diff --git a/tests/test-benchmark.lua b/tests/test-benchmark.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c25e153a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test-benchmark.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+-- Some benchmarks that aren't really tests, but are included here anyway so
+-- that we notice if they break.
+
+local awful = require("awful")
+local wibox = require("wibox")
+local lgi = require("lgi")
+local GLib = lgi.GLib
+local cairo = lgi.cairo
+
+local not_under_travis = not os.getenv("CI")
+
+local measure, benchmark
+do
+    local timer_measure = GLib.Timer()
+    measure = function(f, iter)
+        timer_measure:start()
+        for i = 1, iter do
+            f()
+        end
+        local elapsed = timer_measure:elapsed()
+        return elapsed / iter, elapsed
+    end
+
+    local timer_benchmark = GLib.Timer()
+    benchmark = function(f, msg)
+        timer_benchmark:start()
+        local iters = 1
+        local time_per_iter, time_total = measure(f, iters)
+        -- To improve precision, we want to loop for this long
+        local target_time = 1
+        while time_total < target_time and not_under_travis do
+            iters = math.ceil(target_time / time_per_iter)
+            time_per_iter, time_total = measure(f, iters)
+        end
+        print(string.format("%20s: %-10.6g sec/iter (%3d iters, %.4g sec for benchmark)",
+                msg, time_per_iter, iters, timer_benchmark:elapsed()))
+    end
+end
+
+local function do_pending_repaint()
+    awesome.emit_signal("refresh")
+end
+
+local function create_wibox()
+    local img = cairo.ImageSurface(cairo.Format.ARGB32, 20, 20)
+
+    -- Widgets that are aligned to the left
+    local left_layout = wibox.layout.fixed.horizontal()
+    left_layout:add(awful.widget.launcher({ image = img, command = "bash" }))
+    left_layout:add(awful.widget.taglist(1, awful.widget.taglist.filter.all))
+    left_layout:add(awful.widget.prompt())
+
+    -- Widgets that are aligned to the right
+    local right_layout = wibox.layout.fixed.horizontal()
+    local textclock = awful.widget.textclock()
+    right_layout:add(textclock)
+    right_layout:add(awful.widget.layoutbox(1))
+
+    -- Now bring it all together (with the tasklist in the middle)
+    local layout = wibox.layout.align.horizontal()
+    layout:set_left(left_layout)
+    layout:set_middle(awful.widget.tasklist(1, awful.widget.tasklist.filter.currenttags))
+    layout:set_right(right_layout)
+
+    -- Create wibox
+    local wb = wibox({ width = 1024, height = 20, screen = 1 })
+    wb.visible = true
+    wb:set_widget(layout)
+
+    return wb, textclock
+end
+
+local wb, textclock = create_wibox()
+
+local function relayout_textclock()
+    textclock:emit_signal("widget::layout_changed")
+    do_pending_repaint()
+end
+
+local function redraw_textclock()
+    textclock:emit_signal("widget::redraw_needed")
+    do_pending_repaint()
+end
+
+local function update_textclock()
+    textclock:emit_signal("widget::updated")
+    do_pending_repaint()
+end
+
+benchmark(create_wibox, "create wibox")
+benchmark(update_textclock, "update textclock")
+benchmark(relayout_textclock, "relayout textclock")
+benchmark(redraw_textclock, "redraw textclock")
+
+require("_runner").run_steps({ function() return true end })