diff --git a/tests/commands/test_commands.py b/tests/commands/test_commands.py
index 5b206762..9d071131 100644
--- a/tests/commands/test_commands.py
+++ b/tests/commands/test_commands.py
@@ -304,6 +304,64 @@ def test_allow_temp_keypair_doesnt_override_if_keypair_found(mock_gen_keypair,
     assert bigchaindb.config['keypair']['public'] == original_public_key
 
 
+def test_run_start_when_db_already_exists(mocker, monkeypatch, run_start_args):
+    from bigchaindb.commands.bigchain import run_start
+    from bigchaindb.common.exceptions import DatabaseAlreadyExists
+    mocked_start = mocker.patch('bigchaindb.processes.start')
+
+    def mock_run_init():
+        raise DatabaseAlreadyExists()
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        'bigchaindb.commands.bigchain._run_init', mock_run_init)
+    run_start(run_start_args)
+    assert mocked_start.called
+
+
+def test_run_start_when_keypair_not_found(mocker, monkeypatch, run_start_args):
+    from bigchaindb.commands.bigchain import run_start
+    from bigchaindb.commands.messages import CANNOT_START_KEYPAIR_NOT_FOUND
+    from bigchaindb.common.exceptions import KeypairNotFoundException
+    mocked_start = mocker.patch('bigchaindb.processes.start')
+
+    def mock_run_init():
+        raise KeypairNotFoundException()
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        'bigchaindb.commands.bigchain._run_init', mock_run_init)
+
+    with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc:
+        run_start(run_start_args)
+
+    assert len(exc.value.args) == 1
+    assert exc.value.args[0] == CANNOT_START_KEYPAIR_NOT_FOUND
+    assert not mocked_start.called
+
+
+def test_run_start_when_start_rethinkdb_fails(mocker,
+                                              monkeypatch,
+                                              run_start_args):
+    from bigchaindb.commands.bigchain import run_start
+    from bigchaindb.commands.messages import RETHINKDB_STARTUP_ERROR
+    from bigchaindb.common.exceptions import StartupError
+    run_start_args.start_rethinkdb = True
+    mocked_start = mocker.patch('bigchaindb.processes.start')
+    err_msg = 'Error starting rethinkdb.'
+
+    def mock_start_rethinkdb():
+        raise StartupError(err_msg)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        'bigchaindb.commands.utils.start_rethinkdb', mock_start_rethinkdb)
+
+    with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc:
+        run_start(run_start_args)
+
+    assert len(exc.value.args) == 1
+    assert exc.value.args[0] == RETHINKDB_STARTUP_ERROR.format(err_msg)
+    assert not mocked_start.called
+
+
 @patch('argparse.ArgumentParser.parse_args')
 @patch('bigchaindb.commands.utils.base_parser')
 @patch('bigchaindb.commands.utils.start')