diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 034972a..d4902d6 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -21,5 +21,6 @@
     include/Makefile
     src/Makefile
     tests/Makefile
+    tests/debug/Makefile
     tests/timer/Makefile
     Makefile)
diff --git a/tests/Makefile.am b/tests/Makefile.am
index f7cfd54..f964be1 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -1 +1 @@
-SUBDIRS = timer
+SUBDIRS = debug timer
diff --git a/tests/debug/Makefile.am b/tests/debug/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0cdf46a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/debug/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+INCLUDES = $(all_includes) -I$(top_srcdir)/include
+noinst_PROGRAMS = debug_test
+
+debug_test_SOURCES = debug_test.c $(top_srcdir)/src/debug.c
diff --git a/tests/debug/debug_test.c b/tests/debug/debug_test.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4fe539c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/debug/debug_test.c
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+/* simple test for the debug interface */
+/*
+ * (C) 2008 by Holger Hans Peter Freyther <zecke@selfish.org>
+ * All Rights Reserved
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+ * 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ *
+ */
+
+#include <openbsc/debug.h>
+
+
+int main(int argc, char** argv)
+{
+    parse_category_mask("DRLL");
+    DEBUGP(DCC, "You should not see this\n");
+
+    parse_category_mask("DRLL:DCC");
+    DEBUGP(DRLL, "You should see this\n");
+    DEBUGP(DCC, "You should see this\n");
+    DEBUGP(DMM, "You should not see this\n");
+}