diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/cache/tests/docWritethrough.spec.ts b/packages/backend-core/src/cache/tests/docWritethrough.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bfb1da5f1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/cache/tests/docWritethrough.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+import tk from "timekeeper"
+import { env } from "../.."
+import { DBTestConfiguration, generator, structures } from "../../../tests"
+import { getDB } from "../../db"
+import { DocWritethrough } from "../docWritethrough"
+import _ from "lodash"
+
+env._set("MOCK_REDIS", null)
+
+const initialTime = Date.now()
+
+const WRITE_RATE_MS = 500
+
+describe("docWritethrough", () => {
+  const config = new DBTestConfiguration()
+
+  const db = getDB(structures.db.id())
+  let documentId: string
+  let docWritethrough: DocWritethrough
+
+  describe("patch", () => {
+    function generatePatchObject(fieldCount: number) {
+      const keys = generator.unique(() => generator.word(), fieldCount)
+      return keys.reduce((acc, c) => {
+        acc[c] = generator.word()
+        return acc
+      }, {} as Record<string, any>)
+    }
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      tk.freeze(initialTime)
+      documentId = structures.db.id()
+      docWritethrough = new DocWritethrough(db, documentId, WRITE_RATE_MS)
+    })
+
+    it("patching will not persist until timeout is hit", async () => {
+      await config.doInTenant(async () => {
+        await docWritethrough.patch(generatePatchObject(2))
+        await docWritethrough.patch(generatePatchObject(2))
+        tk.travel(Date.now() + WRITE_RATE_MS - 1)
+        await docWritethrough.patch(generatePatchObject(2))
+
+        expect(await db.docExists(documentId)).toBe(false)
+      })
+    })
+  })
+})