diff --git a/fre/pp/frepp.py b/fre/pp/frepp.py
index 4d77432d..ac48ddc2 100644
--- a/fre/pp/frepp.py
+++ b/fre/pp/frepp.py
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ def configure_xml(context, xml, platform, target, experiment, do_analysis, histo
              )
 @click.pass_context
 def wrapper(context, experiment, platform, target, config_file, branch='main'):
-    """ - Execute fre pp checkout """
+    """ - Execute fre pp steps in order """
     context.forward(runFre2pp)
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/fre/pp/tests/test_fre_pp_cli.py b/fre/pp/tests/test_fre_pp_cli.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..985e1799
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fre/pp/tests/test_fre_pp_cli.py
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+from fre import fre
+from fre import pp
+
+from click.testing import CliRunner
+runner = CliRunner()
+
+#tests are structured in the manner of: 
+#https://click.palletsprojects.com/en/8.1.x/testing/
+#general intent for these tests is that each fre tool has 2 commandline tests:
+#help, command does not exist
+
+#Test list: 
+#fre pp (covered in fre/tests, not fre/pp/tests)
+#-- fre pp checkout
+#-- fre pp configure-xml
+#-- fre pp configure-yaml
+#-- fre pp install
+#-- fre pp run
+#-- fre pp status 
+#-- fre pp validate
+#-- fre pp wrapper
+
+#-- fre pp checkout
+def test_cli_fre_pp_checkout_help():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['--help', "pp checkout"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    
+def test_cli_fre_pp_checkout_opt_dne():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['optionDNE', "pp checkout"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 2
+    
+#-- fre pp configure-xml
+def test_cli_fre_pp_configure_xml_help():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['--help', "pp configure-xml"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    
+def test_cli_fre_pp_configure_xml_opt_dne():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['optionDNE', "pp configure-xml"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 2
+    
+#-- fre pp configure-yaml
+def test_cli_fre_pp_configure_yaml_help():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['--help', "pp configure-yaml"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    
+def test_cli_fre_pp_configure_yaml_opt_dne():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['optionDNE', "pp configure-yaml"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 2
+    
+#-- fre pp install
+def test_cli_fre_pp_install_help():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['--help', "pp install"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    
+def test_cli_fre_pp_install_opt_dne():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['optionDNE', "pp install"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 2
+    
+#-- fre pp run
+def test_cli_fre_pp_run_help():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['--help', "pp run"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    
+def test_cli_fre_pp_run_opt_dne():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['optionDNE', "pp run"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 2
+    
+#-- fre pp status 
+def test_cli_fre_pp_status_help():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['--help', "pp status"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    
+def test_cli_fre_pp_status_opt_dne():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['optionDNE', "pp status"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 2
+    
+#-- fre pp validate
+def test_cli_fre_pp_validate_help():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['--help', "pp validate"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    
+def test_cli_fre_pp_validate_opt_dne():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['optionDNE', "pp validate"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 2
+    
+#-- fre pp wrapper
+def test_cli_fre_pp_wrapper_help():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['--help', "pp wrapper"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    
+def test_cli_fre_pp_wrapper_opt_dne():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['optionDNE', "pp wrapper"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 2
diff --git a/fre/pytest.ini b/fre/pytest.ini
index 72cf74e3..20575029 100644
--- a/fre/pytest.ini
+++ b/fre/pytest.ini
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ testpaths =
 #    fre/cmor/tests
 #    fre/list/tests
 #    fre/make/tests
-#    fre/pp/tests
+    fre/pp/tests
 #    fre/run/tests
 #    fre/test/tests
 #    fre/yamltools/tests
diff --git a/fre/tests/README.md b/fre/tests/README.md
index 39f89626..31b2c2c6 100644
--- a/fre/tests/README.md
+++ b/fre/tests/README.md
@@ -1,3 +1,20 @@
 note- this directory is for unit tests assessing `fre` functionality, and NOT for code corresponding to the command `fre test`
 
 to run the tests as intended, simply call `pytest` from the root directory of this repository.
+
+From the root directory of this repository, if you want to...
+
+Invoke all tests (intended use):
+    `pytest fre/tests/`
+
+Invoke all tests in a single file: 
+    `pytest fre/tests/test_fre_cli.py`
+    
+Invoke a single test in a file: 
+    `pytest fre/tests/test_fre_cli.py::test_cli_fre_option_dne`
+
+
+Note that pytest will not print stdout from individual tests. If you want to...
+
+Print stdout from an invoked test (debugging with print statements):
+    `pytest fre/tests/test_fre_cli.py::test_cli_fre_option_dne -s`
diff --git a/fre/tests/test_fre_cli.py b/fre/tests/test_fre_cli.py
index 40808c7b..b1b74250 100644
--- a/fre/tests/test_fre_cli.py
+++ b/fre/tests/test_fre_cli.py
@@ -5,6 +5,21 @@
 from click.testing import CliRunner
 runner = CliRunner()
 
+#tests are structured in the manner of: 
+#https://click.palletsprojects.com/en/8.1.x/testing/
+#general intent for these tests is that each fre tool has 3 commandline tests:
+#command, help, command does not exist
+
+#Test list: 
+#fre
+#-- fre app
+#-- fre catalog 
+#-- fre check 
+#-- fre cmor 
+#-- fre list
+#-- fre make 
+#-- fre pp
+#-- fre run
 
 def test_cli_fre():
     result = runner.invoke(fre.fre)
@@ -23,3 +38,110 @@ def test_cli_fre_option_dne():
     #print(f'exit code of runner result is {result.exit_code}')
     #print(f'output of runner result is {result.output}')
     assert result.exit_code == 2
+    
+#-- fre app
+
+def test_cli_fre_app():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=["app"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+
+def test_cli_fre_app_help():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['--help', "app"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    
+def test_cli_fre_app_opt_dne():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['optionDNE', "app"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 2
+    
+#-- fre catalog 
+def test_cli_fre_catalog():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=["catalog"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+
+def test_cli_fre_catalog_help():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['--help', "catalog"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    
+def test_cli_fre_catalog_opt_dne():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['optionDNE', "catalog"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 2
+
+#-- fre check 
+
+def test_cli_fre_check():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=["check"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+
+def test_cli_fre_check_help():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['--help', "check"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    
+def test_cli_fre_check_opt_dne():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['optionDNE', "check"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 2
+    
+#-- fre cmor 
+
+def test_cli_fre_cmor():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=["cmor"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+
+def test_cli_fre_cmor_help():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['--help', "cmor"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    
+def test_cli_fre_cmor_opt_dne():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['optionDNE', "cmor"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 2
+    
+#-- fre list
+def test_cli_fre_list():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=["list"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+
+def test_cli_fre_list_help():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['--help', "list"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    
+def test_cli_fre_list_opt_dne():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['optionDNE', "list"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 2
+    
+#-- fre make 
+def test_cli_fre_make():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=["make"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+
+def test_cli_fre_make_help():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['--help', "make"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    
+def test_cli_fre_make_opt_dne():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['optionDNE', "make"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 2
+    
+#-- fre pp
+def test_cli_fre_pp():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=["pp"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+
+def test_cli_fre_pp_help():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['--help', "pp"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    
+def test_cli_fre_pp_opt_dne():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['optionDNE', "pp"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 2
+    
+#-- fre run
+def test_cli_fre_run():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=["run"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+
+def test_cli_fre_run_help():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['--help', "run"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    
+def test_cli_fre_run_opt_dne():
+    result = runner.invoke(fre.fre, args=['optionDNE', "run"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 2