diff --git a/cli/simple_read_only/README.txt b/cli/simple_read_only/README.txt
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+++ b/cli/simple_read_only/README.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+This directory consists of simple read only python client tests.
diff --git a/cli/simple_read_only/__init__.py b/cli/simple_read_only/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli/simple_read_only/__init__.py
diff --git a/cli/simple_read_only/test_compute.py b/cli/simple_read_only/test_compute.py
new file mode 100644
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+++ b/cli/simple_read_only/test_compute.py
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+# vim: tabstop=4 shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
+
+# Copyright 2013 OpenStack Foundation
+# All Rights Reserved.
+#
+#    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+#    not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+#    a copy of the License at
+#
+#         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+#    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+#    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+#    WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+#    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+#    under the License.
+
+import logging
+import shlex
+import subprocess
+
+import testtools
+
+import cli
+
+from tempest import config
+from tempest.openstack.common import cfg
+
+
+CONF = cfg.CONF
+
+
+LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+class SimpleReadOnlyNovaCLientTest(testtools.TestCase):
+
+    """
+    This is a first pass at a simple read only python-novaclient test. This
+    only exercises client commands that are read only.
+
+    This should test commands:
+    * as a regular user
+    * as a admin user
+    * with and without optional parameters
+    * initially just check return codes, and later test command outputs
+
+    """
+
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls):
+        if not CONF.cli.enabled:
+            msg = "cli testing disabled"
+            raise cls.skipException(msg)
+        cls.identity = config.TempestConfig().identity
+        super(SimpleReadOnlyNovaCLientTest, cls).setUpClass()
+
+    def nova(self, action, flags='', params='', admin=True, fail_ok=False):
+        """Executes nova command for the given action."""
+        #TODO(jogo) make admin=False work
+        creds = ('--os-username %s --os-tenant-name %s --os-password %s '
+                 '--os-auth-url %s ' % (self.identity.admin_username,
+                 self.identity.admin_tenant_name, self.identity.admin_password,
+                 self.identity.uri))
+        flags = creds + ' ' + flags
+        cmd = ' '.join([CONF.cli.cli_dir + 'nova', flags, action, params])
+        LOG.info("running: '%s'" % cmd)
+        cmd = shlex.split(cmd)
+        result = subprocess.check_output(cmd, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
+        return result
+
+    def test_admin_version(self):
+        self.nova('', flags='--version')
+
+    def test_admin_timing(self):
+        self.nova('list', flags='--timing')
+
+    def test_admin_timeout(self):
+        self.nova('list', flags='--timeout 2')
+
+    def test_admin_debug_list(self):
+        self.nova('list', flags='--debug')
+
+    def test_admin_fake_action(self):
+        self.assertRaises(subprocess.CalledProcessError,
+                          self.nova,
+                          'this-does-nova-exist')
+
+    def test_admin_aggregate_list(self):
+        self.nova('aggregate-list')
+
+    def test_admin_cloudpipe_list(self):
+        self.nova('cloudpipe-list')
+
+    def test_admin_image_list(self):
+        self.nova('image-list')
+
+    def test_admin_dns_domains(self):
+        self.nova('dns-domains')
+
+    def test_admin_flavor_list(self):
+        self.nova('flavor-list')
+
+    #TODO(jogo) add more tests