diff --git a/test/benchmark-list.h b/test/benchmark-list.h
index 5e79878021..bc654b5afe 100644
--- a/test/benchmark-list.h
+++ b/test/benchmark-list.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ BENCHMARK_DECLARE (pipe_pump100_client)
 BENCHMARK_DECLARE (pipe_pump1_client)
 BENCHMARK_DECLARE (gethostbyname)
 BENCHMARK_DECLARE (getaddrinfo)
+BENCHMARK_DECLARE (spawn)
 HELPER_DECLARE    (tcp_pump_server)
 HELPER_DECLARE    (pipe_pump_server)
 HELPER_DECLARE    (tcp4_echo_server)
@@ -55,4 +56,6 @@ TASK_LIST_START
   BENCHMARK_HELPER (gethostbyname, dns_server)
 
   BENCHMARK_ENTRY  (getaddrinfo)
+
+  BENCHMARK_ENTRY  (spawn)
 TASK_LIST_END
diff --git a/test/benchmark-spawn.c b/test/benchmark-spawn.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..21e43a77ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/benchmark-spawn.c
@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+/* Copyright Joyent, Inc. and other Node contributors. All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+ * of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to
+ * deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the
+ * rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or
+ * sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+ * furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
+ * all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+ * LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING
+ * FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS
+ * IN THE SOFTWARE.
+ */
+
+/* This benchmark spawns itself 1000 times. */
+
+#include "task.h"
+#include "uv.h"
+
+static int N = 1000;
+static int done;
+
+static uv_process_t process;
+static uv_process_options_t options = { 0 };
+static char exepath[1024];
+static size_t exepath_size = 1024;
+static char* args[3];
+static uv_pipe_t out;
+
+#define OUTPUT_SIZE 1024
+static char output[OUTPUT_SIZE];
+static int output_used;
+
+static int process_open;
+static int pipe_open;
+
+
+static void spawn();
+
+
+void maybe_spawn() {
+  if (process_open == 0 && pipe_open == 0) {
+    done++;
+    if (done < N) {
+      spawn();
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+
+static void process_close_cb(uv_handle_t* handle) {
+  ASSERT(process_open == 1);
+  process_open = 0;
+  maybe_spawn();
+}
+
+
+static void exit_cb(uv_process_t* process, int exit_status, int term_signal) {
+  ASSERT(exit_status == 42);
+  ASSERT(term_signal == 0);
+  uv_close((uv_handle_t*)process, process_close_cb);
+}
+
+
+uv_buf_t on_alloc(uv_stream_t* tcp, size_t suggested_size) {
+  uv_buf_t buf;
+  buf.base = output + output_used;
+  buf.len = OUTPUT_SIZE - output_used;
+  return buf;
+}
+
+
+void pipe_close_cb(uv_handle_t* pipe) {
+  ASSERT(pipe_open == 1);
+  pipe_open = 0;
+  maybe_spawn();
+}
+
+
+void on_read(uv_stream_t* pipe, ssize_t nread, uv_buf_t buf) {
+  uv_err_t err = uv_last_error();
+
+  if (nread > 0) {
+    ASSERT(pipe_open == 1);
+    output_used += nread;
+  } else if (nread < 0) {
+    if (err.code == UV_EOF) {
+      uv_close((uv_handle_t*)pipe, pipe_close_cb);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+
+static void spawn() {
+  int r;
+
+  ASSERT(process_open == 0);
+  ASSERT(pipe_open == 0);
+
+  args[0] = exepath;
+  args[1] = "spawn_helper";
+  args[2] = NULL;
+  options.file = exepath;
+  options.args = args;
+  options.exit_cb = exit_cb;
+
+  uv_pipe_init(&out);
+  options.stdout_stream = &out;
+
+  r = uv_spawn(&process, options);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+
+  process_open = 1;
+  pipe_open = 1;
+  output_used = 0;
+
+  r = uv_read_start((uv_stream_t*) &out, on_alloc, on_read);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+}
+
+
+BENCHMARK_IMPL(spawn) {
+  int r; 
+  static int64_t start_time, end_time;
+
+  uv_init();
+
+  r = uv_exepath(exepath, &exepath_size);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+  exepath[exepath_size] = '\0';
+
+  uv_update_time();
+  start_time = uv_now();
+
+  spawn();
+
+  r = uv_run();
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+
+  uv_update_time();
+  end_time = uv_now();
+
+  LOGF("spawn: %.0f spawns/s\n",
+       (double) N / (double) (end_time - start_time) * 1000.0);
+
+  return 0;
+}
diff --git a/test/run-benchmarks.c b/test/run-benchmarks.c
index bdef4a4be4..d04c78d5e7 100644
--- a/test/run-benchmarks.c
+++ b/test/run-benchmarks.c
@@ -38,7 +38,14 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 
   switch (argc) {
   case 1: return run_tests(BENCHMARK_TIMEOUT, 1);
-  case 2: return run_test(argv[1], BENCHMARK_TIMEOUT, 1);
+  case 2: {
+    if (strcmp(argv[1], "spawn_helper") == 0) {
+      printf("hello world\n");
+      return 42;
+    }
+
+    return run_test(argv[1], BENCHMARK_TIMEOUT, 1);
+  }
   case 3: return run_test_part(argv[1], argv[2]);
   default:
     LOGF("Too many arguments.\n");