diff --git a/queue/gc_queue_test.go b/queue/gc_queue_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cda0f998c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/queue/gc_queue_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,167 @@
+package queue_test
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/queue"
+)
+
+// mockRecycler implements the queue.Recycler interface using a NOP.
+type mockRecycler bool
+
+func (*mockRecycler) Recycle() {}
+
+// TestGCQueueGCCycle asserts that items that are kept in the GCQueue past their
+// expiration will be released by a subsequent gc cycle.
+func TestGCQueueGCCycle(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const (
+		gcInterval     = time.Second
+		expiryInterval = 250 * time.Millisecond
+		numItems       = 6
+	)
+
+	newItem := func() queue.Recycler { return new(mockRecycler) }
+
+	bp := queue.NewGCQueue(newItem, 100, gcInterval, expiryInterval)
+
+	// Take numItems items from the queue, and immediately return them.
+	// Returning the items will trigger the gc ticker to start.
+	itemSet1 := takeN(t, bp, numItems)
+	returnAll(bp, itemSet1)
+
+	// Allow enough time for all expired items to be released by the queue.
+	<-time.After(gcInterval + expiryInterval)
+
+	// Take another set of numItems items from the queue.
+	itemSet2 := takeN(t, bp, numItems)
+
+	// Since the gc ticker should have elapsed, we expect the intersection
+	// of sets 1 and 2 to be empty.
+	for item := range itemSet2 {
+		if _, ok := itemSet1[item]; ok {
+			t.Fatalf("items taken should not have been reused")
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// TestGCQueuePartialGCCycle asserts that the GCQueue will only garbage collect
+// the items in its queue that have fully expired. We test this by adding items
+// into the queue such that the garbage collection will occur before the items
+// expire. Taking items after the gc cycle should return the items that were not
+// released by the gc cycle.
+func TestGCQueuePartialGCCycle(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const (
+		gcInterval     = time.Second
+		expiryInterval = 250 * time.Millisecond
+		numItems       = 6
+	)
+
+	newItem := func() queue.Recycler { return new(mockRecycler) }
+
+	bp := queue.NewGCQueue(newItem, 100, gcInterval, expiryInterval)
+
+	// Take numItems items from the gc queue.
+	itemSet1 := takeN(t, bp, numItems)
+
+	// Immediately return half of the items, and construct a set of items
+	// consisting of the half that were not returned.
+	halfItemSet1 := returnN(t, bp, itemSet1, numItems/2)
+
+	// Wait long enough to ensure that adding subsequent items will not be
+	// released in the next gc cycle.
+	<-time.After(gcInterval - expiryInterval/2)
+
+	// Return the remaining items from itemSet1.
+	returnAll(bp, halfItemSet1)
+
+	// Wait until the gc cycle as done a sweep of the items and released all
+	// those that have expired.
+	<-time.After(expiryInterval / 2)
+
+	// Retrieve numItems items from the gc queue.
+	itemSet2 := takeN(t, bp, numItems)
+
+	// Tally the number of items returned from Take that are in the second
+	// half of items returned.
+	var numReused int
+	for item := range itemSet2 {
+		if _, ok := halfItemSet1[item]; ok {
+			numReused++
+		}
+	}
+
+	// We expect the number of reused items to be equal to half numItems.
+	if numReused != numItems/2 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected %d items to be reused, got %d",
+			numItems/2, numReused)
+	}
+}
+
+// takeN draws n items from the provided GCQueue. This method also asserts that
+// n unique items are drawn, and then returns the resulting set.
+func takeN(t *testing.T, q *queue.GCQueue, n int) map[queue.Recycler]struct{} {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	items := make(map[queue.Recycler]struct{})
+	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
+		// Wait a small duration to ensure the tests behave reliable,
+		// and don't activate the non-blocking case unintentionally.
+		<-time.After(time.Millisecond)
+
+		items[q.Take()] = struct{}{}
+	}
+
+	if len(items) != n {
+		t.Fatalf("items taken from gc queue should be distinct, "+
+			"want %d unique items, got %d", n, len(items))
+	}
+
+	return items
+}
+
+// returnAll returns the items of the given set back to the GCQueue.
+func returnAll(q *queue.GCQueue, items map[queue.Recycler]struct{}) {
+	for item := range items {
+		q.Return(item)
+
+		// Wait a small duration to ensure the tests behave reliable,
+		// and don't activate the non-blocking case unintentionally.
+		<-time.After(time.Millisecond)
+	}
+}
+
+// returnN returns n items at random from the set of items back to the GCQueue.
+// This method fails if the set's cardinality is smaller than n.
+func returnN(t *testing.T, q *queue.GCQueue,
+	items map[queue.Recycler]struct{}, n int) map[queue.Recycler]struct{} {
+
+	t.Helper()
+
+	var remainingItems = make(map[queue.Recycler]struct{})
+	var numReturned int
+	for item := range items {
+		if numReturned < n {
+			q.Return(item)
+			numReturned++
+
+			// Wait a small duration to ensure the tests behave
+			// reliable, and don't activate the non-blocking case
+			// unintentionally.
+			<-time.After(time.Millisecond)
+		} else {
+			remainingItems[item] = struct{}{}
+		}
+	}
+
+	if numReturned < n {
+		t.Fatalf("insufficient number of items to return, need %d, "+
+			"got %d", n, numReturned)
+	}
+
+	return remainingItems
+}