection) Close() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+// TestInitializerSmokes makes sure the Initializer doesn't go up in flames on
+// the happy path.
+func TestInitializerSmokes(t *testing.T) {
+	ic := InitializerConfig{
+		DBQueryLimiter: rate.NewLimiter(rate.Every(time.Second), 10),
+	}
+	_, key, _ := ed25519.GenerateKey(rand.Reader)
+	sc := SharedConfig{
+		ProjectId:    "noproject",
+		KeyLabel:     "somekey",
+		Key:          key,
+		DevicePrefix: "test-",
+	}
+	ac := AgentConfig{
+		Executable:        []byte("beep boop i'm a real program"),
+		TargetPath:        "/fake/path",
+		Endpoint:          "example.com:1234",
+		SSHConnectTimeout: time.Second,
+		SSHExecTimeout:    time.Second,
+	}
+	f := newFakequinix(sc.ProjectId, 100)
+	i, err := ic.New(f, &sc, &ac)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Could not create Initializer: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	ctx, ctxC := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	defer ctxC()
+
+	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)
+	}
+
+	if err := sc.SSHEquinixEnsure(ctx, f); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to ensure SSH key: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	i.sshClient = &fakeSSHClient{}
+	go i.Run(ctx, conn)
+
+	reservations, _ := f.ListReservations(ctx, sc.ProjectId)
+	kid, err := sc.sshEquinixId(ctx, f)
+	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:             sc.ProjectId,
+			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)
+		}
+	}
+
+	go i.Run(ctx, conn)
+
+	// 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, 100)
+			return err
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to run Transaction: %v", err)
+		}
+		if len(machines) == 0 {
+			break
+		}
+	}
+}