diff --git a/nixos/lib/test-driver/Machine.pm b/nixos/lib/test-driver/Machine.pm
index 85c2bfa88e1a..e0791692d3ef 100644
--- a/nixos/lib/test-driver/Machine.pm
+++ b/nixos/lib/test-driver/Machine.pm
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ sub new {
             if defined $args->{hda};
         $startCommand .= "-cdrom $args->{cdrom} "
             if defined $args->{cdrom};
+        $startCommand .= "-device piix3-usb-uhci -drive id=usbdisk,file=$args->{usb},if=none,readonly -device usb-storage,drive=usbdisk "
+            if defined $args->{usb};
+        $startCommand .= "-bios $args->{bios} "
+            if defined $args->{bios};
         $startCommand .= $args->{qemuFlags} || "";
     } else {
         $startCommand = Cwd::abs_path $startCommand;
diff --git a/nixos/release.nix b/nixos/release.nix
index 1712c90ad33f..90824d459941 100644
--- a/nixos/release.nix
+++ b/nixos/release.nix
@@ -310,6 +310,10 @@ in rec {
   tests.udisks2 = callTest tests/udisks2.nix {};
   tests.virtualbox = callTest tests/virtualbox.nix {};
   tests.xfce = callTest tests/xfce.nix {};
+  tests.bootBiosCdrom = forAllSystems (system: scrubDrv (import tests/boot.nix { inherit system; }).bootBiosCdrom);
+  tests.bootBiosUsb = forAllSystems (system: scrubDrv (import tests/boot.nix { inherit system; }).bootBiosUsb);
+  tests.bootUefiCdrom = forAllSystems (system: scrubDrv (import tests/boot.nix { inherit system; }).bootUefiCdrom);
+  tests.bootUefiUsb = forAllSystems (system: scrubDrv (import tests/boot.nix { inherit system; }).bootUefiUsb);
 
 
   /* Build a bunch of typical closures so that Hydra can keep track of
diff --git a/nixos/tests/boot.nix b/nixos/tests/boot.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..2fdbb0c00b85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/tests/boot.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+{ system ? builtins.currentSystem }:
+
+with import ../lib/testing.nix { inherit system; };
+with import ../lib/qemu-flags.nix;
+with pkgs.lib;
+
+let
+
+  iso =
+    (import ../lib/eval-config.nix {
+      inherit system;
+      modules =
+        [ ../modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-minimal.nix
+          ../modules/testing/test-instrumentation.nix
+          { key = "serial";
+            boot.loader.grub.timeout = mkOverride 0 0;
+
+            # The test cannot access the network, so any sources we
+            # need must be included in the ISO.
+            isoImage.storeContents =
+              [ pkgs.glibcLocales
+                pkgs.sudo
+                pkgs.docbook5
+                pkgs.docbook5_xsl
+                pkgs.grub
+                pkgs.perlPackages.XMLLibXML
+                pkgs.unionfs-fuse
+                pkgs.gummiboot
+              ];
+          }
+        ];
+    }).config.system.build.isoImage;
+
+  makeBootTest = name: machineConfig:
+    makeTest {
+      inherit iso;
+      name = "boot-" + name;
+      nodes = { };
+      testScript =
+        ''
+          my $machine = createMachine({ ${machineConfig}, qemuFlags => '-m 768' });
+          $machine->start;
+          $machine->waitForUnit("multi-user.target");
+          $machine->shutdown;
+        '';
+    };
+in {
+    bootBiosCdrom = makeBootTest "bios-cdrom" ''
+        cdrom => glob("${iso}/iso/*.iso")
+      '';
+    bootBiosUsb = makeBootTest "bios-usb" ''
+        usb => glob("${iso}/iso/*.iso")
+      '';
+    bootUefiCdrom = makeBootTest "uefi-cdrom" ''
+        cdrom => glob("${iso}/iso/*.iso"),
+        bios => '${pkgs.OVMF}/FV/OVMF.fd'
+      '';
+    bootUefiUsb = makeBootTest "uefi-usb" ''
+        usb => glob("${iso}/iso/*.iso"),
+        bios => '${pkgs.OVMF}/FV/OVMF.fd'
+      '';
+  }
+