diff --git a/libexec/rbenv-local b/libexec/rbenv-local
index 34464410..9169943e 100755
--- a/libexec/rbenv-local
+++ b/libexec/rbenv-local
@@ -38,13 +38,14 @@ RBENV_VERSION="$1"
 if [ "$RBENV_VERSION" = "--unset" ]; then
   rm -f .ruby-version .rbenv-version
 elif [ -n "$RBENV_VERSION" ]; then
-  if [ "$(RBENV_VERSION= rbenv-version-origin)" -ef .rbenv-version ]; then
+  previous_file="$(RBENV_VERSION= rbenv-version-origin || true)"
+  rbenv-version-file-write .ruby-version "$RBENV_VERSION"
+  if [ "$previous_file" -ef .rbenv-version ]; then
     rm -f .rbenv-version
     { echo "rbenv: removed existing \`.rbenv-version' file and migrated"
       echo "       local version specification to \`.ruby-version' file"
     } >&2
   fi
-  rbenv-version-file-write .ruby-version "$RBENV_VERSION"
 else
   rbenv-version-file-read .ruby-version ||
   rbenv-version-file-read .rbenv-version ||
diff --git a/test/local.bats b/test/local.bats
index 5ccdb2b5..3e93ca7f 100644
--- a/test/local.bats
+++ b/test/local.bats
@@ -19,6 +19,19 @@ setup() {
   assert_success "1.2.3"
 }
 
+@test "supports legacy .rbenv-version file" {
+  echo "1.2.3" > .rbenv-version
+  run rbenv-local
+  assert_success "1.2.3"
+}
+
+@test "local .ruby-version has precedence over .rbenv-version" {
+  echo "1.8" > .rbenv-version
+  echo "2.0" > .ruby-version
+  run rbenv-local
+  assert_success "2.0"
+}
+
 @test "ignores version in parent directory" {
   echo "1.2.3" > .ruby-version
   mkdir -p "subdir" && cd "subdir"
@@ -48,6 +61,43 @@ setup() {
   assert_success "1.0-pre"
   run rbenv-local 1.2.3
   assert_success ""
-  run rbenv-local
-  assert_success "1.2.3"
+  assert [ "$(cat .ruby-version)" = "1.2.3" ]
+}
+
+@test "renames .rbenv-version to .ruby-version" {
+  echo "1.8.7" > .rbenv-version
+  mkdir -p "${RBENV_ROOT}/versions/1.9.3"
+  run rbenv-local
+  assert_success "1.8.7"
+  run rbenv-local "1.9.3"
+  assert_success
+  assert_output <<OUT
+rbenv: removed existing \`.rbenv-version' file and migrated
+       local version specification to \`.ruby-version' file
+OUT
+  assert [ ! -e .rbenv-version ]
+  assert [ "$(cat .ruby-version)" = "1.9.3" ]
+}
+
+@test "doesn't rename .rbenv-version if changing the version failed" {
+  echo "1.8.7" > .rbenv-version
+  assert [ ! -e "${RBENV_ROOT}/versions/1.9.3" ]
+  run rbenv-local "1.9.3"
+  assert_failure "rbenv: version \`1.9.3' not installed"
+  assert [ ! -e .ruby-version ]
+  assert [ "$(cat .rbenv-version)" = "1.8.7" ]
+}
+
+@test "unsets local version" {
+  touch .ruby-version
+  run rbenv-local --unset
+  assert_success ""
+  assert [ ! -e .rbenv-version ]
+}
+
+@test "unsets alternate version file" {
+  touch .rbenv-version
+  run rbenv-local --unset
+  assert_success ""
+  assert [ ! -e .rbenv-version ]
 }
diff --git a/test/version-file-read.bats b/test/version-file-read.bats
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8002388d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/version-file-read.bats
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bats
+
+load test_helper
+
+setup() {
+  mkdir -p "${RBENV_TEST_DIR}/myproject"
+  cd "${RBENV_TEST_DIR}/myproject"
+}
+
+@test "fails without arguments" {
+  run rbenv-version-file-read
+  assert_failure ""
+}
+
+@test "fails for invalid file" {
+  run rbenv-version-file-read "non-existent"
+  assert_failure ""
+}
+
+@test "reads simple version file" {
+  cat > my-version <<<"1.9.3"
+  run rbenv-version-file-read my-version
