diff --git a/test/claim-private.tests.js b/test/claim-private.tests.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d21a720
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/claim-private.tests.js
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+'use strict';
+
+const expect = require('chai').expect;
+const util = require('util');
+const testUtils = require('./test-utils');
+
+function signWithPayload(payload, callback) {
+  testUtils.signJWTHelper(payload, 'secret', {algorithm: 'none'}, callback);
+}
+
+describe('with a private claim', function() {
+  [
+    true,
+    false,
+    null,
+    -1,
+    0,
+    1,
+    -1.1,
+    1.1,
+    '',
+    'private claim',
+    'UTF8 - José',
+    [],
+    ['foo'],
+    {},
+    {foo: 'bar'},
+  ].forEach((privateClaim) => {
+    it(`should sign and verify with claim of ${util.inspect(privateClaim)}`, function (done) {
+      signWithPayload({privateClaim}, (e1, token) => {
+        testUtils.verifyJWTHelper(token, undefined, {}, (e2, decoded) => {
+          testUtils.asyncCheck(done, () => {
+            expect(e1).to.be.null;
+            expect(e2).to.be.null;
+            expect(decoded).to.have.property('privateClaim').to.deep.equal(privateClaim);
+          });
+        })
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  // these values JSON.stringify to null
+  [
+    -Infinity,
+    Infinity,
+    NaN,
+  ].forEach((privateClaim) => {
+    it(`should sign and verify with claim of ${util.inspect(privateClaim)}`, function (done) {
+      signWithPayload({privateClaim}, (e1, token) => {
+        testUtils.verifyJWTHelper(token, undefined, {}, (e2, decoded) => {
+          testUtils.asyncCheck(done, () => {
+            expect(e1).to.be.null;
+            expect(e2).to.be.null;
+            expect(decoded).to.have.property('privateClaim', null);
+          });
+        })
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  // private claims with value undefined are not added to the payload
+  it(`should sign and verify with claim of undefined`, function (done) {
+    signWithPayload({privateClaim: undefined}, (e1, token) => {
+      testUtils.verifyJWTHelper(token, undefined, {}, (e2, decoded) => {
+        testUtils.asyncCheck(done, () => {
+          expect(e1).to.be.null;
+          expect(e2).to.be.null;
+          expect(decoded).to.not.have.property('privateClaim');
+        });
+      })
+    });
+  });
+});