diff --git a/gramps/cli/arghandler.py b/gramps/cli/arghandler.py
index 669417a1a..1af9c0dd7 100644
--- a/gramps/cli/arghandler.py
+++ b/gramps/cli/arghandler.py
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ class ArgHandler(object):
         self.__import_action()
         return None
 
-    def handle_args_cli(self, cleanup=True):
+    def handle_args_cli(self, cleanup=True, should_exit=True):
         """
         Depending on the given arguments, import or open data, launch
         session, write files, and/or perform actions.
@@ -398,19 +398,28 @@ class ArgHandler(object):
 
                 print(_("%(full_DB_path)s with name \"%(f_t_name)s\"")
                               % {'full_DB_path' : dirname, 'f_t_name' : name})
-            sys.exit(0)
+            if should_exit:
+                sys.exit(0)
+            else:
+                return
 
         # Handle the "-L" List Family Trees in detail option.
         if self.list_more:
             self.dbman.print_family_tree_summaries()
-            sys.exit(0)
+            if should_exit:
+                sys.exit(0)
+            else:
+                return
 
         # Handle the "-t" List Family Trees, tab delimited option.
         if self.list_table:
             print(_('Gramps Family Trees:'))
             summary_list = self.dbman.family_tree_summary()
             if not summary_list:
-                sys.exit(0)
+                if should_exit:
+                    sys.exit(0)
+                else:
+                    return
             # We have to construct the line elements together, to avoid
             # insertion of blank spaces when print on the same line is used
             line_list = [_("Family Tree")]
@@ -426,7 +435,10 @@ class ArgHandler(object):
                         # translators: used in French+Russian, ignore otherwise
                         line_list += [(_('"%s"') % summary[item])]
                 print("\t".join(line_list))
-            sys.exit(0)
+            if should_exit:
+                sys.exit(0)
+            else:
+                return
 
         self.__open_action()
         self.__import_action()
@@ -447,7 +459,8 @@ class ArgHandler(object):
         if cleanup:
             self.cleanup()
             print(_("Exiting."), file=sys.stderr)
-            sys.exit(0)
+            if should_exit:
+                sys.exit(0)
 
     def cleanup(self):
         print(_("Cleaning up."), file=sys.stderr)
diff --git a/gramps/cli/test/cli_test.py b/gramps/cli/test/cli_test.py
index 60127538c..ebaab9a03 100644
--- a/gramps/cli/test/cli_test.py
+++ b/gramps/cli/test/cli_test.py
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ import re
 import subprocess
 
 from gramps.gen.const import TEMP_DIR
+from gramps.gen.dbstate import DbState
+from ..grampscli import CLIManager
+from ..user import User
+from ..arghandler import ArgHandler
+from ..argparser import ArgParser
 
 test_ged = """0 HEAD
 1 SOUR min1r.ged min 1-rec
@@ -42,6 +47,9 @@ test_ged = """0 HEAD
 ddir = os.path.dirname(__file__)
 min1r = os.path.join(ddir, "min1r.ged")
 out_ged = os.path.join(ddir, "test_out.ged")
+example_copy = os.path.join(ddir, "copy.gramps")
+example = os.path.join(ddir, "..", "..", "..",
+                       "example", "gramps", "data.gramps")
 
 class Test(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
@@ -155,6 +163,35 @@ class UnicodeTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(self.newtitle, title, "Compare titles %s and %s" %
                           (repr(self.newtitle), repr(title)))
 
+class CLITest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def tearDown(self):
+        if os.path.exists(example_copy):
+            os.remove(example_copy)
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.tearDown()
+        self.dbstate = DbState()
+        #we need a manager for the CLI session
+        self.user = User(auto_accept=True, quiet=False)
+        self.climanager = CLIManager(self.dbstate, setloader=True, user=self.user)
+        #load the plugins
+        self.climanager.do_reg_plugins(self.dbstate, uistate=None)
+
+    def test1_cli(self):
+        # handle the arguments
+        argparser = ArgParser([None, "-C", "Test", "--import", example])
+        argparser.need_gui() # initializes some variables
+        handler = ArgHandler(self.dbstate, argparser, self.climanager)
+        # create a manager to manage the database
+        handler.handle_args_cli(should_exit=False)
+
+    def test2_cli(self):
+        # handle the arguments
+        argparser = ArgParser([None, "-O", "Test", "--export", example_copy])
+        argparser.need_gui() # initializes some variables
+        handler = ArgHandler(self.dbstate, argparser, self.climanager)
+        # create a manager to manage the database
+        handler.handle_args_cli(should_exit=False)
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()