diff --git a/tools/Makefile b/tools/Makefile
index 15abde6..410b52c 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile
+++ b/tools/Makefile
@@ -5,11 +5,14 @@ CPPFLAGS = -Wall -I../src/server -I../src/common -I../src/proxy \
 		
 CFLAGS = $(CPPFLAGS) -g -O3 -std=gnu99
 
-all: holemap
+all: holemap semtest
 
 # holemap requires libmhash-dev for md5 calculation
 holemap: holemap.c ../src/server/*.h
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o $@ $^ ${shell pkg-config mhash --cflags --libs}
 
+semtest: semtest.c
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o $@ $^ -lpthread
+
 clean:
-	rm -f holemap
+	rm -f holemap semtest
diff --git a/tools/semtest.c b/tools/semtest.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fd1c80e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/semtest.c
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+/*
+ * Latency test for pthread 'conditions' vs using a good ol'
+ * pair of linked sockets.
+ * gcc -o semtest -O2 -g --std=c99 semtest.c -lpthread
+ * 
+ */
+#include <sys/socket.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <pthread.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+
+#define TESTCOUNT	10000000
+
+pthread_mutex_t mutex;
+pthread_cond_t kidwake, dadwake;
+int flag_passed = 0;
+
+static void *thread_semaphore(void * param)
+{
+	printf("kid started\n");
+	pthread_mutex_lock(&mutex);
+	pthread_cond_signal( &dadwake );
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&mutex);			
+	do {
+		pthread_mutex_lock(&mutex);
+		while (flag_passed == 0)
+			pthread_cond_wait( &kidwake, &mutex );
+		flag_passed = 0;
+		pthread_cond_signal( &dadwake );
+		pthread_mutex_unlock(&mutex);			
+	} while (1);
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+int sock[2];
+
+static void * thread_socket(void * param)
+{
+	printf("kid started\n");
+	do {
+		char b = 0;
+		int r = read(sock[1], &b, 1);
+		if (r != 1)
+			perror("read");
+		b = 0;
+		write(sock[1], &b, 1);	// tell the kid
+	} while (1);
+	
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+
+int main(int argc, char ** argv)
+{
+	int test = 0;
+	for (int i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
+		if (!strcmp(argv[i], "socket"))
+			test = 1;
+		else if (!strcmp(argv[i], "semaphore"))
+			test = 2;
+		else
+			goto usage;
+	}
+	if (!test)
+		goto usage;
+
+	if (test == 1) {
+		if (socketpair(PF_LOCAL, SOCK_STREAM, 0, sock)) {
+			perror("socketpair");
+			exit(1);
+		}
+		printf("Socket test start:\n");
+		pthread_t t;
+		pthread_create(&t, NULL, thread_socket, NULL);
+
+		for (int ti = 0; ti < TESTCOUNT; ti++) {
+			char b = 1;
+			write(sock[0], &b, 1);	// tell the kid
+			int r = read(sock[0], &b, 1);
+			if (r != 1)
+				perror("read");
+
+			if (!(ti % 100000)) {
+				printf("."); fflush(stdout);
+			}
+		}		
+	} else {
+		pthread_mutex_init(&mutex, NULL);
+		pthread_cond_init( &kidwake, NULL );
+		pthread_cond_init( &dadwake, NULL );
+
+		printf("Semaphore test start:\n");
+		pthread_t t;
+		pthread_create(&t, NULL, thread_semaphore, NULL);
+
+		pthread_mutex_lock(&mutex);
+		printf("dad wait for kid\n");
+		pthread_cond_wait( &dadwake, &mutex );
+		pthread_mutex_unlock(&mutex);
+		printf("dad has kid ready\n");
+		
+		for (int ti = 0; ti < TESTCOUNT; ti++) {
+			pthread_mutex_lock(&mutex);
+			flag_passed = 1;
+			pthread_cond_signal( &kidwake );
+			while (flag_passed == 1)
+				pthread_cond_wait( &dadwake, &mutex );
+			pthread_mutex_unlock(&mutex);
+			if (!(ti % 100000)) {
+				printf("."); fflush(stdout);
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	printf("\nDone\n");
+	exit(0);
+usage:
+	fprintf(stderr, "%s socket -- run semaphore latency test with sockets\n", argv[0]);
+	fprintf(stderr, "%s semaphore -- run semaphore latency test with sockets\n", argv[0]);
+	exit(1);
+}