diff --git a/tests/cmdline/cmd_optimise.py b/tests/cmdline/cmd_optimise.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..79d3bb44fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cmdline/cmd_optimise.py
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# cmdline: -O
+# test optimisation output
+print(__debug__)
+assert 0
diff --git a/tests/cmdline/cmd_optimise.py.exp b/tests/cmdline/cmd_optimise.py.exp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bc59c12aa1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cmdline/cmd_optimise.py.exp
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+False