diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index a18089ca..ccc1f619 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 from uuid import uuid4
+import socket
+import subprocess
+import time
 
 import pytest
 
@@ -34,3 +37,29 @@ def authenticated_user(client):
     response = client.get("/auth/users/me")
     assert response.status_code != 401
     return username
+
+
+def get_open_port():
+    s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+    s.bind(("", 0))
+    s.listen(1)
+    port = str(s.getsockname()[1])
+    s.close()
+    return port
+
+
+@pytest.fixture()
+def start_jupyverse(auth_mode, clear_users):
+    port = get_open_port()
+    command_list = [
+        "jupyverse",
+        "--no-open-browser",
+        f"--authenticator.mode={auth_mode}",
+        "--authenticator.clear_users=" + str(clear_users).lower(),
+        f"--port={port}",
+    ]
+    p = subprocess.Popen(command_list)
+    url = f"http://127.0.0.1:{port}"
+    time.sleep(2)  # let the server start up
+    yield url
+    p.kill()
diff --git a/tests/test_server.py b/tests/test_server.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ae67709d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_server.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import json
+
+import requests
+import pytest
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("auth_mode", ("noauth",))
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("clear_users", (True,))
+def test_settings_persistence_put(start_jupyverse):
+    url = start_jupyverse
+    response = requests.put(
+        url + "/lab/api/settings/@jupyterlab/apputils-extension:themes",
+        data='{"raw":"my_settings"}',
+    )
+    assert response.status_code == 204
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("auth_mode", ("noauth",))
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("clear_users", (False,))
+def test_settings_persistence_get(start_jupyverse):
+    url = start_jupyverse
+    response = requests.get(
+        url + "/lab/api/settings/@jupyterlab/apputils-extension:themes",
+    )
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+    assert json.loads(response.content)["raw"] == "my_settings"