diff --git a/modules/roles/middleware_test.go b/modules/roles/middleware_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ecf83b267
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/roles/middleware_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+package roles_test
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/tendermint/go-wire/data"
+
+	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin"
+	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin/modules/roles"
+	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin/stack"
+	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin/state"
+)
+
+// shortcut for the lazy
+type ba []basecoin.Actor
+
+func createRole(app basecoin.Handler, store state.KVStore,
+	name []byte, min uint32, sigs ...basecoin.Actor) (basecoin.Actor, error) {
+	tx := roles.NewCreateRoleTx(name, min, sigs)
+	ctx := stack.MockContext("foo", 1)
+	_, err := app.DeliverTx(ctx, store, tx)
+	return roles.NewPerm(name), err
+}
+
+func TestAssumeRole(t *testing.T) {
+	assert := assert.New(t)
+	require := require.New(t)
+
+	// one handle to add a role, another to check permissions
+	disp := stack.NewDispatcher(
+		stack.WrapHandler(roles.NewHandler()),
+		stack.WrapHandler(stack.CheckHandler{}),
+	)
+	// and wrap with the roles middleware
+	app := stack.New(roles.NewMiddleware()).Use(disp)
+
+	// basic state for the app
+	ctx := stack.MockContext("role-chain", 123)
+	store := state.NewMemKVStore()
+
+	// potential actors
+	a := basecoin.Actor{App: "sig", Address: []byte("jae")}
+	b := basecoin.Actor{App: "sig", Address: []byte("bucky")}
+	c := basecoin.Actor{App: "sig", Address: []byte("ethan")}
+	d := basecoin.Actor{App: "tracko", Address: []byte("rigel")}
+
+	// devs is a 2-of-3 multisig
+	devs := data.Bytes{0, 1, 0, 1}
+	pdev, err := createRole(app, store, devs, 2, b, c, d)
+	require.Nil(err)
+
+	// deploy requires a dev role, or supreme authority
+	deploy := data.Bytes("deploy")
+	_, err = createRole(app, store, deploy, 1, a, pdev)
+	require.Nil(err)
+
+	// now, let's test the roles are set properly
+	cases := []struct {
+		valid    bool
+		roles    []data.Bytes     // which roles we try to assume (can be multiple!)
+		signers  []basecoin.Actor // which people sign the  tx
+		required []basecoin.Actor // which permission we require to succeed
+	}{
+		// basic checks to see logic works
+		{true, nil, nil, nil},
+		{true, nil, ba{b, c}, ba{b}},
+		{false, nil, ba{b}, ba{b, c}},
+
+		// simple role check
+	}
+
+	for i, tc := range cases {
+		// set the signers, the required check
+		myCtx := ctx.WithPermissions(tc.signers...)
+		tx := stack.NewCheckTx(tc.required)
+		// and the roles we attempt to assume
+		for _, r := range tc.roles {
+			tx = roles.NewAssumeRoleTx(r, tx)
+		}
+
+		// try CheckTx and DeliverTx and make sure they both assert permissions
+		_, err := app.CheckTx(myCtx, store, tx)
+		_, err2 := app.DeliverTx(myCtx, store, tx)
+		if tc.valid {
+			assert.Nil(err, "%d: %+v", i, err)
+			assert.Nil(err2, "%d: %+v", i, err2)
+		} else {
+			assert.NotNil(err, "%d", i)
+			assert.NotNil(err2, "%d", i)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/modules/roles/tx.go b/modules/roles/tx.go
index 156b13a89..48f5d5392 100644
--- a/modules/roles/tx.go
+++ b/modules/roles/tx.go
@@ -14,6 +14,21 @@ var (
 	MaxMembers = 20
 )
 
+//nolint
+const (
+	ByteAssumeRoleTx = 0x23
+	ByteCreateRoleTx = 0x24
+
+	TypeAssumeRoleTx = NameRole + "/assume" // no prefix needed as it is middleware
+	TypeCreateRoleTx = NameRole + "/create" // prefix needed for dispatcher
+)
+
+func init() {
+	basecoin.TxMapper.
+		RegisterImplementation(AssumeRoleTx{}, TypeAssumeRoleTx, ByteAssumeRoleTx).
+		RegisterImplementation(CreateRoleTx{}, TypeCreateRoleTx, ByteCreateRoleTx)
+}
+
 // AssumeRoleTx is a layered tx that can wrap your normal tx to give it
 // the authority to use a given role.
 type AssumeRoleTx struct {
diff --git a/stack/helpers.go b/stack/helpers.go
index a21c867fa..5dce06607 100644
--- a/stack/helpers.go
+++ b/stack/helpers.go
@@ -174,9 +174,11 @@ func (p PanicHandler) DeliverTx(ctx basecoin.Context, store state.KVStore, tx ba
 
 // CheckHandler accepts CheckTx and verifies the permissions
 type CheckHandler struct {
-	PassOption
+	basecoin.NopOption
 }
 
+var _ basecoin.Handler = CheckHandler{}
+
 // Name - return handler's name
 func (CheckHandler) Name() string {
 	return NameCheck
diff --git a/stack/helpers_test.go b/stack/helpers_test.go
index a45732c16..888bb790f 100644
--- a/stack/helpers_test.go
+++ b/stack/helpers_test.go
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ func TestCheck(t *testing.T) {
 		valid             bool
 		signers, required []basecoin.Actor
 	}{
+		{true, nil, nil},
 		{true, []basecoin.Actor{a}, []basecoin.Actor{a}},
 		{true, []basecoin.Actor{a, b}, []basecoin.Actor{a}},
 		{false, []basecoin.Actor{a}, []basecoin.Actor{a, b}},