diff --git a/lib/common/tests/xml_element/Makefile.am b/lib/common/tests/xml_element/Makefile.am
index 33a33e5481..70d005fca5 100644
--- a/lib/common/tests/xml_element/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/common/tests/xml_element/Makefile.am
@@ -1,24 +1,25 @@
 #
 # Copyright 2024 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/common.mk
 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__xe_copy_attrs_test	\
 		 pcmk__xe_first_child_test	\
 		 pcmk__xe_foreach_child_test 	\
 		 pcmk__xe_get_score_test	\
+		 pcmk__xe_next_test		\
 		 pcmk__xe_set_id_test		\
 		 pcmk__xe_set_score_test	\
 		 pcmk__xe_sort_attrs_test
 
 TESTS = $(check_PROGRAMS)
diff --git a/lib/common/tests/xml_element/pcmk__xe_next_test.c b/lib/common/tests/xml_element/pcmk__xe_next_test.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a57dce43bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/common/tests/xml_element/pcmk__xe_next_test.c
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 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/xml.h>
+#include <crm/common/unittest_internal.h>
+#include <crm/common/xml_internal.h>
+
+static void
+null_xml(void **state)
+{
+    assert_null(pcmk__xe_next(NULL, NULL));
+    assert_null(pcmk__xe_next(NULL, "test"));
+}
+
+
+#define XML_NO_SIBLINGS             \
+    "<xml>\n"                       \
+    "  <!-- comment -->"            \
+    "  <foo id='child1'>text</foo>" \
+    "  <!-- another comment -->"    \
+    "</xml>"
+
+static void
+no_siblings(void **state)
+{
+    xmlNode *xml = pcmk__xml_parse(XML_NO_SIBLINGS);
+    xmlNode *child = NULL;
+
+    assert_non_null(xml);
+
+    child = pcmk__xe_first_child(xml, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+    assert_non_null(child);
+    assert_string_equal(pcmk__xe_id(child), "child1");
+
+    assert_null(pcmk__xe_next(child, NULL));
+    assert_null(pcmk__xe_next(child, "foo"));
+
+    pcmk__xml_free(xml);
+}
+
+#define XML_SIBLINGS                    \
+    "<xml>\n"                           \
+    "  <!-- comment -->"                \
+    "  <foo id='child1'>text</foo>"     \
+    "  <!-- another comment -->"        \
+    "  <bar id='child2'>text</bar>"     \
+    "  <!-- yet another comment -->"    \
+    "  <foo id='child3'>text</foo>"     \
+    "</xml>"
+
+static void
+with_siblings(void **state)
+{
+    xmlNode *xml = pcmk__xml_parse(XML_SIBLINGS);
+    xmlNode *child = NULL;
+    xmlNode *next = NULL;
+
+    assert_non_null(xml);
+
+    child = pcmk__xe_first_child(xml, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+    assert_non_null(child);
+    assert_string_equal(pcmk__xe_id(child), "child1");
+
+    next = pcmk__xe_next(child, NULL);
+    assert_non_null(next);
+    assert_string_equal(pcmk__xe_id(next), "child2");
+
+    next = pcmk__xe_next(child, "bar");
+    assert_non_null(next);
+    assert_string_equal(pcmk__xe_id(next), "child2");
+
+    next = pcmk__xe_next(child, "foo");
+    assert_non_null(next);
+    assert_string_equal(pcmk__xe_id(next), "child3");
+
+    next = pcmk__xe_next(child, "foobar");
+    assert_null(next);
+
+    pcmk__xml_free(xml);
+}
+
+PCMK__UNIT_TEST(pcmk__xml_test_setup_group, pcmk__xml_test_teardown_group,
+                cmocka_unit_test(null_xml),
+                cmocka_unit_test(no_siblings),
+                cmocka_unit_test(with_siblings));