diff --git a/tools/Makefile.am b/tools/Makefile.am
index bbaaf29..8212076 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile.am
+++ b/tools/Makefile.am
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ bin_PROGRAMS = jack_load \
 	       jack_wait \
 	       jack_midi_dump \
 	       jack_iodelay \
+	       jack_load_test \
 	       $(JACK_TRANSPORT) \
 	       $(NETJACK_TOOLS)
 
@@ -117,6 +118,9 @@ jack_transport_LDFLAGS = -lreadline @READLINE_DEPS@ @OS_LDFLAGS@
 jack_transport_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/libjack/libjack.la
 endif
 
+jack_load_test_SOURCES = load_test.c
+jack_load_test_LDFLAGS = @OS_LDFLAGS@
+jack_load_test_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/libjack/libjack.la
 #
 # General purpose in-process loader/unloader
 #
diff --git a/tools/load_test.c b/tools/load_test.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e628341
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/load_test.c
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <getopt.h>
+#include <signal.h>
+
+#include <time.h>
+
+#include <config.h>
+
+#include <jack/jack.h>
+
+char * my_name;
+jack_client_t *client;
+unsigned int wait_timeout = 1000;
+
+void
+show_version (void)
+{
+	fprintf (stderr, "%s: JACK Audio Connection Kit version " VERSION "\n",
+		my_name);
+}
+
+void
+show_usage (void)
+{
+	show_version ();
+	fprintf (stderr, "\nUsage: %s [options]\n", my_name);
+	fprintf (stderr, "this is a test client, which just sleeps in its process_cb to simulate cpu load\n");
+	fprintf (stderr, "options:\n");
+	fprintf (stderr, "        -t, --timeout         Wait timeout in seconds\n");
+	fprintf (stderr, "        -h, --help            Display this help message\n");
+	fprintf (stderr, "        --version             Output version information and exit\n\n");
+	fprintf (stderr, "For more information see http://jackaudio.org/\n");
+}
+
+void jack_shutdown(void *arg)
+{
+	fprintf(stderr, "JACK shut down, exiting ...\n");
+	exit(1);
+}
+
+void signal_handler(int sig)
+{
+	jack_client_close(client);
+	fprintf(stderr, "signal received, exiting ...\n");
+	exit(0);
+}
+
+void silent_function( const char *ignore )
+{
+}
+
+int
+process_cb (jack_nframes_t nframes, void *arg)
+{
+	jack_time_t now  = jack_get_time();
+	jack_time_t wait = now + wait_timeout; 
+
+	while (jack_get_time() < wait) ;
+
+	return 0;      
+}
+
+int
+main (int argc, char *argv[])
+{
+	int c;
+	int option_index;
+	
+	struct option long_options[] = {
+		{ "timeout", 1, 0, 't' },
+		{ "help", 0, 0, 'h' },
+		{ "version", 0, 0, 'v' },
+		{ 0, 0, 0, 0 }
+	};
+
+	my_name = strrchr(argv[0], '/');
+	if (my_name == 0) {
+		my_name = argv[0];
+	} else {
+		my_name ++;
+	}
+
+	while ((c = getopt_long (argc, argv, "t:hv", long_options, &option_index)) >= 0) {
+		switch (c) {
+		case 't':
+			wait_timeout = atoi(optarg);
+			break;
+		case 'h':
+			show_usage ();
+			return 1;
+			break;
+		case 'v':
+			show_version ();
+			return 1;
+			break;
+		default:
+			show_usage ();
+			return 1;
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* try to open server in a loop. breaking under certein conditions */
+
+        jack_set_info_function( silent_function );
+
+	client = jack_client_open( "load_test", JackNullOption, NULL );
+
+	signal(SIGQUIT, signal_handler);
+	signal(SIGTERM, signal_handler);
+	signal(SIGHUP, signal_handler);
+	signal(SIGINT, signal_handler);
+
+	jack_on_shutdown(client, jack_shutdown, 0);
+
+	jack_set_process_callback( client, process_cb, NULL );
+
+	jack_activate (client);
+
+	sleep( -1 );
+
+	exit (0);
+}