diff --git a/tests/spec/12-compose-limits.js b/tests/spec/12-compose-limits.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d2addedd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/spec/12-compose-limits.js
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import {
+  composeButton, composeInput, composeLengthIndicator, getUrl, homeNavButton, notificationsNavButton
+} from '../utils'
+import { foobarRole } from '../roles'
+import times from 'lodash/times'
+
+fixture`12-compose-limits.js`
+  .page`http://localhost:4002`
+
+test('shows compose limits', async t => {
+  await t.useRole(foobarRole)
+    .hover(composeInput)
+    .expect(composeLengthIndicator.innerText).eql('0')
+    .expect(composeButton.getAttribute('disabled')).eql('')
+    .typeText(composeInput, 'typing some text')
+    .expect(composeLengthIndicator.innerText).eql('16')
+    .expect(composeButton.hasAttribute('disabled')).notOk()
+    .typeText(composeInput, times(50, () => 'hello world').join(' '), {replace: true, paste: true})
+    .expect(composeLengthIndicator.innerText).eql('-99')
+    .expect(composeButton.getAttribute('disabled')).eql('')
+    .typeText(composeInput, 'hello world', {replace: true})
+    .click(notificationsNavButton)
+    .expect(getUrl()).contains('/notifications')
+    .click(homeNavButton)
+    .expect(getUrl()).eql('http://localhost:4002/')
+    .expect(composeInput.value).eql('hello world')
+    .expect(composeLengthIndicator.innerText).eql('11')
+    .expect(composeButton.hasAttribute('disabled')).notOk()
+    .selectText(composeInput)
+    .pressKey('delete')
+    .expect(composeInput.value).eql('')
+    .expect(composeLengthIndicator.innerText).eql('0')
+    .expect(composeButton.getAttribute('disabled')).eql('')
+})
diff --git a/tests/utils.js b/tests/utils.js
index a573cd7f..5221cbdc 100644
--- a/tests/utils.js
+++ b/tests/utils.js
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ export const closeDialogButton = $('.close-dialog-button')
 export const notificationsNavButton = $('nav a[href="/notifications"]')
 export const homeNavButton = $('nav a[href="/"]')
 export const formError = $('.form-error-user-error')
+export const composeInput = $('.compose-box-input')
+export const composeButton = $('.compose-box-button')
+export const composeLengthIndicator = $('.compose-box-length')
 
 export const favoritesCountElement = $('.status-favs-reblogs:nth-child(3)').addCustomDOMProperties({
   innerCount: el => parseInt(el.innerText, 10)