diff --git a/libs/surfaceflinger/tests/Android.mk b/libs/surfaceflinger/tests/Android.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5053e7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/surfaceflinger/tests/Android.mk
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+include $(call all-subdir-makefiles)
diff --git a/libs/surfaceflinger/tests/overlays/Android.mk b/libs/surfaceflinger/tests/overlays/Android.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dc47e45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/surfaceflinger/tests/overlays/Android.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+LOCAL_PATH:= $(call my-dir)
+include $(CLEAR_VARS)
+
+LOCAL_SRC_FILES:= \
+	overlays.cpp
+
+LOCAL_SHARED_LIBRARIES := \
+	libcutils \
+	libutils \
+    libui
+
+LOCAL_MODULE:= test-overlays
+
+LOCAL_MODULE_TAGS := tests
+
+include $(BUILD_EXECUTABLE)
diff --git a/libs/surfaceflinger/tests/overlays/overlays.cpp b/libs/surfaceflinger/tests/overlays/overlays.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f3c046f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/surfaceflinger/tests/overlays/overlays.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+#include <utils/IPCThreadState.h>
+#include <utils/ProcessState.h>
+#include <utils/IServiceManager.h>
+#include <utils/Log.h>
+
+#include <ui/Surface.h>
+#include <ui/ISurface.h>
+#include <ui/Overlay.h>
+#include <ui/SurfaceComposerClient.h>
+
+using namespace android;
+
+namespace android {
+class Test {
+public:
+    static const sp<ISurface>& getISurface(const sp<Surface>& s) {
+        return s->getISurface();
+    }
+};
+};
+
+int main(int argc, char** argv)
+{
+    // set up the thread-pool
+    sp<ProcessState> proc(ProcessState::self());
+    ProcessState::self()->startThreadPool();
+
+    // create a client to surfaceflinger
+    sp<SurfaceComposerClient> client = new SurfaceComposerClient();
+    
+    // create pushbuffer surface
+    sp<Surface> surface = client->createSurface(getpid(), 0, 320, 240, 
+            PIXEL_FORMAT_UNKNOWN, ISurfaceComposer::ePushBuffers);
+
+    // get to the isurface
+    sp<ISurface> isurface = Test::getISurface(surface);
+    printf("isurface = %p\n", isurface.get());
+    
+    // now request an overlay
+    sp<OverlayRef> ref = isurface->createOverlay(320, 240, PIXEL_FORMAT_RGB_565);
+    sp<Overlay> overlay = new Overlay(ref);
+    
+
+    /*
+     * here we can use the overlay API 
+     */
+    
+    overlay_buffer_t buffer; 
+    overlay->dequeueBuffer(&buffer);
+    printf("buffer = %p\n", buffer);
+    
+    void* address = overlay->getBufferAddress(buffer);
+    printf("address = %p\n", address);
+
+    overlay->queueBuffer(buffer);
+
+    return 0;
+}