diff --git a/test/benchmark-list.h b/test/benchmark-list.h
index 0a72fb98..deb5ed1f 100644
--- a/test/benchmark-list.h
+++ b/test/benchmark-list.h
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ BENCHMARK_DECLARE (udp_packet_storm_1000v1000)
 BENCHMARK_DECLARE (gethostbyname)
 BENCHMARK_DECLARE (getaddrinfo)
 BENCHMARK_DECLARE (spawn)
+BENCHMARK_DECLARE (thread_create)
 HELPER_DECLARE    (tcp4_blackhole_server)
 HELPER_DECLARE    (tcp_pump_server)
 HELPER_DECLARE    (pipe_pump_server)
@@ -100,4 +101,5 @@ TASK_LIST_START
   BENCHMARK_ENTRY  (getaddrinfo)
 
   BENCHMARK_ENTRY  (spawn)
+  BENCHMARK_ENTRY  (thread_create)
 TASK_LIST_END
diff --git a/test/benchmark-thread.c b/test/benchmark-thread.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cc7fd938
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/benchmark-thread.c
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+/* 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.
+ */
+
+#include "uv.h"
+#include "task.h"
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+#define NUM_THREADS (100 * 1000)
+
+static volatile int num_threads;
+
+
+static void thread_entry(void* arg) {
+  ASSERT(arg == (void *) 42);
+  num_threads++;
+  /* FIXME write barrier? */
+}
+
+
+BENCHMARK_IMPL(thread_create) {
+  uint64_t start_time;
+  double duration;
+  uv_thread_t tid;
+  int i, r;
+
+  start_time = uv_hrtime();
+
+  for (i = 0; i < NUM_THREADS; i++) {
+    r = uv_thread_create(&tid, thread_entry, (void *) 42);
+    ASSERT(r == 0);
+
+    r = uv_thread_join(&tid);
+    ASSERT(r == 0);
+  }
+
+  duration = (uv_hrtime() - start_time) / 1e9;
+
+  ASSERT(num_threads == NUM_THREADS);
+
+  printf("%d threads created in %.2f seconds (%.0f/s)\n",
+      NUM_THREADS, duration, NUM_THREADS / duration);
+
+  return 0;
+}
diff --git a/uv.gyp b/uv.gyp
index 9a101bec..b5d77fcb 100644
--- a/uv.gyp
+++ b/uv.gyp
@@ -363,6 +363,7 @@
         'test/benchmark-pump.c',
         'test/benchmark-sizes.c',
         'test/benchmark-spawn.c',
+        'test/benchmark-thread.c',
         'test/benchmark-tcp-write-batch.c',
         'test/benchmark-udp-packet-storm.c',
         'test/dns-server.c',