diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 43aaf5bbb..22a1986e2 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -43,3 +43,4 @@ test/software_volume
 test/run_decoder
 test/read_tags
 test/run_encoder
+test/run_output
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index b6d95030d..d406220eb 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -531,6 +531,7 @@ noinst_PROGRAMS = \
 	test/run_decoder \
 	test/read_tags \
 	test/run_encoder \
+	test/run_output \
 	test/software_volume
 
 test_run_decoder_CPPFLAGS = $(AM_CPPFLAGS) \
@@ -575,6 +576,21 @@ test_software_volume_SOURCES = test/software_volume.c \
 	src/audio_parser.c \
 	src/pcm_volume.c
 
+test_run_output_CPPFLAGS = $(AM_CPPFLAGS) \
+	$(ENCODER_CFLAGS) \
+	$(OUTPUT_CFLAGS)
+test_run_output_LDADD = $(MPD_LIBS) \
+	$(ENCODER_LIBS) \
+	$(OUTPUT_LIBS)
+test_run_output_SOURCES = test/run_output.c \
+	src/conf.c src/buffer2array.c src/utils.c src/log.c \
+	src/audio_parser.c \
+	src/timer.c \
+	src/output_init.c src/output_list.c \
+	$(ENCODER_SRC) \
+	$(MIXER_SRC) \
+	$(OUTPUT_SRC)
+
 if HAVE_ID3TAG
 test_run_decoder_SOURCES += src/tag_id3.c src/riff.c src/aiff.c
 test_read_tags_SOURCES += src/tag_id3.c src/riff.c src/aiff.c
diff --git a/test/run_output.c b/test/run_output.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f14cfb8e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/run_output.c
@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2003-2009 The Music Player Daemon Project
+ * http://www.musicpd.org
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
+ */
+
+#include "output_plugin.h"
+#include "output_internal.h"
+#include "output_control.h"
+#include "conf.h"
+#include "audio_parser.h"
+
+#include <glib.h>
+
+#include <assert.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+
+void pcm_convert_init(G_GNUC_UNUSED struct pcm_convert_state *state)
+{
+}
+
+void notify_init(G_GNUC_UNUSED struct notify *notify)
+{
+}
+
+static const struct config_param *
+find_named_config_block(const char *block, const char *name)
+{
+	const struct config_param *param = NULL;
+
+	while ((param = config_get_next_param(block, param)) != NULL) {
+		const char *current_name =
+			config_get_block_string(param, "name", NULL);
+		if (current_name != NULL && strcmp(current_name, name) == 0)
+			return param;
+	}
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+static bool
+load_audio_output(struct audio_output *ao, const char *name)
+{
+	const struct config_param *param;
+	bool success;
+	GError *error = NULL;
+
+	param = find_named_config_block(CONF_AUDIO_OUTPUT, name);
+	if (param == NULL) {
+		g_printerr("No such configured audio output: %s\n", name);
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	success = audio_output_init(ao, param, &error);
+	if (!success) {
+		g_printerr("%s\n", error->message);
+		g_error_free(error);
+	}
+
+	return success;
+}
+
+int main(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+	struct audio_output ao;
+	struct audio_format audio_format = {
+		.sample_rate = 44100,
+		.bits = 16,
+		.channels = 2,
+	};
+	bool success;
+	GError *error = NULL;
+	char buffer[4096];
+	ssize_t nbytes;
+	size_t frame_size, length = 0, play_length, consumed;
+
+	if (argc < 3 || argc > 4) {
+		g_printerr("Usage: run_output CONFIG NAME [FORMAT] <IN\n");
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	g_thread_init(NULL);
+
+	/* read configuration file (mpd.conf) */
+
+	config_global_init();
+	config_read_file(argv[1]);
+
+	/* initialize the audio output */
+
+	if (!load_audio_output(&ao, argv[2]))
+		return 1;
+
+	/* parse the audio format */
+
+	if (argc > 3) {
+		success = audio_format_parse(&audio_format, argv[3], &error);
+		if (!success) {
+			g_printerr("Failed to parse audio format: %s\n",
+				   error->message);
+			g_error_free(error);
+			return 1;
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* open the audio output */
+
+	success = ao_plugin_open(ao.plugin, ao.data, &audio_format, &error);
+	if (!success) {
+		g_printerr("Failed to open audio output: %s\n",
+			   error->message);
+		g_error_free(error);
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	g_printerr("audio_format=%u:%u:%u\n", audio_format.sample_rate,
+		   audio_format.bits, audio_format.channels);
+
+	frame_size = audio_format_frame_size(&audio_format);
+
+	/* play */
+
+	while (true) {
+		if (length < sizeof(buffer)) {
+			nbytes = read(0, buffer + length, sizeof(buffer) - length);
+			if (nbytes <= 0)
+				break;
+
+			length += (size_t)nbytes;
+		}
+
+		play_length = (length / frame_size) * frame_size;
+		if (play_length > 0) {
+			consumed = ao_plugin_play(ao.plugin, ao.data,
+						  buffer, play_length,
+						  &error);
+			if (consumed == 0) {
+				g_printerr("Failed to play: %s\n",
+					   error->message);
+				g_error_free(error);
+				return 1;
+			}
+
+			assert(consumed <= length);
+			assert(consumed % frame_size == 0);
+
+			length -= consumed;
+			memmove(buffer, buffer + consumed, length);
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* cleanup and exit */
+
+	ao_plugin_close(ao.plugin, ao.data);
+	ao_plugin_finish(ao.plugin, ao.data);
+	g_mutex_free(ao.mutex);
+
+	config_global_finish();
+
+	return 0;
+}