diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 0df8b02..df3ba9e 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ use clap::{Args, Parser, Subcommand};
 mod bindings;
 mod cli;
 mod make_nar;
-mod path_info;
+pub mod path_info;
 pub mod push;
 pub mod store;
 mod uploader;
diff --git a/src/path_info.rs b/src/path_info.rs
index beea6b9..5a70c39 100644
--- a/src/path_info.rs
+++ b/src/path_info.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use std::collections::HashSet;
 
-use anyhow::{Context, Result};
+use anyhow::{Context, Result, anyhow};
 use futures::future::join_all;
 use nix_compat::nixbase32;
 use nix_compat::store_path::StorePath;
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@ impl PathInfo {
         let derivation = String::from_utf8_lossy(derivation);
         debug!("derivation: {derivation}");
 
+        if derivation.is_empty() {
+            return Err(anyhow!(
+                "nix path-info did not return a derivation for {path:#?}"
+            ));
+        }
+
         let store_path = StorePath::from_absolute_path(derivation.trim().as_bytes())
             .context("storepath from derivation")?;
         store
diff --git a/tests/common/mod.rs b/tests/common/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..96ba300
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/common/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+use nixcp::store::Store;
+
+pub struct Context {
+    pub store: Store,
+}
+
+impl Context {
+    fn new() -> Self {
+        let store = Store::connect().expect("connect to nix store");
+        Self { store }
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn context() -> Context {
+    Context::new()
+}
diff --git a/tests/path_info.rs b/tests/path_info.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2653820
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/path_info.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+use nixcp::path_info::PathInfo;
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+use std::process::Command;
+
+mod common;
+
+const HELLO: &str = "github:nixos/nixpkgs?ref=f771eb401a46846c1aebd20552521b233dd7e18b#hello";
+const HELLO_DRV: &str = "iqbwkm8mjjjlmw6x6ry9rhzin2cp9372-hello-2.12.1.drv";
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn path_info_from_package() {
+    let ctx = common::context();
+    let path = PathBuf::from(HELLO);
+    let path_info = PathInfo::from_path(&path, &ctx.store)
+        .await
+        .expect("get pathinfo from package");
+    assert_eq!(path_info.path.to_string(), HELLO_DRV);
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn path_info_from_path() {
+    // the path must be in the store
+    Command::new("nix")
+        .arg("build")
+        .arg("--no-link")
+        .arg(HELLO)
+        .status()
+        .unwrap();
+    let ctx = common::context();
+    let path = PathBuf::from("/nix/store/9bwryidal9q3g91cjm6xschfn4ikd82q-hello-2.12.1");
+    let path_info = PathInfo::from_path(&path, &ctx.store)
+        .await
+        .expect("get pathinfo from package");
+    assert_eq!(path_info.path.to_string(), HELLO_DRV);
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn closure() {
+    let ctx = common::context();
+    let path = PathBuf::from(HELLO);
+    let path_info = PathInfo::from_path(&path, &ctx.store)
+        .await
+        .expect("get pathinfo from package");
+    let closure = path_info.get_closure(&ctx.store).await.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(closure.len(), 466);
+}