diff --git a/testing/lisp/test-ob-shell.el b/testing/lisp/test-ob-shell.el
index 879555af0..d41387e57 100644
--- a/testing/lisp/test-ob-shell.el
+++ b/testing/lisp/test-ob-shell.el
@@ -436,6 +436,19 @@ exiting with a non-zero return code multiple times."
                          (buffer-string)))))
       (kill-buffer "*Org-Babel Error Output*")))
 
+(ert-deftest test-cmdline-with-single-argument-shouldnt-require-quotes ()
+  "The original implementation of :cmdline required a single element
+to be surrounded by goes to work."
+  (should
+   (equal 1
+          (org-test-with-temp-text
+              ;; "#+begin_src sh :cmdline \"1\" :shebang #!/bin/bash
+              "#+begin_src sh :cmdline 1 #!/bin/bash
+echo \"$1\"
+<point>
+#+end_src"
+            (org-babel-execute-src-block)))))
+
 (provide 'test-ob-shell)
 
 ;;; test-ob-shell.el ends here