In techniques for testing and calibrating an ablator, a tissue probe emulator is connectable to a tissue ablator being tested. The emulator includes a temperature sensor, a thermoelectric unit operative to vary a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor, an adjustable electrical load, electrical control circuitry connected to the thermoelectric unit and the electrical load and operative to independently adjust the electrical load and an output of the thermoelectric unit. The emulator conveys signals emitted by the temperature sensor to the tissue ablator and conveys an ablation energy output of the tissue ablator to the electrical load.