diff --git a/lib/common/tests/output/Makefile.am b/lib/common/tests/output/Makefile.am
index 31ffe3671b..2ee0b0d9ea 100644
--- a/lib/common/tests/output/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/common/tests/output/Makefile.am
@@ -1,25 +1,26 @@
 #
 # Copyright 2021-2022 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.
 #
 
 AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/include		\
 	      -I$(top_builddir)/include		\
 	      -I$(top_srcdir)/lib/common
 LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/common/libcrmcommon_test.la \
 		-lcmocka
 AM_CFLAGS = -DPCMK__UNIT_TESTING
 AM_LDFLAGS = $(LDFLAGS_WRAP)
 
 include $(top_srcdir)/mk/tap.mk
 
 # Add "_test" to the end of all test program names to simplify .gitignore.
-check_PROGRAMS =	pcmk__register_format_test \
+check_PROGRAMS =	pcmk__output_new_test \
+					pcmk__register_format_test \
 					pcmk__register_formats_test \
 					pcmk__unregister_formats_test
 
 TESTS = $(check_PROGRAMS)
diff --git a/lib/common/tests/output/pcmk__output_new_test.c b/lib/common/tests/output/pcmk__output_new_test.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..14410830d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/common/tests/output/pcmk__output_new_test.c
@@ -0,0 +1,152 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2022 the Pacemaker project contributors
+ *
+ * The version control history for this file may have further details.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License
+ * version 2.1 or later (LGPLv2.1+) WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY.
+ */
+
+#include <crm_internal.h>
+
+#include <crm/common/unittest_internal.h>
+#include <crm/common/output_internal.h>
+
+#include "mock_private.h"
+
+static bool init_succeeds = true;
+
+static bool
+fake_text_init(pcmk__output_t *out) {
+    return init_succeeds;
+}
+
+static void
+fake_text_free_priv(pcmk__output_t *out) {
+    /* This function intentionally left blank */
+}
+
+/* "text" is the default for pcmk__output_new. */
+static pcmk__output_t *
+mk_fake_text_output(char **argv) {
+    pcmk__output_t *retval = calloc(1, sizeof(pcmk__output_t));
+
+    if (retval == NULL) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    retval->fmt_name = "text";
+    retval->init = fake_text_init;
+    retval->free_priv = fake_text_free_priv;
+
+    retval->register_message = pcmk__register_message;
+    retval->message = pcmk__call_message;
+
+    return retval;
+}
+
+static int
+setup(void **state) {
+    pcmk__register_format(NULL, "text", mk_fake_text_output, NULL);
+    return 0;
+}
+
+static int
+teardown(void **state) {
+    pcmk__unregister_formats();
+    return 0;
+}
+
+static void
+empty_formatters(void **state) {
+    pcmk__output_t *out = NULL;
+
+    pcmk__assert_asserts(pcmk__output_new(&out, "fake", NULL, NULL));
+}
+
+static void
+invalid_params(void **state) {
+    /* This must be called with the setup/teardown functions so formatters is not NULL. */
+    pcmk__assert_asserts(pcmk__output_new(NULL, "fake", NULL, NULL));
+}
+
+static void
+no_such_format(void **state) {
+    pcmk__output_t *out = NULL;
+
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__output_new(&out, "fake", NULL, NULL), pcmk_rc_unknown_format);
+}
+
+static void
+create_fails(void **state) {
+    pcmk__output_t *out = NULL;
+
+    pcmk__mock_calloc = true;   // calloc() will return NULL
+
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__output_new(&out, "text", NULL, NULL), ENOMEM);
+
+    pcmk__mock_calloc = false;  // Use real calloc()
+}
+
+static void
+fopen_fails(void **state) {
+    pcmk__output_t *out = NULL;
+
+    pcmk__mock_fopen = true;
+    will_return(__wrap_fopen, EPERM);
+
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__output_new(&out, "text", "destfile", NULL), EPERM);
+
+    pcmk__mock_fopen = false;
+}
+
+static void
+init_fails(void **state) {
+    pcmk__output_t *out = NULL;
+
+    init_succeeds = false;
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__output_new(&out, "text", NULL, NULL), ENOMEM);
+    init_succeeds = true;
+}
+
+static void
+everything_succeeds(void **state) {
+    pcmk__output_t *out = NULL;
+
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__output_new(&out, "text", NULL, NULL), pcmk_rc_ok);
+    assert_string_equal(out->fmt_name, "text");
+    assert_ptr_equal(out->dest, stdout);
+    assert_false(out->quiet);
+    assert_non_null(out->messages);
+    assert_string_equal(getenv("OCF_OUTPUT_FORMAT"), "text");
+
+    pcmk__output_free(out);
+}
+
+static void
+no_fmt_name_given(void **state) {
+    pcmk__output_t *out = NULL;
+
+    assert_int_equal(pcmk__output_new(&out, NULL, NULL, NULL), pcmk_rc_ok);
+    assert_string_equal(out->fmt_name, "text");
+
+    pcmk__output_free(out);
+}
+
+int
+main(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+    const struct CMUnitTest tests[] = {
+        cmocka_unit_test(empty_formatters),
+        cmocka_unit_test_setup_teardown(invalid_params, setup, teardown),
+        cmocka_unit_test_setup_teardown(no_such_format, setup, teardown),
+        cmocka_unit_test_setup_teardown(create_fails, setup, teardown),
+        cmocka_unit_test_setup_teardown(init_fails, setup, teardown),
+        cmocka_unit_test_setup_teardown(fopen_fails, setup, teardown),
+        cmocka_unit_test_setup_teardown(everything_succeeds, setup, teardown),
+        cmocka_unit_test_setup_teardown(no_fmt_name_given, setup, teardown),
+    };
+
+    cmocka_set_message_output(CM_OUTPUT_TAP);
+    return cmocka_run_group_tests(tests, NULL, NULL);
+}