diff --git a/zerver/tests/test_hipchat_importer.py b/zerver/tests/test_hipchat_importer.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..30431406cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zerver/tests/test_hipchat_importer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+from zerver.data_import.hipchat import (
+    get_hipchat_sender_id,
+)
+from zerver.data_import.hipchat_user import (
+    UserHandler,
+)
+
+from zerver.lib.test_classes import (
+    ZulipTestCase,
+)
+from typing import Any, Dict
+
+
+class HipChatImporter(ZulipTestCase):
+    def test_sender_ids(self) -> None:
+        realm_id = 5
+        user_handler = UserHandler()
+
+        # Simulate a "normal" user first.
+        user_with_id = dict(
+            id=1,
+            # other fields don't matter here
+        )
+        user_handler.add_user(user=user_with_id)
+
+        normal_message = dict(
+            sender=dict(
+                id=1,
+            )
+        )  # type: Dict[str, Any]
+
+        sender_id = get_hipchat_sender_id(
+            realm_id=realm_id,
+            message_dict=normal_message,
+            user_handler=user_handler,
+        )
+
+        self.assertEqual(sender_id, 1)
+
+        bot_message = dict(
+            sender='fred_bot',
+        )
+
+        # Every message from fred_bot should
+        # return the same sender_id.
+        fred_bot_sender_id = 2
+
+        for i in range(3):
+            sender_id = get_hipchat_sender_id(
+                realm_id=realm_id,
+                message_dict=bot_message,
+                user_handler=user_handler,
+            )
+
+            self.assertEqual(sender_id, fred_bot_sender_id)