diff --git a/lib/common/tests/cmdline/Makefile.am b/lib/common/tests/cmdline/Makefile.am
index d781ed5e96..c778f7d370 100644
--- a/lib/common/tests/cmdline/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/common/tests/cmdline/Makefile.am
@@ -1,17 +1,18 @@
 #
-# Copyright 2020-2022 the Pacemaker project contributors
+# Copyright 2020-2023 the Pacemaker project contributors
 #
 # The version control history for this file may have further details.
 #
 # This source code is licensed under the GNU General Public License version 2
 # or later (GPLv2+) WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY.
 #
 
 include $(top_srcdir)/mk/tap.mk
 include $(top_srcdir)/mk/unittest.mk
 
 # Add "_test" to the end of all test program names to simplify .gitignore.
 check_PROGRAMS = pcmk__cmdline_preproc_test \
+				 pcmk__new_common_args_test \
 				 pcmk__quote_cmdline_test
 
 TESTS = $(check_PROGRAMS)
diff --git a/lib/common/tests/cmdline/pcmk__new_common_args_test.c b/lib/common/tests/cmdline/pcmk__new_common_args_test.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6b70465629
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/common/tests/cmdline/pcmk__new_common_args_test.c
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2023 the Pacemaker project contributors
+ *
+ * The version control history for this file may have further details.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the GNU General Public License version 2
+ * or later (GPLv2+) WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY.
+ */
+
+#include <crm_internal.h>
+
+#include <crm/common/unittest_internal.h>
+#include <crm/common/cmdline_internal.h>
+
+#include "mock_private.h"
+
+#include <glib.h>
+
+static void
+calloc_fails(void **state)
+{
+    pcmk__assert_exits(CRM_EX_OSERR,
+        {
+            pcmk__mock_calloc = true;   // calloc() will return NULL
+            expect_value(__wrap_calloc, nmemb, 1);
+            expect_value(__wrap_calloc, size, sizeof(pcmk__common_args_t));
+            pcmk__new_common_args("boring summary");
+            pcmk__mock_calloc = false;  // Use real calloc()
+        }
+    );
+}
+
+static void
+strdup_fails(void **state)
+{
+    pcmk__assert_exits(CRM_EX_OSERR,
+        {
+            pcmk__mock_strdup = true;   // strdup() will return NULL
+            expect_string(__wrap_strdup, s, "boring summary");
+            pcmk__new_common_args("boring summary");
+            pcmk__mock_strdup = false;  // Use the real strdup()
+        }
+    );
+}
+
+static void
+success(void **state)
+{
+    pcmk__common_args_t *args = pcmk__new_common_args("boring summary");
+    assert_string_equal(args->summary, "boring summary");
+    assert_null(args->output_as_descr);
+    assert_false(args->version);
+    assert_false(args->quiet);
+    assert_int_equal(args->verbosity, 0);
+    assert_null(args->output_ty);
+    assert_null(args->output_dest);
+}
+
+PCMK__UNIT_TEST(NULL, NULL,
+                cmocka_unit_test(calloc_fails),
+                cmocka_unit_test(strdup_fails),
+                cmocka_unit_test(success))