diff --git a/src/fish_test_helper.cpp b/src/fish_test_helper.cpp
index 50f3bca7a..5ee10407e 100644
--- a/src/fish_test_helper.cpp
+++ b/src/fish_test_helper.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // fish_test_helper is a little program with no fish dependencies that acts like certain other
 // programs, allowing fish to test its behavior.
 
+#include <signal.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
@@ -15,14 +16,41 @@ static void become_foreground_then_print_stderr() {
     fprintf(stderr, "become_foreground_then_print_stderr done\n");
 }
 
+static void report_foreground() {
+    int was_fg = -1;
+    const auto grp = getpgrp();
+    for (;;) {
+        int is_fg = (tcgetpgrp(STDIN_FILENO) == grp);
+        if (is_fg != was_fg) {
+            was_fg = is_fg;
+            if (fputs(is_fg ? "foreground\n" : "background\n", stderr) < 0) {
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+        usleep(1000000 / 2);
+    }
+}
+
+static void sigint_parent() {
+    // SIGINT the parent after 1 second, then exit
+    int parent = getppid();
+    usleep(1000000 / 4);  //.25 secs
+    kill(parent, SIGINT);
+    fprintf(stderr, "Sent SIGINT to %d\n", parent);
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     if (argc <= 1) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "No commands given.");
+        fprintf(stderr, "No commands given.\n");
         return 0;
     }
     for (int i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
         if (!strcmp(argv[i], "become_foreground_then_print_stderr")) {
             become_foreground_then_print_stderr();
+        } else if (!strcmp(argv[i], "report_foreground")) {
+            report_foreground();
+        } else if (!strcmp(argv[i], "sigint_parent")) {
+            sigint_parent();
         } else {
             fprintf(stderr, "%s: Unknown command: %s\n", argv[0], argv[i]);
             return EXIT_FAILURE;