diff --git a/src/tests/compile_test.cc b/src/tests/compile_test.cc
new file mode 100644
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/compile_test.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2008, Google Inc.
+// All rights reserved.
+//
+// Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+// modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
+// met:
+//
+//     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+// notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+//     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+// copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer
+// in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+// distribution.
+//     * Neither the name of Google Inc. nor the names of its
+// contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
+// this software without specific prior written permission.
+//
+// THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+// "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+// LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+// A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+// OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+// SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+// LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+// DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+// THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+// (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+// OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+
+// ---
+// Author: Craig Silverstein
+//
+// Most other tests use "config_for_unittests.h" to make testing easier.
+// This brings in some code most users won't use.  This test is meant
+// entirely to use ctemplate as users will, just #including the public
+// .h files directly.  It does hardly any work, and is mainly intended
+// as a compile check for the .h files.  It will not work if you use
+// a non-standard name for the package namespace (via
+//     ./configure --enable-namespace=foo
+// ), though you can fix that by changing the namespace alias below.
+
+// These are all the .h files that we export
+#include <ctemplate/per_expand_data.h>
+#include <ctemplate/template.h>
+#include <ctemplate/template_dictionary.h>
+#include <ctemplate/template_dictionary_interface.h>
+#include <ctemplate/template_emitter.h>
+#include <ctemplate/template_enums.h>
+#include <ctemplate/template_modifiers.h>
+#include <ctemplate/template_namelist.h>
+#include <ctemplate/template_pathops.h>
+#include <ctemplate/template_string.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <string>
+
+// If you used ./configure --enable-namespace=foo, replace 'ctemplate'
+// here with 'foo'.
+namespace template_ns = ctemplate;
+
+int main() {
+  template_ns::Template::StringToTemplateCache("key", "example");
+  template_ns::Template* tpl = template_ns::Template::GetTemplate(
+      "key", template_ns::DO_NOT_STRIP);
+  template_ns::TemplateDictionary dict("my dict");
+  std::string nothing_will_come_of_nothing;
+  tpl->Expand(&nothing_will_come_of_nothing, &dict);
+
+  // Try using a bit more functionality.
+  template_ns::PerExpandData data;
+  nothing_will_come_of_nothing.clear();
+  template_ns::ExpandWithData("key", template_ns::DO_NOT_STRIP, &dict, &data,
+                              &nothing_will_come_of_nothing);
+
+  printf("PASS.\n");
+  return 0;
+}