+  assert_success "1.9.3"
+}
+
+@test "reads only the first word from file" {
+  cat > my-version <<<"1.9.3-p194@tag 1.8.7 hi"
+  run rbenv-version-file-read my-version
+  assert_success "1.9.3-p194@tag"
+}
+
+@test "loads only the first line in file" {
+  cat > my-version <<IN
+1.8.7 one
+1.9.3 two
+IN
+  run rbenv-version-file-read my-version
+  assert_success "1.8.7"
+}
diff --git a/test/version-file-write.bats b/test/version-file-write.bats
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0393a97e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/version-file-write.bats
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bats
+
+load test_helper
+
+setup() {
+  mkdir -p "$RBENV_TEST_DIR"
+  cd "$RBENV_TEST_DIR"
+}
+
+@test "invocation without 2 arguments prints usage" {
+  run rbenv-version-file-write
+  assert_failure "Usage: rbenv version-file-write <file> <version>"
+  run rbenv-version-file-write "one" ""
+  assert_failure
+}
+
+@test "setting nonexistent version fails" {
+  assert [ ! -e ".ruby-version" ]
+  run rbenv-version-file-write ".ruby-version" "1.8.7"
+  assert_failure "rbenv: version \`1.8.7' not installed"
+  assert [ ! -e ".ruby-version" ]
+}
+
+@test "writes value to arbitrary file" {
+  mkdir -p "${RBENV_ROOT}/versions/1.8.7"
+  assert [ ! -e "my-version" ]
+  run rbenv-version-file-write "${PWD}/my-version" "1.8.7"
+  assert_success ""
+  assert [ "$(cat my-version)" = "1.8.7" ]
+}
diff --git a/test/version-file.bats b/test/version-file.bats
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ed84c484
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/version-file.bats
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bats
+
+load test_helper
+
+setup() {
+  mkdir -p "$RBENV_TEST_DIR"
+  cd "$RBENV_TEST_DIR"
+}
+
+create_file() {
+  mkdir -p "$(dirname "$1")"
+  touch "$1"
+}
+
+@test "prints global file if no version files exist" {
+  assert [ ! -e "${RBENV_ROOT}/version" ]
+  assert [ ! -e ".ruby-version" ]
+  run rbenv-version-file
+  assert_success "${RBENV_ROOT}/version"
+}
+
+@test "detects 'global' file" {
+  create_file "${RBENV_ROOT}/global"
+  run rbenv-version-file
+  assert_success "${RBENV_ROOT}/global"
+}
+
+@test "detects 'default' file" {
+  create_file "${RBENV_ROOT}/default"
+  run rbenv-version-file
+  assert_success "${RBENV_ROOT}/default"
+}
+
+@test "'version' has precedence over 'global' and 'default'" {
+  create_file "${RBENV_ROOT}/version"
+  create_file "${RBENV_ROOT}/global"
+  create_file "${RBENV_ROOT}/default"
+  run rbenv-version-file
+  assert_success "${RBENV_ROOT}/version"
+}
+
+@test "in current directory" {
+  create_file ".ruby-version"
+  run rbenv-version-file
+  assert_success "${RBENV_TEST_DIR}/.ruby-version"
+}
+
+@test "legacy file in current directory" {
+  create_file ".rbenv-version"
+  run rbenv-version-file
+  assert_success "${RBENV_TEST_DIR}/.rbenv-version"
+}
+
+@test ".ruby-version has precedence over legacy file" {
+  create_file ".ruby-version"
+  create_file ".rbenv-version"
+  run rbenv-version-file
+  assert_success "${RBENV_TEST_DIR}/.ruby-version"
+}
+
+@test "in parent directory" {
+  create_file ".ruby-version"
+  mkdir -p project
+  cd project
+  run rbenv-version-file
+  assert_success "${RBENV_TEST_DIR}/.ruby-version"
+}
+
+@test "topmost file has precedence" {
+  create_file ".ruby-version"
+  create_file "project/.ruby-version"
+  cd project
+  run rbenv-version-file
