diff --git a/src/test/run-pass/alt-str.rs b/src/test/run-pass/alt-str.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..591c06e46efb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/run-pass/alt-str.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+// Issue #53
+
+fn main() {
+  alt ("test") {
+    case ("not-test") { fail; }
+    case ("test") { }
+    case (_) { fail; }
+  }
+
+  tag t {
+    tag1(str);
+    tag2;
+  }
+
+  alt (tag1("test")) {
+    case (tag2) { fail; }
+    case (tag1("not-test")) { fail; }
+    case (tag1("test")) { }
+    case (_) { fail; }
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file