Mechanisms are provided for performing security role definition testing. An application is received in a container of a runtime environment of the data processing system. The application has methods and security role definitions associated with the methods. A properties object, which specifies a user identifier to security role mapping, is received in the container. A test application is executed, in the container, by the processor, on an execution of the methods of the application based on the user identifier to security role mapping and the security role definitions. The test application tests an operation of the application with regard to the security role definitions. A result of the execution of the test application on the execution of the methods of the application is then output.