+  assert_success "${RBENV_TEST_DIR}/project/.ruby-version"
+}
+
+@test "legacy file has precedence if higher" {
+  create_file ".ruby-version"
+  create_file "project/.rbenv-version"
+  cd project
+  run rbenv-version-file
+  assert_success "${RBENV_TEST_DIR}/project/.rbenv-version"
+}
+
+@test "RBENV_DIR has precedence over PWD" {
+  create_file "widget/.ruby-version"
+  create_file "project/.ruby-version"
+  cd project
+  RBENV_DIR="${RBENV_TEST_DIR}/widget" run rbenv-version-file
+  assert_success "${RBENV_TEST_DIR}/widget/.ruby-version"
+}
+
+@test "PWD is searched if RBENV_DIR yields no results" {
+  mkdir -p "widget/blank"
+  create_file "project/.ruby-version"
+  cd project
+  RBENV_DIR="${RBENV_TEST_DIR}/widget/blank" run rbenv-version-file
+  assert_success "${RBENV_TEST_DIR}/project/.ruby-version"
+}
diff --git a/test/version-name.bats b/test/version-name.bats
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3f4d9b36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/version-name.bats
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bats
+
+load test_helper
+
+create_version() {
+  mkdir -p "${RBENV_ROOT}/versions/$1"
+}
+
+setup() {
+  mkdir -p "$RBENV_TEST_DIR"
+  cd "$RBENV_TEST_DIR"
+}
+
+@test "no version selected" {
+  assert [ ! -d "${RBENV_ROOT}/versions" ]
+  run rbenv-version-name
+  assert_success "system"
+}
+
+@test "system version is not checked for existance" {
+  RBENV_VERSION=system run rbenv-version-name
+  assert_success "system"
+}
+
+@test "RBENV_VERSION has precedence over local" {
+  create_version "1.8.7"
+  create_version "1.9.3"
+
+  cat > ".ruby-version" <<<"1.8.7"
+  run rbenv-version-name
+  assert_success "1.8.7"
+
+  RBENV_VERSION=1.9.3 run rbenv-version-name
+  assert_success "1.9.3"
+}
+
+@test "local file has precedence over global" {
+  create_version "1.8.7"
+  create_version "1.9.3"
+
+  cat > "${RBENV_ROOT}/version" <<<"1.8.7"
+  run rbenv-version-name
+  assert_success "1.8.7"
+
+  cat > ".ruby-version" <<<"1.9.3"
+  run rbenv-version-name
+  assert_success "1.9.3"
+}
+
+@test "missing version" {
+  RBENV_VERSION=1.2 run rbenv-version-name
+  assert_failure "rbenv: version \`1.2' is not installed"
+}
+
+@test "version with prefix in name" {
+  create_version "1.8.7"
+  cat > ".ruby-version" <<<"ruby-1.8.7"
+  run rbenv-version-name
+  assert_success
+  assert_output <<OUT
+warning: ignoring extraneous \`ruby-' prefix in version \`ruby-1.8.7'
+         (set by ${PWD}/.ruby-version)
+1.8.7
+OUT
+}
diff --git a/test/version-origin.bats b/test/version-origin.bats
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8ad4db04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/version-origin.bats
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bats
+
+load test_helper
+
+setup() {
+  mkdir -p "$RBENV_TEST_DIR"
+  cd "$RBENV_TEST_DIR"
+}
+
+@test "reports global file even if it doesn't exist" {
+  assert [ ! -e "${RBENV_ROOT}/version" ]
+  run rbenv-version-origin
+  assert_success "${RBENV_ROOT}/version"
+}
+
+@test "detects global file" {
+  mkdir -p "$RBENV_ROOT"
+  touch "${RBENV_ROOT}/version"
+  run rbenv-version-origin
+  assert_success "${RBENV_ROOT}/version"
+}
+
+@test "detects RBENV_VERSION" {
+  RBENV_VERSION=1 run rbenv-version-origin
+  assert_success "RBENV_VERSION environment variable"
+}
+
+@test "detects local file" {
+  touch .ruby-version
+  run rbenv-version-origin
+  assert_success "${PWD}/.ruby-version"
+}
