diff --git a/types/priv_validator.go b/types/priv_validator.go
index 66f02a6f6..8834eb7cc 100644
--- a/types/priv_validator.go
+++ b/types/priv_validator.go
@@ -129,14 +129,14 @@ func LoadPrivValidatorFS(filePath string) *PrivValidatorFS {
 // LoadOrGenPrivValidatorFS loads a PrivValidatorFS from the given filePath
 // or else generates a new one and saves it to the filePath.
 func LoadOrGenPrivValidatorFS(filePath string) *PrivValidatorFS {
-	var PrivValidatorFS *PrivValidatorFS
+	var privVal *PrivValidatorFS
 	if _, err := os.Stat(filePath); err == nil {
-		PrivValidatorFS = LoadPrivValidatorFS(filePath)
+		privVal = LoadPrivValidatorFS(filePath)
 	} else {
-		PrivValidatorFS = GenPrivValidatorFS(filePath)
-		PrivValidatorFS.Save()
+		privVal = GenPrivValidatorFS(filePath)
+		privVal.Save()
 	}
-	return PrivValidatorFS
+	return privVal
 }
 
 // LoadPrivValidatorWithSigner loads a PrivValidatorFS with a custom
diff --git a/types/priv_validator_test.go b/types/priv_validator_test.go
index 5b6026740..ac91de861 100644
--- a/types/priv_validator_test.go
+++ b/types/priv_validator_test.go
@@ -4,14 +4,44 @@ import (
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 	crypto "github.com/tendermint/go-crypto"
+	"github.com/tendermint/go-wire/data"
+	cmn "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/common"
 )
 
-func TestLoadValidator(t *testing.T) {
+func TestGenLoadValidator(t *testing.T) {
+	assert := assert.New(t)
+
+	_, tempFilePath := cmn.Tempfile("priv_validator_")
+	privVal := GenPrivValidatorFS(tempFilePath)
+
+	height := 100
+	privVal.LastHeight = height
+	privVal.Save()
+	addr := privVal.GetAddress()
+
+	privVal = LoadPrivValidatorFS(tempFilePath)
+	assert.Equal(addr, privVal.GetAddress(), "expected privval addr to be the same")
+	assert.Equal(height, privVal.LastHeight, "expected privval.LastHeight to have been saved")
+}
+
+func TestLoadOrGenValidator(t *testing.T) {
+	assert := assert.New(t)
+
+	_, tempFilePath := cmn.Tempfile("priv_validator_")
+	os.Remove(tempFilePath)
+	privVal := LoadOrGenPrivValidatorFS(tempFilePath)
+	addr := privVal.GetAddress()
+	privVal = LoadOrGenPrivValidatorFS(tempFilePath)
+	assert.Equal(addr, privVal.GetAddress(), "expected privval addr to be the same")
+}
+
+func TestUnmarshalValidator(t *testing.T) {
 	assert, require := assert.New(t), require.New(t)
 
 	// create some fixed values
@@ -58,3 +88,89 @@ func TestLoadValidator(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Nil(err, "%+v", err)
 	assert.JSONEq(serialized, string(out))
 }
+
+func TestSignVote(t *testing.T) {
+	assert := assert.New(t)
+
+	_, tempFilePath := cmn.Tempfile("priv_validator_")
+	privVal := GenPrivValidatorFS(tempFilePath)
+
+	block1 := BlockID{[]byte{1, 2, 3}, PartSetHeader{}}
+	block2 := BlockID{[]byte{3, 2, 1}, PartSetHeader{}}
+	height, round := 10, 1
+	voteType := VoteTypePrevote
+
+	// sign a vote for first time
+	vote := newVote(privVal.Address, 0, height, round, voteType, block1)
+	err := privVal.SignVote("mychainid", vote)
+	assert.NoError(err, "expected no error signing vote")
+
+	// try to sign the same vote again; should be fine
+	err = privVal.SignVote("mychainid", vote)
+	assert.NoError(err, "expected no error on signing same vote")
+
+	// now try some bad votes
+	cases := []*Vote{
+		newVote(privVal.Address, 0, height, round-1, voteType, block1),   // round regression
+		newVote(privVal.Address, 0, height-1, round, voteType, block1),   // height regression
+		newVote(privVal.Address, 0, height-2, round+4, voteType, block1), // height regression and different round
+		newVote(privVal.Address, 0, height, round, voteType, block2),     // different block
+	}
+
+	for _, c := range cases {
+		err = privVal.SignVote("mychainid", c)
+		assert.Error(err, "expected error on signing conflicting vote")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSignProposal(t *testing.T) {
+	assert := assert.New(t)
+
+	_, tempFilePath := cmn.Tempfile("priv_validator_")
+	privVal := GenPrivValidatorFS(tempFilePath)
+
+	block1 := PartSetHeader{5, []byte{1, 2, 3}}
+	block2 := PartSetHeader{10, []byte{3, 2, 1}}
+	height, round := 10, 1
+
+	// sign a proposal for first time
+	proposal := newProposal(height, round, block1)
+	err := privVal.SignProposal("mychainid", proposal)
+	assert.NoError(err, "expected no error signing proposal")
+
+	// try to sign the same proposal again; should be fine
+	err = privVal.SignProposal("mychainid", proposal)
+	assert.NoError(err, "expected no error on signing same proposal")
+
+	// now try some bad Proposals
+	cases := []*Proposal{
+		newProposal(height, round-1, block1),   // round regression
+		newProposal(height-1, round, block1),   // height regression
+		newProposal(height-2, round+4, block1), // height regression and different round
+		newProposal(height, round, block2),     // different block
+	}
+
+	for _, c := range cases {
+		err = privVal.SignProposal("mychainid", c)
+		assert.Error(err, "expected error on signing conflicting proposal")
+	}
+}
+
+func newVote(addr data.Bytes, idx, height, round int, typ byte, blockID BlockID) *Vote {
+	return &Vote{
+		ValidatorAddress: addr,
+		ValidatorIndex:   idx,
+		Height:           height,
+		Round:            round,
+		Type:             typ,
+		BlockID:          blockID,
+	}
+}
+
+func newProposal(height, round int, partsHeader PartSetHeader) *Proposal {
+	return &Proposal{
+		Height:           height,
+		Round:            round,
+		BlockPartsHeader: partsHeader,
+	}
+}