diff --git a/xCAT-test/unit/svrutils_rootimg_checksum_upgrade.t b/xCAT-test/unit/svrutils_rootimg_checksum_upgrade.t
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9bec638af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xCAT-test/unit/svrutils_rootimg_checksum_upgrade.t
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env perl
+use strict;
+use warnings;
+use FindBin;
+use lib "$FindBin::Bin/../lib";
+use lib "$FindBin::Bin/../../perl-xCAT";
+use lib "$FindBin::Bin/../../xCAT-server/lib/perl";
+use File::Path qw(make_path);
+use File::Temp qw(tempdir);
+use Test::More;
+
+my $fixture = tempdir(CLEANUP => 1);
+make_path("$fixture/db");
+$ENV{XCATCFG} = "SQLite:$fixture/db";
+require xCAT::Table;
+require xCAT::SvrUtils;
+
+my $osimage    = xCAT::Table->new('osimage',    -create => 1);
+my $linuximage = xCAT::Table->new('linuximage', -create => 1);
+my $site       = xCAT::Table->new('site',       -create => 1);
+
+# The images that a release without the root image check left.
+$osimage->setAttribs({ imagename => $_->[0] }, { provmethod => $_->[1] })
+  for ([ stateless => 'netboot' ], [ lite => 'statelite' ], [ checked => 'netboot' ], [ diskful => 'install' ], [ bare => 'netboot' ]);
+$linuximage->setAttribs({ imagename => $_ }, { rootimgdir => "/install/netboot/$_" }) for qw(stateless lite checked diskful);
+$linuximage->setAttribs({ imagename => 'checked' }, { rootimgchecksum => 'yes' });
+
+sub checksum {
+    my ($row) = $linuximage->getAttribs({ imagename => $_[0] }, 'rootimgchecksum');
+    return $row ? $row->{rootimgchecksum} : undef;
+}
+
+sub site_value {
+    my ($row) = $site->getAttribs({ key => 'rootimgchecksum' }, 'value');
+    return $row ? $row->{value} : undef;
+}
+
+is(xCAT::SvrUtils->upgrade_rootimg_checksum(), undef, 'the upgrade step reports no error');
+is(checksum('stateless'), 'no', 'a stateless image of the earlier release keeps booting unchecked');
+is(checksum('lite'),      'no', 'a statelite image of the earlier release keeps booting unchecked');
+is(checksum('bare'),      'no', 'a stateless image without a linuximage row keeps booting unchecked');
+is(checksum('checked'),   'yes', 'an image that sets the attribute keeps it');
+is(checksum('diskful'),   undef, 'an image that nodes install is left alone');
+is(site_value(),          'yes', 'new images get the check');
+
+# A later upgrade finds site.rootimgchecksum set.
+$osimage->setAttribs({ imagename => 'new' }, { provmethod => 'netboot' });
+$linuximage->setAttribs({ imagename => 'new' }, { rootimgdir => '/install/netboot/new' });
+is(xCAT::SvrUtils->upgrade_rootimg_checksum(), undef, 'a later upgrade reports no error');
+is(checksum('new'), undef, 'a later upgrade leaves the check of a new image on');
+
+# An administrator turned the check off for the site before the upgrade.
+$site->setAttribs({ key => 'rootimgchecksum' }, { value => 'no' });
+is(xCAT::SvrUtils->upgrade_rootimg_checksum(), undef, 'an upgrade with the site attribute set reports no error');
+is(checksum('new'),  undef, 'an upgrade with the site attribute set changes no image');
+is(site_value(),     'no', 'an upgrade keeps the site attribute that the administrator set');
+
+done_testing();