diff --git a/test/bemoji_cmds.bats b/test/bemoji_cmds.bats
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ac1c3a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/bemoji_cmds.bats
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+setup_file() {
+    # make bemoji executable from anywhere relative to current testfile
+    TEST_DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "$BATS_TEST_FILENAME" )" >/dev/null 2>&1 && pwd )"
+    PATH="$TEST_DIR/..:$PATH"
+}
+
+setup() {
+    load 'test_helper/bats-support/load'
+    load 'test_helper/bats-assert/load'
+
+    # mock out interactive picker for static emoji return
+    export BEMOJI_PICKER_CMD="echo ❤️"
+
+    # set up small default set of test emoji for each test
+    export BEMOJI_DB_LOCATION="$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/database"
+    export BEMOJI_CACHE_LOCATION="$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/cache"
+    mkdir -p "$BEMOJI_DB_LOCATION" "$BEMOJI_CACHE_LOCATION"
+    cat "$BATS_TEST_DIRNAME/resources/test_emoji.txt" > "$BEMOJI_DB_LOCATION/emoji.txt"
+}
+
+@test "-v prints correct version number" {
+    the_version=$(grep 'bm_version=' "$(which bemoji)")
+
+    run bemoji -v
+    assert_output --partial "v${the_version#bm_version=}"
+}
+
+@test "Runs clipping command by default" {
+    BEMOJI_CLIP_CMD="echo clipping default" run bemoji 3>&-
+    assert_output "clipping default"
+}
+
+@test "Runs echo command on -e option" {
+    run bemoji -e 3>&-
+    assert_output "❤️"
+}
+
+@test "Runs clipping command on -c option" {
+    BEMOJI_CLIP_CMD="echo clipping result" run bemoji -c 3>&-
+    assert_output "clipping result"
+}
+
+@test "Runs typing command on -t option" {
+    BEMOJI_TYPE_CMD="echo typing result" run bemoji -t 3>&-
+    assert_output "typing result"
+}
diff --git a/test/bemoji.bats b/test/bemoji_directories.bats
similarity index 88%
rename from test/bemoji.bats
rename to test/bemoji_directories.bats
index cff3af6..28068e1 100644
--- a/test/bemoji.bats
+++ b/test/bemoji_directories.bats
@@ -28,18 +28,6 @@ setup() {
     assert_success
 }
 
-@test "can receive custom picker mock output" {
-    run bemoji -e 3>&-
-    assert_output "❤️"
-}
-
-@test "-v prints correct version number" {
-    the_version=$(grep 'bm_version=' $(which bemoji))
-
-    run bemoji -v
-    assert_output --partial "v${the_version#bm_version=}"
-}
-
 @test "sets XDG directory for db by default" {
     unset BEMOJI_DB_LOCATION
     export XDG_DATA_HOME="$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/xdb-db"