diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 6861214a3..0b1465241 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 import minio
 import urllib3
 import certifi
-from distutils.version import LooseVersion
 import shutil
 import pytest
 import networkx as nx
@@ -68,9 +67,9 @@ def connection_root(connection_root_bare):
     dj.config["safemode"] = False
     conn_root = connection_root_bare
     # Create MySQL users
-    if LooseVersion(conn_root.query("select @@version;").fetchone()[0]) >= LooseVersion(
-        "8.0.0"
-    ):
+    if version.parse(
+        conn_root.query("select @@version;").fetchone()[0]
+    ) >= version.parse("8.0.0"):
         # create user if necessary on mysql8
         conn_root.query(
             """
diff --git a/tests/test_autopopulate.py b/tests/test_autopopulate.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..25f8e16ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_autopopulate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,168 @@
+import pytest
+from . import schema, PREFIX
+from datajoint import DataJointError
+import datajoint as dj
+import pymysql
+
+
+class TestPopulate:
+    """
+    Test base relations: insert, delete
+    """
+
+    @classmethod
+    def setup_class(cls):
+        cls.user = schema.User()
+        cls.subject = schema.Subject()
+        cls.experiment = schema.Experiment()
+        cls.trial = schema.Trial()
+        cls.ephys = schema.Ephys()
+        cls.channel = schema.Ephys.Channel()
+
+    @classmethod
+    def teardown_class(cls):
+        """Delete automatic tables just in case"""
+        for autopop_table in (
+            cls.channel,
+            cls.ephys,
+            cls.trial.Condition,
+            cls.trial,
+            cls.experiment,
+        ):
+            try:
+                autopop_table.delete_quick()
+            except (pymysql.err.OperationalError, dj.errors.MissingTableError):
+                # Table doesn't exist
+                pass
+
+    def test_populate(self, schema_any):
+        # test simple populate
+        assert self.subject, "root tables are empty"
+        assert not self.experiment, "table already filled?"
+        self.experiment.populate()
+        assert (
+            len(self.experiment)
+            == len(self.subject) * self.experiment.fake_experiments_per_subject
+        )
+
+        # test restricted populate
+        assert not self.trial, "table already filled?"
+        restriction = self.subject.proj(animal="subject_id").fetch("KEY")[0]
+        d = self.trial.connection.dependencies
+        d.load()
+        self.trial.populate(restriction)
+        assert self.trial, "table was not populated"
+        key_source = self.trial.key_source
+        assert len(key_source & self.trial) == len(key_source & restriction)
+        assert len(key_source - self.trial) == len(key_source - restriction)
+
+        # test subtable populate
+        assert not self.ephys
+        assert not self.channel
+        self.ephys.populate()
+        assert self.ephys
+        assert self.channel
+
+    def test_populate_with_success_count(self, schema_any):
+        # test simple populate
+        assert self.subject, "root tables are empty"
+        assert not self.experiment, "table already filled?"
+        ret = self.experiment.populate()
+        success_count = ret["success_count"]
+        assert len(self.experiment.key_source & self.experiment) == success_count
+
+        # test restricted populate
+        assert not self.trial, "table already filled?"
+        restriction = self.subject.proj(animal="subject_id").fetch("KEY")[0]
+        d = self.trial.connection.dependencies
+        d.load()
+        ret = self.trial.populate(restriction, suppress_errors=True)
+        success_count = ret["success_count"]
+        assert len(self.trial.key_source & self.trial) == success_count
+
+    def test_populate_exclude_error_and_ignore_jobs(self, schema_any):
+        # test simple populate
+        assert self.subject, "root tables are empty"
+        assert not self.experiment, "table already filled?"
+
+        keys = self.experiment.key_source.fetch("KEY", limit=2)
+        for idx, key in enumerate(keys):
+            if idx == 0:
+                schema_any.jobs.ignore(self.experiment.table_name, key)
+            else:
+                schema_any.jobs.error(self.experiment.table_name, key, "")
+
+        self.experiment.populate(reserve_jobs=True)
+        assert (
+            len(self.experiment.key_source & self.experiment)
+            == len(self.experiment.key_source) - 2
+        )
+
+    def test_allow_direct_insert(self, schema_any):
+        assert self.subject, "root tables are empty"
+        key = self.subject.fetch("KEY", limit=1)[0]
+        key["experiment_id"] = 1000
+        key["experiment_date"] = "2018-10-30"
+        self.experiment.insert1(key, allow_direct_insert=True)
+
+    def test_multi_processing(self, schema_any):
+        assert self.subject, "root tables are empty"
+        assert not self.experiment, "table already filled?"
+        self.experiment.populate(processes=2)
+        assert (
+            len(self.experiment)
+            == len(self.subject) * self.experiment.fake_experiments_per_subject
+        )
+
+    def test_max_multi_processing(self, schema_any):
+        assert self.subject, "root tables are empty"
+        assert not self.experiment, "table already filled?"
+        self.experiment.populate(processes=None)
+        assert (
+            len(self.experiment)
+            == len(self.subject) * self.experiment.fake_experiments_per_subject
+        )
+
+    def test_allow_insert(self, schema_any):
+        assert self.subject, "root tables are empty"
+        key = self.subject.fetch("KEY")[0]
+        key["experiment_id"] = 1001
+        key["experiment_date"] = "2018-10-30"
+        with pytest.raises(DataJointError):
+            self.experiment.insert1(key)
+
+    def test_load_dependencies(self):
+        schema = dj.Schema(f"{PREFIX}_load_dependencies_populate")
+
+        @schema
+        class ImageSource(dj.Lookup):
+            definition = """
+            image_source_id: int
+            """
+            contents = [(0,)]
+
+        @schema
+        class Image(dj.Imported):
+            definition = """
+            -> ImageSource
+            ---
+            image_data: longblob
+            """
+
+            def make(self, key):
+                self.insert1(dict(key, image_data=dict()))
+
+        Image.populate()
+
+        @schema
+        class Crop(dj.Computed):
+            definition = """
+            -> Image
+            ---
+            crop_image: longblob
+            """
+
+            def make(self, key):
+                self.insert1(dict(key, crop_image=dict()))
+
+        Crop.populate()