diff --git a/tests/test_iptc.py b/tests/test_iptc.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3101ace2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_iptc.py
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+##  python-exiv2 - Python interface to libexiv2
+##  http://github.com/jim-easterbrook/python-exiv2
+##  Copyright (C) 2023  Jim Easterbrook  jim@jim-easterbrook.me.uk
+##
+##  This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or
+##  modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
+##  published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
+##  License, or (at your option) any later version.
+##
+##  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+##  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+##  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+##  General Public License for more details.
+##
+##  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+##  along with this program.  If not, see
+##  <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+import os
+import sys
+import unittest
+
+import exiv2
+
+
+class TestIptcModule(unittest.TestCase):
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls):
+        exiv2.XmpParser.initialize()
+        test_dir = os.path.dirname(__file__)
+        # open image in memory so we don't corrupt the file
+        with open(os.path.join(test_dir, 'image_02.jpg'), 'rb') as f:
+            cls.image = exiv2.ImageFactory.open(f.read())
+
+    def test_IptcData(self):
+        # empty container
+        data = exiv2.IptcData()
+        self.assertEqual(len(data), 0)
+        # actual data
+        self.image.readMetadata()
+        data = self.image.iptcData()
+        self.assertEqual(len(data), 19)
+        # add data
+        data.add(exiv2.Iptcdatum(
+            exiv2.IptcKey('Iptc.Application2.LocationCode'),
+            exiv2.AsciiValue('XYZ')))
+        self.assertEqual('Iptc.Application2.LocationCode' in data, True)
+        self.assertIsInstance(
+            data['Iptc.Application2.LocationCode'], exiv2.Iptcdatum)
+        data.add(exiv2.IptcKey('Iptc.Application2.LocationName'),
+                 exiv2.AsciiValue('Erewhon'))
+        self.assertEqual('Iptc.Application2.LocationName' in data, True)
+        self.assertIsInstance(
+            data['Iptc.Application2.LocationName'], exiv2.Iptcdatum)
+        # iterators
+        b = iter(data)
+        self.assertIsInstance(b, exiv2.IptcData_iterator)
+        self.assertEqual(b.key(), 'Iptc.Envelope.CharacterSet')
+        b = data.begin()
+        self.assertIsInstance(b, exiv2.IptcData_iterator)
+        self.assertEqual(b.key(), 'Iptc.Envelope.CharacterSet')
+        next(b)
+        self.assertEqual(b.key(), 'Iptc.Application2.Contact')
+        e = data.end()
+        self.assertIsInstance(e, exiv2.IptcData_iterator_end)
+        k = data.findKey(exiv2.IptcKey('Iptc.Application2.SpecialInstructions'))
+        self.assertIsInstance(k, exiv2.IptcData_iterator)
+        self.assertEqual(k.key(), 'Iptc.Application2.SpecialInstructions')
+        k = data.erase(k)
+        self.assertIsInstance(k, exiv2.IptcData_iterator)
+        self.assertEqual(k.key(), 'Iptc.Application2.Keywords')
+        # access by key
+        self.assertEqual('Iptc.Application2.Byline' in data, True)
+        self.assertIsInstance(data['Iptc.Application2.Byline'], exiv2.Iptcdatum)
+        del data['Iptc.Application2.Byline']
+        self.assertEqual('Iptc.Application2.Byline' in data, False)
+        data['Iptc.Application2.Byline'] = 'Fred'
+        self.assertEqual('Iptc.Application2.Byline' in data, True)
+        self.assertIsInstance(data['Iptc.Application2.Byline'], exiv2.Iptcdatum)
+        # sorting
+        data.sortByKey()
+        self.assertEqual(data.begin().key(), 'Iptc.Application2.Byline')
+        data.sortByTag()
+        self.assertEqual(data.begin().key(), 'Iptc.Application2.ObjectName')
+        # other methods
+        self.assertEqual(data.count(), 20)
+        self.assertEqual(data.empty(), False)
+        data.clear()
+        self.assertEqual(len(data), 0)
+        self.assertEqual(data.empty(), True)
+
+    def test_ref_counts(self):
+        self.image.readMetadata()
+        # iptcData keeps a reference to image
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(self.image), 2)
+        data = self.image.iptcData()
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(self.image), 3)
+        # iterator keeps a reference to data
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(data), 2)
+        b = data.begin()
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(data), 3)
+        e = data.end()
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(data), 4)
+        i = iter(data)
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(data), 5)
+        k = data.findKey(exiv2.IptcKey('Iptc.Application2.Caption'))
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(data), 6)
+        k2 = data.erase(k)
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(data), 7)
+        del b, e, i, k, k2
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(data), 2)
+        # iterator of an iterator keeps a reference to iterator
+        b = data.begin()
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(b), 2)
+        i = iter(b)
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(b), 3)
+        del i
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(b), 2)
+        # iterator value keeps a reference to iterator
+        v = b.value()
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(b), 3)
+        del v
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(b), 2)
+        del b
+        # datum keeps a reference to data
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(data), 2)
+        datum = data['Iptc.Application2.Contact']
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(data), 3)
+        # value keeps a reference to datum
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(datum), 2)
+        v = datum.value()
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(datum), 3)
+        del v
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(datum), 2)
+        del datum
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(data), 2)
+        del data
+        self.assertEqual(sys.getrefcount(self.image), 2)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    unittest.main()