diff --git a/tests/unit/active/test_active_send_large.cc b/tests/unit/active/test_active_send_large.cc
new file mode 100644
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+++ b/tests/unit/active/test_active_send_large.cc
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+/*
+//@HEADER
+// *****************************************************************************
+//
+//                          test_active_send_large.cc
+//                           DARMA Toolkit v. 1.0.0
+//                       DARMA/vt => Virtual Transport
+//
+// Copyright 2019 National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
+// (NTESS). Under the terms of Contract DE-NA0003525 with NTESS, the U.S.
+// Government retains certain rights in this software.
+//
+// Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+// modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+//
+// * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice,
+//   this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+//
+// * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
+//   this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
+//   and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+//
+// * Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the names of its
+//   contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this
+//   software without specific prior written permission.
+//
+// THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
+// AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
+// IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
+// ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE
+// LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR
+// CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF
+// SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
+// INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
+// CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE)
+// ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
+// POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+//
+// Questions? Contact darma@sandia.gov
+//
+// *****************************************************************************
+//@HEADER
+*/
+
+#include <vt/transport.h>
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+
+#include "test_parallel_harness.h"
+#include "data_message.h"
+
+namespace vt { namespace tests { namespace unit { namespace large {
+
+struct SerializedTag {};
+struct NonSerializedTag {};
+
+using RecvMsg = vt::Message;
+
+struct CallbackMsg : vt::Message {
+  vt::Callback<RecvMsg> cb_;
+};
+
+template <NumBytesType nbytes, typename T, typename enabled_=void>
+struct LargeMsg;
+
+template <NumBytesType nbytes, typename T>
+struct LargeMsg<
+  nbytes,
+  T,
+  typename std::enable_if_t<std::is_same<T, SerializedTag>::value>
+> : TestStaticSerialBytesMsg<CallbackMsg, nbytes> { };
+
+template <NumBytesType nbytes, typename T>
+struct LargeMsg<
+  nbytes,
+  T,
+  typename std::enable_if_t<std::is_same<T, NonSerializedTag>::value>
+> : TestStaticBytesMsg<CallbackMsg, nbytes> { };
+
+template <typename T>
+void fillMsg(T msg) {
+  auto arr = reinterpret_cast<int64_t*>(&msg->payload[0]);
+  for (std::size_t i = 0; i < msg->bytes / sizeof(int64_t); i++) {
+    arr[i] = i;
+  }
+}
+
+template <typename T>
+void checkMsg(T msg) {
+  auto arr = reinterpret_cast<int64_t*>(&msg->payload[0]);
+  for (std::size_t i = 0; i < msg->bytes / sizeof(int64_t); i++) {
+    EXPECT_EQ(arr[i], i);
+  }
+}
+
+template <typename MsgT>
+void myHandler(MsgT* m) {
+  checkMsg(m);
+  auto msg = makeMessage<RecvMsg>();
+  m->cb_.send(msg.get());
+}
+
+template <typename T>
+struct TestActiveSendLarge : TestParallelHarness {
+  using TagType = typename std::tuple_element<1,T>::type;
+
+  // Set max size to 16 KiB for testing
+  void addAdditionalArgs() override {
+    new_arg = fmt::format("--vt_max_mpi_send_size=16384");
+    addArgs(new_arg);
+  }
+
+private:
+  std::string new_arg;
+};
+
+TYPED_TEST_SUITE_P(TestActiveSendLarge);
+
+TYPED_TEST_P(TestActiveSendLarge, test_large_bytes_msg) {
+  using IntegralType = typename std::tuple_element<0,TypeParam>::type;
+  using TagType = typename std::tuple_element<1,TypeParam>::type;
+
+  static constexpr NumBytesType const nbytes = 1ll << IntegralType::value;
+
+  using LargeMsgType = LargeMsg<nbytes, TagType>;
+
+  NodeType const this_node = theContext()->getNode();
+  NodeType const num_nodes = theContext()->getNumNodes();
+
+  // over two nodes will allocate a lot of memory for the run
+  if (num_nodes != 2) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  int counter = 0;
+  auto e = pipe::LifetimeEnum::Once;
+  auto cb = theCB()->makeFunc<RecvMsg>(e, [&counter](RecvMsg*){ counter++; });
+
+  NodeType next_node = (this_node + 1) % num_nodes;
+
+  vt::runInEpochCollective([&]{
+    auto msg = makeMessage<LargeMsgType>();
+    fillMsg(msg);
+    msg->cb_ = cb;
+    theMsg()->sendMsg<LargeMsgType, myHandler<LargeMsgType>>(next_node, msg);
+  });
+
+  EXPECT_EQ(counter, 1);
+}
+
+REGISTER_TYPED_TEST_SUITE_P(TestActiveSendLarge, test_large_bytes_msg);
+
+using NonSerTestTypes = testing::Types<
+  std::tuple<std::integral_constant<NumBytesType, 20>, NonSerializedTag>,
+  std::tuple<std::integral_constant<NumBytesType, 21>, NonSerializedTag>
+  // std::tuple<std::integral_constant<NumBytesType, 32>, NonSerializedTag>
+>;
+
+using SerTestTypes = testing::Types<
+  std::tuple<std::integral_constant<NumBytesType, 20>, SerializedTag>,
+  std::tuple<std::integral_constant<NumBytesType, 21>, SerializedTag>
+  // std::tuple<std::integral_constant<NumBytesType, 32>, SerializedTag>
+>;
+
+INSTANTIATE_TYPED_TEST_SUITE_P(
+  test_large_bytes_serialized, TestActiveSendLarge, NonSerTestTypes,
+  DEFAULT_NAME_GEN
+);
+
+INSTANTIATE_TYPED_TEST_SUITE_P(
+  test_large_bytes_nonserialized, TestActiveSendLarge, SerTestTypes,
+  DEFAULT_NAME_GEN
+);
+
+}}}} // end namespace vt::tests::unit::large