diff --git a/test-mktemp.c b/test-mktemp.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c8c5421
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test-mktemp.c
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+/*
+ * test-mktemp.c: code to exercise the creation of temporary files
+ */
+#include "git-compat-util.h"
+
+int main(int argc, char *argv[])
+{
+	if (argc != 2)
+		usage("Expected 1 parameter defining the temporary file template");
+
+	xmkstemp(xstrdup(argv[1]));
+
+	return 0;
+}