diff --git a/test/pummel/test-base64-bigfile.js b/test/pummel/test-base64-bigfile.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9a8b17a21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/pummel/test-base64-bigfile.js
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+
+var common = require("../common");
+var path = require("path");
+var assert = common.assert;
+var bigFile = path.join(common.tmpDir, "bigFile");
+var fs = require("fs");
+var cp = require("child_process");
+
+console.error("Note: This test requires the dd, base64, and shasum programs.");
+
+fs.stat(bigFile, function (er, s) {
+  if (er || s.size < 1024*1024*128) {
+    makeBigFile();
+  } else {
+    doEncoding();
+  }
+})
+
+function makeBigFile () {
+  console.error("making bigFile");
+  cp.exec("dd if=/dev/zero of="+bigFile+" bs=128m count=1", function (er) {
+    if (er) {
+      console.error("Failed to create "+bigFile);
+      throw er;
+    }
+    doEncoding();
+  });
+}
+
+function doEncoding () {
+  // encode with node.
+  console.error("doing encoding");
+  fs.readFile(bigFile, function (er, data) {
+    if (er) throw er;
+    var b64 = new Buffer(data.toString("base64"));
+    fs.writeFile(bigFile+"-enc-node", b64, encDone);
+  });
+  // encode with base64
+  cp.exec("base64 <"+bigFile+" >"+bigFile+"-enc-native", encDone);
+
+  var encCalls = 2;
+  function encDone (er) {
+    if (er) {
+      console.error("failed to encode");
+      throw er;
+    }
+    if (-- encCalls > 0) return;
+    doDecoding()
+  }
+}
+
+function doDecoding () {
+  console.error("doing decoding");
+  // decode both files both ways
+  decodeNode(  bigFile+"-enc-node"  , decDone);
+  decodeNode(  bigFile+"-enc-native", decDone);
+  decodeNative(bigFile+"-enc-node"  , decDone);
+  decodeNative(bigFile+"-enc-native", decDone);
+  
+  var decCalls = 4;
+  function decDone (er) {
+    if (er) {
+      console.error("failed to decode");
+      throw er;
+    }
+    if (-- decCalls > 0) return;
+    doShasum();
+  }
+}
+
+function decodeNode (f, cb) {
+  // decode with node.
+  console.error("decode "+path.basename(f)+" with node");
+  fs.readFile(f, function (er, data) {
+    if (er) throw er;
+    var dec = new Buffer(data.toString(), "base64");
+    fs.writeFile(f+"-dec-node", dec, cb);
+  });
+}
+
+function decodeNative (f, cb) {
+  console.error("decode "+path.basename(f)+" natively");
+  cp.exec("base64 -d <"+f+" >"+f+"-dec-native", cb);
+}
+
+// check the shasums of all decoded files match the original.
+function doShasum () {
+  console.error("do shasums");
+  // make sure to get the original first.
+  shaFile(bigFile, function (file, out) {
+    checkSha(file, out);
+    shaFile(bigFile+"-enc-node-dec-node"    , checkSha);
+    shaFile(bigFile+"-enc-native-dec-node"  , checkSha);
+    shaFile(bigFile+"-enc-node-dec-native"  , checkSha);
+    shaFile(bigFile+"-enc-native-dec-native", checkSha);
+  });
+}
+
+function shaFile (file, cb) {
+  console.error("shasum "+path.basename(file));
+  cp.exec("shasum "+file, function (er, out) {
+    if (er) {
+      console.error("failed to shasum "+path.basename(file));
+      throw er;
+    }
+    cb(file, out);
+  });
+}
+
+var sha = null;
+var fail = null;
+var checks = 5;
+
+function checkSha (file, out) {
+  var s = out.toString().match(/^([a-fA-F0-9]{40})/);
+  if (!s) {
+    console.error("bad sha: "+out);
+    throw new Error("fail");
+  }
+  s = s[0];
+  console.error(s+" "+path.basename(file));
+  if (sha === null) {
+    sha = s;
+  } else {
+    // assert.equal(sha, s, file+" doesn't match shasum "+s);
+    if (sha !== s) {
+      console.error(path.basename(file)+" sha doesn't match")
+      fail = fail || new Error("Some shasums didn't match");
+    }
+  }
+  if (-- checks === 0) {
+    if (fail) throw fail;
+  }
+}
+