diff --git a/test/program_options_size_test.py b/test/program_options_size_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..790517e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/program_options_size_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+
+import os
+import string
+
+
+call = "   hook(10);\n";
+call = "   hook(10); hook2(10);hook3(0);hook4(0);\n";
+
+def run_test(num_calls, compiler_command):
+   f = open("program_options_test.cpp", "w")
+   f.write("""#include <boost/program_options.hpp>
+using namespace boost::program_options;   
+
+void do_it()
+{
+   boost::program_options::options_description desc;
+   desc.add_options()
+""")
+   for i in range(0, num_calls):
+      f.write("(\"opt%d\", value<int>())\n")
+   f.write(";\n}\n")   
+   f.close()
+   os.system(compiler_command + " -c -save-temps -I /home/ghost/Work/boost-rc program_options_test.cpp")
+
+   nm = os.popen("nm -S program_options_test.o")
+   for l in nm:
+      if string.find(l, "Z5do_itv") != -1:
+         break
+   size = int(string.split(l)[1], 16)
+   return size
+
+def run_tests(range, compiler_command):
+
+   last_size = None
+   first_size = None
+   for num in range:
+      size = run_test(num, compiler_command)
+      if last_size:
+         print "%2d calls: %5d bytes (+ %d)" % (num, size, size-last_size)
+      else:
+         print "%2d calls: %5d bytes" % (num, size)
+         first_size = size
+      last_size = size
+   print "Avarage: ", (last_size-first_size)/(range[-1]-range[0])
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+   for compiler in [ "g++-3.3 -Os", "g++-3.3 -O3", "g++-3.4 -Os", "g++-3.4 -O3"]:
+      print "****", compiler, "****"
+      run_tests(range(1, 20), compiler)
+
+
+