diff --git a/docs/nir/index.rst b/docs/nir/index.rst
index ea773c5b32c..6aff5fd1f0d 100644
--- a/docs/nir/index.rst
+++ b/docs/nir/index.rst
@@ -12,3 +12,4 @@ stack.
 
    alu
    tex
+   unit-testing
diff --git a/docs/nir/unit-testing.rst b/docs/nir/unit-testing.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6df529a07b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/nir/unit-testing.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+Writing and running NIR unit tests
+==================================
+
+NIR uses `gtest <https://github.com/google/googletest>`__
+for unit testing lowering and optimization passes. Tests
+should declare a class to use for all test cases:
+
+.. code:: c++
+
+   class nir_my_pass_test : public nir_test {
+   protected:
+      nir_my_pass_test();
+
+      void run_pass(nir_reference_shader expected);
+
+      /* Resources used by the test */
+   }
+
+   nir_my_pass_test::nir_my_pass_test()
+      : nir_test::nir_test("nir_my_pass_test")
+   {
+      /* Create resources used by the test */
+   }
+
+   void nir_my_pass_test::run_pass(nir_reference_shader expected)
+   {
+      nir_validate_shader(b->shader, "before nir_my_pass");
+      NIR_PASS(_, b->shader, nir_my_pass);
+      check_nir_string(expected);
+   }
+
+With this setup, the individual test cases can use ``nir_builder``
+to initialize a shader, run the pass that should be tested on it
+and compare it against a string, containing the expected pass
+output:
+
+.. code:: c++
+
+   TEST_F(nir_my_pass_test, basic)
+   {
+      run_pass(NIR_REFERENCE_SHADER(R"(
+         shader: MESA_SHADER_COMPUTE
+         name: nir_my_pass_test
+         workgroup_size: 1, 1, 1
+         subgroup_size: 0
+         decl_function main () (entrypoint)
+
+         impl main {
+             block b0:  // preds:
+         }
+      )"));
+   }
+
+The expected string can be managed using the
+``bin/nir-test-runner.py`` script which builds and runs NIR
+unit tests. The output of the tests are compared against the
+expectations. The runner can then optionally update the
+expectations.
+
+.. code::
+
+   user@distro:~/mesa$ python bin/nir-test-runner.py -Bbuild
+   INFO: autodetecting backend as ninja
+   INFO: calculating backend command to run: /usr/bin/ninja -C /home/konstantin/dev/mesa/build
+   ninja: Entering directory `/home/konstantin/dev/mesa/build'
+   [1/1] Generating src/git_sha1.h with a custom command
+   diff --git a/src/compiler/nir/tests/opt_loop_tests.cpp b/src/compiler/nir/tests/opt_loop_tests.cpp
+   index 05d3c6357c6..0d4810c5f85 100644
+   --- a/src/compiler/nir/tests/opt_loop_tests.cpp
+   +++ b/src/compiler/nir/tests/opt_loop_tests.cpp
+   @@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ TEST_F(nir_opt_loop_test, opt_loop_merge_terminators_break_in_then)
+       check_nir_string(NIR_REFERENCE_SHADER(R"(
+          shader: MESA_SHADER_FRAGMENT
+          name: nir_opt_loop_test
+   +      subgroup_size: 0
+          decl_var shader_in INTERP_MODE_SMOOTH none int in (VARYING_SLOT_POS.x, 0, 0)
+          decl_var shader_out INTERP_MODE_NONE none int out (FRAG_RESULT_DEPTH.x, 0, 0)
+          decl_var ubo INTERP_MODE_NONE none int ubo1 (0, 0, 0)
+
+   Apply the changes listed above? [Y/n]y