diff --git a/bookwyrm/importers/calibre_import.py b/bookwyrm/importers/calibre_import.py
index 18c6358a8..ce20fbfa1 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/importers/calibre_import.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/importers/calibre_import.py
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 """ handle reading a csv from calibre """
+from bookwyrm.models import Shelf
+
 from . import Importer
 
 
@@ -9,4 +11,4 @@ class CalibreImporter(Importer):
 
     def get_shelf(self, normalized_row):
         # Calibre export does not indicate which shelf to use. Go with a default one for now
-        return "to-read"
+        return Shelf.TO_READ
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/data/calibre.csv b/bookwyrm/tests/data/calibre.csv
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4f936cfa9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/data/calibre.csv
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+authors,author_sort,rating,library_name,timestamp,formats,size,isbn,identifiers,comments,tags,series,series_index,languages,title,cover,title_sort,publisher,pubdate,id,uuid
+"Seanan McGuire","McGuire, Seanan","5","Bücher","2021-01-19T22:41:16+01:00","epub, original_epub","1433809","9780756411800","goodreads:39077187,isbn:9780756411800","REPLACED COMMENTS (BOOK DESCRIPTION) BECAUSE IT IS REALLY LONG.","Cryptids, Fantasy, Romance, Magic","InCryptid","8.0","eng","That Ain't Witchcraft","/home/tastytea/Bücher/Seanan McGuire/That Ain't Witchcraft (864)/cover.jpg","That Ain't Witchcraft","Daw Books","2019-03-05T01:00:00+01:00","864","3051ed45-8943-4900-a22a-d2704e3583df"
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/importers/test_calibre_import.py b/bookwyrm/tests/importers/test_calibre_import.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5257caa63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/importers/test_calibre_import.py
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+""" testing import """
+import pathlib
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+from django.test import TestCase
+
+from bookwyrm import models
+from bookwyrm.importers import CalibreImporter
+from bookwyrm.importers.importer import handle_imported_book
+
+
+# pylint: disable=consider-using-with
+@patch("bookwyrm.suggested_users.rerank_suggestions_task.delay")
+@patch("bookwyrm.activitystreams.populate_stream_task.delay")
+@patch("bookwyrm.activitystreams.add_book_statuses_task.delay")
+class CalibreImport(TestCase):
+    """importing from Calibre csv"""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        """use a test csv"""
+        self.importer = CalibreImporter()
+        datafile = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.joinpath("../data/calibre.csv")
+        self.csv = open(datafile, "r", encoding=self.importer.encoding)
+        with patch("bookwyrm.suggested_users.rerank_suggestions_task.delay"), patch(
+            "bookwyrm.activitystreams.populate_stream_task.delay"
+        ), patch("bookwyrm.lists_stream.populate_lists_task.delay"):
+            self.local_user = models.User.objects.create_user(
+                "mouse", "mouse@mouse.mouse", "password", local=True
+            )
+
+        work = models.Work.objects.create(title="Test Work")
+        self.book = models.Edition.objects.create(
+            title="Example Edition",
+            remote_id="https://example.com/book/1",
+            parent_work=work,
+        )
+
+    def test_create_job(self, *_):
+        """creates the import job entry and checks csv"""
+        import_job = self.importer.create_job(
+            self.local_user, self.csv, False, "public"
+        )
+
+        import_items = (
+            models.ImportItem.objects.filter(job=import_job).order_by("index").all()
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(len(import_items), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(import_items[0].index, 0)
+        self.assertEqual(import_items[0].normalized_data["title"], "That Ain't Witchcraft")
+
+    def test_handle_imported_book(self, *_):
+        """calibre import added a book, this adds related connections"""
+        shelf = self.local_user.shelf_set.filter(identifier=models.Shelf.TO_READ).first()
+        self.assertIsNone(shelf.books.first())
+
+        import_job = self.importer.create_job(
+            self.local_user, self.csv, False, "public"
+        )
+        import_item = import_job.items.first()
+        import_item.book = self.book
+        import_item.save()
+
+        with patch("bookwyrm.models.activitypub_mixin.broadcast_task.apply_async"):
+            handle_imported_book(import_item)
+
+        shelf.refresh_from_db()
+        self.assertEqual(shelf.books.first(), self.book)