Abstract: A method is disclosed for testing a complex digital circuit that is designed as a serial access scan path. The circuit incorporates a number of flip-flops, at least some of which are selectively connectable into a scan path shift register. The circuit also has a number of primary inputs, primary outputs, a scan path input and a scan path output. In the testing method, a first digital test pattern is applied to the primary inputs and a second digital test pattern is shifted into the scan path shift register. The digits appearing at the primary outputs are repeatedly compared with those of a first digital number indicative of the proper operation of the circuit as each digit of the second digital test pattern is shifted into the scan path shift register. If the digits appearing at the primary outputs are not equal to those of the digital numbers to which they are compared, a signal indicative of faulty circuit operation is produced.