diff --git a/internal/pkg/openflow/role_test.go b/internal/pkg/openflow/role_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5eb3ba5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/pkg/openflow/role_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,160 @@
+/*
+   Copyright 2020 the original author or authors.
+
+   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.
+*/
+
+package openflow
+
+import (
+	ofp "github.com/donNewtonAlpha/goloxi/of13"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+type testRoleManager struct {
+	role         ofp.ControllerRole
+	generationId uint64
+	from         string
+
+	generateError bool
+}
+
+func (trm *testRoleManager) UpdateRoles(from string, request *ofp.RoleRequest) bool {
+	trm.from = from
+	trm.role = request.Role
+	trm.generationId = request.GenerationId
+
+	return !trm.generateError
+}
+
+func createOFClient() *OFClient {
+	endpoints := []string{"e1", "e2", "e3"}
+
+	// create a client object
+	ofclient := &OFClient{
+		OFControllerEndPoints: endpoints,
+		connections:           make(map[string]*OFConnection),
+	}
+
+	// create a connection object for each endpoint
+	for _, ep := range endpoints {
+		conn := &OFConnection{OFControllerEndPoint: ep, role: ofcRoleNone}
+		ofclient.connections[ep] = conn
+	}
+
+	return ofclient
+}
+
+func createRoleRequest(role ofp.ControllerRole, genId uint64) *ofp.RoleRequest {
+	rr := ofp.NewRoleRequest()
+	rr.Role = role
+	rr.GenerationId = genId
+	return rr
+}
+
+func TestRoleChange(t *testing.T) {
+	endpoints := []string{"e1", "e2", "e3"}
+	ofclient := &OFClient{
+		OFControllerEndPoints: endpoints, connections: make(map[string]*OFConnection),
+	}
+
+	for _, ep := range endpoints {
+		conn := &OFConnection{OFControllerEndPoint: ep, role: ofcRoleNone}
+		ofclient.connections[ep] = conn
+	}
+
+	assert.Equal(t, ofclient.connections["e1"].role, ofcRoleNone)
+
+	// change role of e1 to master
+	rr := createRoleRequest(ofp.OFPCRRoleMaster, 1)
+
+	ok := ofclient.UpdateRoles("e1", rr)
+	assert.True(t, ok)
+	assert.Equal(t, ofclient.connections["e1"].role, ofcRoleMaster)
+
+	// change role of e2 to master
+	ok = ofclient.UpdateRoles("e2", rr)
+	assert.True(t, ok)
+	assert.Equal(t, ofclient.connections["e2"].role, ofcRoleMaster)
+	// e1 should now have reverted to slave
+	assert.Equal(t, ofclient.connections["e1"].role, ofcRoleSlave)
+
+	// change role of e2 to slave
+	rr = createRoleRequest(ofp.OFPCRRoleSlave, 1)
+
+	ok = ofclient.UpdateRoles("e2", rr)
+	assert.True(t, ok)
+	assert.Equal(t, ofclient.connections["e2"].role, ofcRoleSlave)
+}
+
+func TestStaleRoleRequest(t *testing.T) {
+	ofclient := createOFClient()
+
+	rr1 := createRoleRequest(ofp.OFPCRRoleMaster, 2)
+
+	ok := ofclient.UpdateRoles("e1", rr1)
+	assert.True(t, ok)
+	assert.Equal(t, ofclient.connections["e1"].role, ofcRoleMaster)
+
+	// 'stale' role request
+	rr2 := createRoleRequest(ofp.OFPCRRoleSlave, 1)
+
+	ok = ofclient.UpdateRoles("e1", rr2)
+	// should not have succeeded
+	assert.False(t, ok)
+	// role should remain master
+	assert.Equal(t, ofclient.connections["e1"].role, ofcRoleMaster)
+}
+
+func TestHandleRoleRequest(t *testing.T) {
+
+	trm := &testRoleManager{}
+
+	connection := &OFConnection{
+		OFControllerEndPoint: "e1",
+		roleManager:          trm,
+		sendChannel:          make(chan Message, 10),
+	}
+
+	rr := createRoleRequest(ofp.OFPCRRoleMaster, 1)
+
+	connection.handleRoleRequest(rr)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, "e1", trm.from)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, ofp.OFPCRRoleMaster, trm.role)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, 1, trm.generationId)
+
+	resp := (<-connection.sendChannel).(*ofp.RoleReply)
+
+	assert.EqualValues(t, resp.Role, ofp.OFPCRRoleMaster)
+}
+
+func TestHandleRoleRequestError(t *testing.T) {
+
+	trm := &testRoleManager{generateError: true}
+
+	connection := &OFConnection{
+		OFControllerEndPoint: "e1",
+		roleManager:          trm,
+		sendChannel:          make(chan Message, 10),
+	}
+
+	rr := createRoleRequest(ofp.OFPCRRoleMaster, 1)
+
+	connection.handleRoleRequest(rr)
+
+	resp := (<-connection.sendChannel).(*ofp.RoleRequestFailedErrorMsg)
+
+	assert.EqualValues(t, resp.Code, ofp.OFPRRFCStale)
+}