diff --git a/TESTING.md b/TESTING.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3dc123b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/TESTING.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# Creating a Request
+
+```shell
+openssl ts -query -data README.md -no_nonce -sha512 -cert -out file.tsq
+```
+
diff --git a/rust/Cargo.lock b/rust/Cargo.lock
index a596d46..1fe4aa3 100644
--- a/rust/Cargo.lock
+++ b/rust/Cargo.lock
@@ -40,6 +40,12 @@ version = "0.5.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "2304e00983f87ffb38b55b444b5e3b60a884b5d30c0fca7d82fe33449bbe55ea"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "hex"
+version = "0.4.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "7f24254aa9a54b5c858eaee2f5bccdb46aaf0e486a595ed5fd8f86ba55232a70"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "indoc"
 version = "2.0.5"
@@ -165,6 +171,7 @@ name = "sigstore-tsp"
 version = "0.1.0"
 dependencies = [
  "asn1",
+ "hex",
  "pyo3",
  "self_cell",
 ]
diff --git a/rust/Cargo.toml b/rust/Cargo.toml
index 5c20a6c..3304772 100644
--- a/rust/Cargo.toml
+++ b/rust/Cargo.toml
@@ -11,4 +11,5 @@ crate-type = ["cdylib"]
 [dependencies]
 pyo3 = "0.22.0"
 asn1 = "0.17"
-self_cell = "1"
\ No newline at end of file
+self_cell = "1"
+hex = "0.4"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rust/src/lib.rs b/rust/src/lib.rs
index f73a21e..605e7bb 100644
--- a/rust/src/lib.rs
+++ b/rust/src/lib.rs
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@ pub struct TsaPolicyId {
 //    extensions               [0] IMPLICIT Extensions    OPTIONAL  }
 #[derive(asn1::Asn1Read, asn1::Asn1Write)]
 pub struct RawTimeStampReq<'a> {
-    #[default(1)]
     pub version: u8, // TODO(dm) Do we want to change this to an ENUM?
 
     pub message_imprint: MessageImprint<'a>,
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@ pub struct RawTimeStampReq<'a> {
 
     pub nonce: Option<asn1::BigUint<'a>>,
 
-    #[default(false)]
+    // #[default(false)]
     pub cert_req: bool,
     // pub extensions: Option<extensions::RawExtensions<'a>>,
 }
@@ -282,3 +281,50 @@ fn sigstore_tsp(m: &Bound<'_, PyModule>) -> PyResult<()> {
     m.add_function(wrap_pyfunction!(parse_timestamp_request, m)?)?;
     Ok(())
 }
+
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn request_test() {
+        // See TESTING.md
+        // openssl ts -query -data README.md -no_nonce -sha512 -cert -out file.tsq
+        let enc_request = hex::decode("30590201013051300d060960864801650304020305000440c05812f7df5c643047235d400de272f03bd3d319f71f0c75c4b57948ccf2cdf85f8feb422dedcfa9ec26c102b08f778332ad9be18f759aebe93d64dcc65f49c30101ff")
+                           .expect("Decoding failed");
+        let request = asn1::parse_single::<RawTimeStampReq>(&enc_request).unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(request.version, 1);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn simple_test() {
+        // 300d06096086480165030402030500
+        let algo_identifier = asn1::write_single(&AlgorithmIdentifier {
+            oid: asn1::DefinedByMarker::marker(),
+            params: AlgorithmParameters::Sha512(Some(()))
+        });
+        match algo_identifier {
+            Ok(vec) => { println!("AlgorithmIdentifier {}", hex::encode(&vec)) },
+            Err(_) => { todo!() }
+        }
+
+        let enc_test = hex::decode("300d06096086480165030402030500").expect("Decoding failed");
+        let algo_identifier_round = asn1::parse_single::<AlgorithmIdentifier>(&enc_test).unwrap();
+
+
+        let message_imprint = asn1::write_single(&MessageImprint {
+            hash_algorithm: AlgorithmIdentifier {
+                oid: asn1::DefinedByMarker::marker(),
+                params: AlgorithmParameters::Sha512(Some(())),
+            },
+            hashed_message: asn1::BitString::new(&hex::decode("C05812F7DF5C643047235D400DE272F03BD3D319F71F0C75C4B57948CCF2CDF85F8FEB422DEDCFA9EC26C102B08F778332AD9BE18F759AEBE93D64DCC65F49C3").expect(""), 0).unwrap(),
+        });
+        match message_imprint {
+            Ok(vec) => { println!("MessageImprint {}", hex::encode(&vec)) },
+            Err(_) => { todo!() }
+        }
+
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file