diff --git a/unittest/formats/test_potential_file_reader.cpp b/unittest/formats/test_potential_file_reader.cpp
index 933fa66b96..08b51059fd 100644
--- a/unittest/formats/test_potential_file_reader.cpp
+++ b/unittest/formats/test_potential_file_reader.cpp
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ protected:
     }
 };
 
-TEST_F(PotentialFileReaderTest, Si)
+TEST_F(PotentialFileReaderTest, Sw)
 {
     if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
     lmp->input->one("units metal");
@@ -208,6 +208,49 @@ TEST_F(PotentialFileReaderTest, Vashishta)
     ASSERT_EQ(utils::count_words(line), PairVashishta::NPARAMS_PER_LINE);
 }
 
+TEST_F(PotentialFileReaderTest, UnitConvert)
+{
+    PotentialFileReader *reader;
+    int unit_convert, flag;
+
+    if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
+    lmp->input->one("units metal");
+    reader = new PotentialFileReader(lmp, "Si.sw", "Stillinger-Weber");
+    if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();
+
+    unit_convert = reader->get_unit_convert();
+    ASSERT_EQ(unit_convert, 0);
+    delete reader;
+
+    if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
+    flag   = utils::get_supported_conversions(utils::UNKNOWN);
+    reader = new PotentialFileReader(lmp, "Si.sw", "Stillinger-Weber", flag);
+    if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();
+
+    unit_convert = reader->get_unit_convert();
+    ASSERT_EQ(unit_convert, 0);
+    delete reader;
+
+    if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
+    flag   = utils::get_supported_conversions(utils::ENERGY);
+    reader = new PotentialFileReader(lmp, "Si.sw", "Stillinger-Weber", flag);
+    if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();
+
+    unit_convert = reader->get_unit_convert();
+    ASSERT_EQ(unit_convert, 0);
+    delete reader;
+
+    if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::CaptureStdout();
+    flag   = utils::get_supported_conversions(utils::ENERGY);
+    lmp->input->one("units real");
+    reader = new PotentialFileReader(lmp, "Si.sw", "Stillinger-Weber", flag);
+    if (!verbose) ::testing::internal::GetCapturedStdout();
+
+    unit_convert = reader->get_unit_convert();
+    ASSERT_EQ(unit_convert, utils::METAL2REAL);
+    delete reader;
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
diff --git a/unittest/utils/test_utils.cpp b/unittest/utils/test_utils.cpp
index c1312e7725..c4b4042bf9 100644
--- a/unittest/utils/test_utils.cpp
+++ b/unittest/utils/test_utils.cpp
@@ -341,3 +341,25 @@ TEST(Utils, potential_file)
     remove("ctest1.txt");
     remove("ctest2.txt");
 }
+
+TEST(Utils, unit_conversion)
+{
+    double factor;
+    int flag;
+
+    flag = utils::get_supported_conversions(utils::UNKNOWN);
+    ASSERT_EQ(flag, utils::NOCONVERT);
+    flag = utils::get_supported_conversions(utils::ENERGY);
+    ASSERT_EQ(flag, utils::METAL2REAL | utils::REAL2METAL);
+
+    factor = utils::get_conversion_factor(utils::UNKNOWN, 1 << 30 - 1);
+    ASSERT_DOUBLE_EQ(factor, 0.0);
+    factor = utils::get_conversion_factor(utils::UNKNOWN, utils::NOCONVERT);
+    ASSERT_DOUBLE_EQ(factor, 0.0);
+    factor = utils::get_conversion_factor(utils::ENERGY, utils::NOCONVERT);
+    ASSERT_DOUBLE_EQ(factor, 1.0);
+    factor = utils::get_conversion_factor(utils::ENERGY, utils::METAL2REAL);
+    ASSERT_DOUBLE_EQ(factor, 23.060549);
+    factor = utils::get_conversion_factor(utils::ENERGY, utils::REAL2METAL);
+    ASSERT_DOUBLE_EQ(factor, 1.0 / 23.060549);
+}