diff --git a/performance_tests/create_variables.chai b/performance_tests/create_variables.chai
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e63e1a46
--- /dev/null
+++ b/performance_tests/create_variables.chai
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+def var_test(int n)
+{
+    for (var i = 0; i < n; ++i)   {
+        var j = 0
+    }
+}
+
+var n = 500000
+var_test(n) // takes 2.6 s
+
+