+
+@test "detects alternate version file" {
+  touch .rbenv-version
+  run rbenv-version-origin
+  assert_success "${PWD}/.rbenv-version"
+}
diff --git a/test/version.bats b/test/version.bats
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..886d0efa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/version.bats
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bats
+
+load test_helper
+
+create_version() {
+  mkdir -p "${RBENV_ROOT}/versions/$1"
+}
+
+setup() {
+  mkdir -p "$RBENV_TEST_DIR"
+  cd "$RBENV_TEST_DIR"
+}
+
+@test "no version selected" {
+  assert [ ! -d "${RBENV_ROOT}/versions" ]
+  run rbenv-version
+  assert_success "system (set by ${RBENV_ROOT}/version)"
+}
+
+@test "set by RBENV_VERSION" {
+  create_version "1.9.3"
+  RBENV_VERSION=1.9.3 run rbenv-version
+  assert_success "1.9.3 (set by RBENV_VERSION environment variable)"
+}
+
+@test "set by local file" {
+  create_version "1.9.3"
+  cat > ".ruby-version" <<<"1.9.3"
+  run rbenv-version
+  assert_success "1.9.3 (set by ${PWD}/.ruby-version)"
+}
+
+@test "set by global file" {
+  create_version "1.9.3"
+  cat > "${RBENV_ROOT}/version" <<<"1.9.3"
+  run rbenv-version
+  assert_success "1.9.3 (set by ${RBENV_ROOT}/version)"
+}
diff --git a/test/versions.bats b/test/versions.bats
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cdec7a8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/versions.bats
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bats
+
+load test_helper
+
+create_version() {
+  mkdir -p "${RBENV_ROOT}/versions/$1"
+}
+
+@test "no versions installed" {
+  assert [ ! -d "${RBENV_ROOT}/versions" ]
+  run rbenv-versions
+  assert_success "* system (set by ${RBENV_ROOT}/version)"
+}
+
+@test "bare output no versions installed" {
+  assert [ ! -d "${RBENV_ROOT}/versions" ]
+  run rbenv-versions --bare
+  assert_success ""
+}
+
+@test "single version installed" {
+  create_version "1.9"
+  run rbenv-versions
+  assert_success
+  assert_output <<OUT
+* system (set by ${RBENV_ROOT}/version)
+  1.9
+OUT
+}
+
+@test "single version bare" {
+  create_version "1.9"
+  run rbenv-versions --bare
+  assert_success "1.9"
+}
+
+@test "multiple versions" {
+  create_version "1.8.7"
+  create_version "1.9.3"
+  create_version "2.0.0"
+  run rbenv-versions
+  assert_success
+  assert_output <<OUT
+* system (set by ${RBENV_ROOT}/version)
+  1.8.7
+  1.9.3
+  2.0.0
+OUT
+}
+
+@test "indicates current version" {
+  create_version "1.9.3"
+  create_version "2.0.0"
+  RBENV_VERSION=1.9.3 run rbenv-versions
+  assert_success
+  assert_output <<OUT
+  system
+* 1.9.3 (set by RBENV_VERSION environment variable)
+  2.0.0
+OUT
+}
+
+@test "bare doesn't indicate current version" {
+  create_version "1.9.3"
+  create_version "2.0.0"
+  RBENV_VERSION=1.9.3 run rbenv-versions --bare
+  assert_success
+  assert_output <<OUT
+1.9.3
+2.0.0
+OUT
+}
+
+@test "globally selected version" {
+  create_version "1.9.3"
+  create_version "2.0.0"
+  cat > "${RBENV_ROOT}/version" <<<"1.9.3"
+  run rbenv-versions
+  assert_success
+  assert_output <<OUT
+  system
+* 1.9.3 (set by ${RBENV_ROOT}/version)
+  2.0.0
+OUT
+}
+
+@test "per-project version" {
+  create_version "1.9.3"
+  create_version "2.0.0"
+  mkdir -p "$RBENV_TEST_DIR"
+  cd "$RBENV_TEST_DIR"
+  cat > ".ruby-version" <<<"1.9.3"
+  run rbenv-versions
+  assert_success
+  assert_output <<OUT
+  system
+* 1.9.3 (set by ${RBENV_TEST_DIR}/.ruby-version)
+  2.0.0
+OUT
+}