diff --git a/test/diagnostic.fnl b/test/diagnostic.fnl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..260192a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/diagnostic.fnl
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+(local faith (require :faith))
+(local {: view} (require :fennel))
+(local {: create-client-with-files} (require :test.utils))
+
+(fn find [diagnostics e]
+  "returns the index of the diagnostic "
+   (accumulate [result nil
+                i d (ipairs diagnostics)
+                &until result]
+     (if (and (or (= e.message nil)
+                  (if (= (type e.message) "function")
+                    (e.message d.message)
+                    (= e.message d.message)))
+              (or (= e.code nil)
+                  (= e.code d.code))
+              (or (= e.range nil)
+                  (and (= e.range.start.line      d.range.start.line)
+                       (= e.range.start.character d.range.start.character)
+                       (= e.range.end.line        d.range.end.line)
+                       (= e.range.end.character   d.range.end.character))))
+       i)))
+
+(fn check [file-contents expected unexpected]
+  (let [{: diagnostics} (create-client-with-files file-contents)]
+    (each [_ e (ipairs unexpected)]
+      (let [i (find diagnostics e)]
+        (faith.= nil i (.. "Lint matching " (view e) "\n"
+                           "from:    " (view file-contents) "\n"
+                           (view (. diagnostics i) {:escape-newlines? true})))))
+
+    (each [_ e (ipairs expected)]
+      (let [i (find diagnostics e)]
+        (faith.is i (.. "No lint matching " (view e) "\n"
+                        "from:    " (view file-contents) "\n"
+                        (view diagnostics {:empty-as-sequence? true
+                                           :escape-newlines? true})))
+        (table.remove diagnostics i)))))
+
+(fn test-compile-error []
+  (check "(do do)"
+         [{:message "tried to reference a special form without calling it"
+           :range {:start {:character 4 :line 0}
+                   :end   {:character 6 :line 0}}}] [])
+  nil)
+
+(fn test-parse-error []
+  (check "(do (print :hello(]"
+         [{:message "expected whitespace before opening delimiter ("
+           :range {:start {:character 17 :line 0}
+                   :end   {:character 17 :line 0}}}] [])
+  nil)
+
+(fn test-macro-error []
+  (check "(match)"
+         [{:range {:start {:character 0 :line 0}
+                   :end   {:character 7 :line 0}}}] [])
+  nil)
+
+(fn test-multiple-errors []
+  (check "(unknown-global-1 unknown-global-2)"
+         [{:message "unknown identifier: unknown-global-1"}
+          {:message "unknown identifier: unknown-global-2"}] [])
+  (check "(let [x unknown-global"
+         [{:message "unknown identifier: unknown-global"}
+          {:message "expected body expression"}
+          {:message "expected closing delimiters )]"}] [])
+  ;; recovers from ()
+  (check "(let [x ()]
+            (print x +))"
+         [{:message "expected a function, macro, or special to call"}
+          {:message "tried to reference a special form without calling it"}] [])
+  ;; recovers from mismatched let
+  (check "(let [x]
+            (print x +))"
+         [{:message "expected even number of name/value bindings"}
+          {:message "tried to reference a special form without calling it"}] [])
+  nil)
+
+{: test-compile-error
+ : test-parse-error
+ : test-macro-error
+ : test-multiple-errors}
diff --git a/test/init.fnl b/test/init.fnl
index 22a755a..439a242 100644
--- a/test/init.fnl
+++ b/test/init.fnl
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
    :test.string-processing
    :test.capabilities
    :test.settings
+   :test.diagnostic
    :test.goto-definition
    :test.hover
    :test.completion
diff --git a/test/lint.fnl b/test/lint.fnl
index 6d86d92..ad1d3f0 100644
--- a/test/lint.fnl
+++ b/test/lint.fnl
@@ -36,44 +36,6 @@
                                            :escape-newlines? true})))
         (table.remove diagnostics i)))))
 
-(fn test-compile-error []
-  (check "(do do)"
-         [{:message "tried to reference a special form without calling it"
-           :range {:start {:character 4 :line 0}
-                   :end   {:character 6 :line 0}}}] [])
-  nil)
-
-(fn test-parse-error []
-  (check "(do (print :hello(]"
-         [{:message "expected whitespace before opening delimiter ("
-           :range {:start {:character 17 :line 0}
-                   :end   {:character 17 :line 0}}}] [])
-  nil)
-
-(fn test-macro-error []
-  (check "(match)"
-         [{:range {:start {:character 0 :line 0}
-                   :end   {:character 7 :line 0}}}] [])
-  nil)
-
-(fn test-multiple-errors []
-  (check "(unknown-global-1 unknown-global-2)"
-         [{:message "unknown identifier: unknown-global-1"}
-          {:message "unknown identifier: unknown-global-2"}] [])
-  (check "(let [x unknown-global"
-         [{:message "unknown identifier: unknown-global"}
-          {:message "expected body expression"}
-          {:message "expected closing delimiters )]"}] [])
-  (check "(let [x ()]
-            (print +))"
-         [{:message "expected a function, macro, or special to call"}
-          {:message "tried to reference a special form without calling it"}] [])
-  (check "(let [x]
-            (print +))"
-         [{:message "expected even number of name/value bindings"}
-          {:message "tried to reference a special form without calling it"}] [])
-  nil)
-
 (fn test-unused []
   (check "(local x 10)"
          [{:message "unused definition: x"
@@ -94,6 +56,8 @@
           [{:code 301
             :range {:start {:character 5 :line 0}
                     :end   {:character 6 :line 0}}}] [])
+  ;; setting a field without reading is okay
+  (check "(fn [a b] (set a.x 10) (fn b.f []))" [] [{}])
   nil)
 
 (fn test-ampersand []
@@ -114,11 +78,6 @@
          [] [{:message "unused definition: &"} {}])
   nil)
 
-(fn test-no-warnings []
-  ;; setting a field without reading is okay
-  (check "(fn [a b] (set a.x 10) (fn b.f []))" [] [{}])
-  nil)
-
 (fn test-unknown-module-field []
   (check {:the-guy-they-tell-you-not-to-worry-about.fnl
           "(local M {:a 1})
@@ -208,13 +167,8 @@
 
 ;; unused variable, when a function binding is only used in its body, and the function value is discarded
 
-{: test-compile-error
- : test-parse-error
- : test-macro-error
- : test-multiple-errors
- : test-unused
+{: test-unused
  : test-ampersand
- : test-no-warnings
  : test-unknown-module-field
  : test-unnecessary-colon
  : test-unset-var