diff --git a/test/javascripts/views/search_text_field_test.js b/test/javascripts/views/search_text_field_test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8a8ff117fa0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/javascripts/views/search_text_field_test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+var view;
+
+var placeholderUsesKeyAndContext = function(key, context) {
+  var placeholder = view.get("placeholder");
+  equal(placeholder.key, key, "placeholder contains correct message");
+  deepEqual(placeholder.context, context, "correct parameters are passed to the message");
+};
+
+module("Discourse.SearchTextField", {
+  setup: function() {
+    sinon.stub(I18n, "t", function(key, context) {
+      return {key: key, context: context};
+    });
+
+    view = Discourse.SearchTextField.create();
+  },
+
+  teardown: function() {
+    I18n.t.restore();
+  }
+});
+
+test("formats placeholder correctly when no searchContext is provided", function() {
+  placeholderUsesKeyAndContext("search.placeholder", undefined);
+});
+
+test("formats placeholder correctly when user searchContext is provided", function() {
+  view.set("searchContext", {
+    type: "user",
+    user: {
+      username: "userName"
+    }
+  });
+  placeholderUsesKeyAndContext("search.prefer.user", {username: "userName"});
+});
+
+test("formats placeholder correctly when category searchContext is provided", function() {
+  view.set("searchContext", {
+    type: "category",
+    category: {
+      name: "categoryName"
+    }
+  });
+  placeholderUsesKeyAndContext("search.prefer.category", {category: "categoryName"});
+});