diff --git a/system_tests/bigtable.py b/system_tests/bigtable.py
index 122bc60a8317..31d00f36675e 100644
--- a/system_tests/bigtable.py
+++ b/system_tests/bigtable.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 from gcloud import _helpers
 from gcloud.bigtable.client import Client
+from gcloud.bigtable.column_family import MaxVersionsGCRule
 from gcloud.environment_vars import TESTS_PROJECT
 
 
@@ -27,6 +28,8 @@
 NOW_MILLIS = int(1000 * time.time())
 CLUSTER_ID = 'gcloud-python-%d' % (NOW_MILLIS,)
 TABLE_ID = 'gcloud-python-test-table'
+COLUMN_FAMILY_ID1 = u'col-fam-id1'
+COLUMN_FAMILY_ID2 = u'col-fam-id2'
 EXISTING_CLUSTERS = []
 EXPECTED_ZONES = (
     'asia-east1-b',
@@ -227,3 +230,65 @@ def test_rename_table(self):
         self.assertEqual(
             exc_caught.details,
             'BigtableTableService.RenameTable is not yet implemented')
+
+    def test_create_column_family(self):
+        temp_table_id = 'foo-bar-baz-table'
+        temp_table = Config.CLUSTER.table(temp_table_id)
+        temp_table.create()
+        self.tables_to_delete.append(temp_table)
+
+        self.assertEqual(temp_table.list_column_families(), {})
+        gc_rule = MaxVersionsGCRule(1)
+        column_family = temp_table.column_family(COLUMN_FAMILY_ID1,
+                                                 gc_rule=gc_rule)
+        column_family.create()
+
+        col_fams = temp_table.list_column_families()
+
+        self.assertEqual(len(col_fams), 1)
+        retrieved_col_fam = col_fams[COLUMN_FAMILY_ID1]
+        self.assertTrue(retrieved_col_fam._table is column_family._table)
+        self.assertEqual(retrieved_col_fam.column_family_id,
+                         column_family.column_family_id)
+        self.assertEqual(retrieved_col_fam.gc_rule, gc_rule)
+
+    def test_update_column_family(self):
+        temp_table_id = 'foo-bar-baz-table'
+        temp_table = Config.CLUSTER.table(temp_table_id)
+        temp_table.create()
+        self.tables_to_delete.append(temp_table)
+
+        gc_rule = MaxVersionsGCRule(1)
+        column_family = temp_table.column_family(COLUMN_FAMILY_ID1,
+                                                 gc_rule=gc_rule)
+        column_family.create()
+
+        # Check that our created table is as expected.
+        col_fams = temp_table.list_column_families()
+        self.assertEqual(col_fams, {COLUMN_FAMILY_ID1: column_family})
+
+        # Update the column family's GC rule and then try to update.
+        column_family.gc_rule = None
+        column_family.update()
+
+        # Check that the update has propagated.
+        col_fams = temp_table.list_column_families()
+        self.assertEqual(col_fams[COLUMN_FAMILY_ID1].gc_rule, None)
+
+    def test_delete_column_family(self):
+        temp_table_id = 'foo-bar-baz-table'
+        temp_table = Config.CLUSTER.table(temp_table_id)
+        temp_table.create()
+        self.tables_to_delete.append(temp_table)
+
+        self.assertEqual(temp_table.list_column_families(), {})
+        column_family = temp_table.column_family(COLUMN_FAMILY_ID1)
+        column_family.create()
+
+        # Make sure the family is there before deleting it.
+        col_fams = temp_table.list_column_families()
+        self.assertEqual(list(col_fams.keys()), [COLUMN_FAMILY_ID1])
+
+        column_family.delete()
+        # Make sure we have successfully deleted it.
+        self.assertEqual(temp_table.list_column_families(), {})