diff --git a/test/unit/core/transform_expressions_test.cpp b/test/unit/core/transform_expressions_test.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..748fea2af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/core/transform_expressions_test.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+#include "catch.hpp"
+
+#include <mapnik/parse_transform.hpp>
+#include <mapnik/transform_expression.hpp>
+
+namespace {
+
+
+bool test_transform_expressions(std::string const& in, std::string const& out)
+{
+    auto tr_list = mapnik::parse_transform(in);
+    return mapnik::to_expression_string(*tr_list) == out;
+}
+
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("transform-expressions")
+{
+    // matrix
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("matrix( 1,2,3,4,5, 6)", "matrix(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)"));
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("matrix(1 2 3 4 5  6)", "matrix(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)"));
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("matrix(1,2,3,4,5,4*2-1)", "matrix(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, (4*2-1))"));
+
+    // translate
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("translate(100)", "translate(100)"));
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("translate([tx])", "translate([tx])"));
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("translate(100 200)", "translate(100, 200)"));
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("translate([tx],[ty])", "translate([tx], [ty])"));
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("translate([tx],200)", "translate([tx], 200)"));
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("translate(100,[ty])", "translate(100, [ty])"));
+
+    // scale
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("scale(1.5)", "scale(1.5)"));
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("scale([sx])", "scale([sx])"));
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("scale([sx],1.5)", "scale([sx], 1.5)"));
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("scale(1.5,[sy])", "scale(1.5, [sy])"));
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("scale([sx],[sy]/2)", "scale([sx], [sy]/2)"));
+
+    // rotate
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("rotate([a] -2)", "rotate(([a]-2))"));
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("rotate([a] -2 -3)", "rotate((([a]-2)-3))"));
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("rotate([a],-2,-3)", "rotate([a], -2, -3)"));
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("rotate([a] -2 -3 -4)", "rotate(((([a]-2)-3)-4))"));
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("rotate([a] -2, 3, 4)", "rotate(([a]-2), 3, 4)"));
+
+    // skewX
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("skewX(2)", "skewX(2)"));
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("skewX(2*[x]+[y])", "skewX((2*[x]+[y]))"));
+
+    // skewY
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("skewY(2)", "skewY(2)"));
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("skewY(2*[x]+[y])", "skewY((2*[x]+[y]))"));
+
+    // compound
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("translate([tx]) rotate([a])", "translate([tx]) rotate([a])"));
+    CHECK(test_transform_expressions("rotate(30+[a]) scale(2*[sx],[sy])", "rotate((30+[a])) scale(2*[sx], [sy])"));
+}