diff --git a/rest_framework/test.py b/rest_framework/test.py
index e17c19a43..492edac50 100644
--- a/rest_framework/test.py
+++ b/rest_framework/test.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ from django.utils import six
 from django.utils.encoding import force_bytes
 from django.utils.http import urlencode
 
-from rest_framework.compat import requests
+from rest_framework.compat import coreapi, requests
 from rest_framework.settings import api_settings
 
 
@@ -126,6 +126,14 @@ def get_requests_client():
     return DjangoTestSession()
 
 
+def get_api_client():
+    assert coreapi is not None, 'coreapi must be installed'
+    session = get_requests_client()
+    return coreapi.Client(transports=[
+        coreapi.transports.HTTPTransport(session=session)
+    ])
+
+
 class APIRequestFactory(DjangoRequestFactory):
     renderer_classes_list = api_settings.TEST_REQUEST_RENDERER_CLASSES
     default_format = api_settings.TEST_REQUEST_DEFAULT_FORMAT
diff --git a/tests/test_api_client.py b/tests/test_api_client.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..498941297
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_api_client.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+import unittest
+
+from django.conf.urls import url
+from django.test import override_settings
+
+from rest_framework.compat import coreapi
+from rest_framework.response import Response
+from rest_framework.test import APITestCase, get_api_client
+from rest_framework.views import APIView
+
+
+class Root(APIView):
+    def get(self, request):
+        return Response({
+            'hello': 'world',
+        })
+
+
+urlpatterns = [
+    url(r'^$', Root.as_view()),
+]
+
+
+@unittest.skipUnless(coreapi, 'coreapi not installed')
+@override_settings(ROOT_URLCONF='tests.test_api_client')
+class APIClientTests(APITestCase):
+    def test_api_client(self):
+        client = get_api_client()
+        schema = client.get('/')
+        data = client.action(schema, ['echo'])
+        assert data == {'hello': 'world'}