diff --git a/test/birdtest.c b/test/birdtest.c
index dc515844..e6e78628 100644
--- a/test/birdtest.c
+++ b/test/birdtest.c
@@ -27,12 +27,13 @@ int bt_verbose;
 const char *bt_filename;
 const char *bt_test_id;
 
-
 void
 bt_init(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
   int c;
 
+  srandom(BT_RANDOM_SEED);
+
   bt_verbose = 0;
   bt_filename = argv[0];
 
@@ -159,3 +160,9 @@ bt_test_case5(int (*test_fn)(void), const char *test_id, const char *dsc, int fo
 
   bt_note("OK");
 }
+
+int
+bt_rand_num(void)
+{
+  return random();
+}
diff --git a/test/birdtest.h b/test/birdtest.h
index fbfbfec2..69ee4652 100644
--- a/test/birdtest.h
+++ b/test/birdtest.h
@@ -13,14 +13,13 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 
-// TODO: add a pseudo random number generator with fixed seed
-
 extern int bt_verbose;
 extern const char *bt_filename;
 extern const char *bt_test_id;
 
 void bt_init(int argc, char *argv[]);
 void bt_test_case5(int (*fn)(void), const char *id, const char *dsc, int forked, int timeout);
+int  bt_rand_num(void);
 
 #define BT_SUCCESS 0
 #define BT_FAILURE 1
@@ -28,6 +27,8 @@ void bt_test_case5(int (*fn)(void), const char *id, const char *dsc, int forked,
 #define BT_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT 5
 #define BT_DEFAULT_FORKING 1
 
+#define BT_RANDOM_SEED 982451653
+
 #define bt_test_case(fn,dsc) \
     bt_test_case4(fn, dsc, BT_DEFAULT_FORKING, BT_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT)