diff --git a/tests/default.nix b/tests/default.nix
index 0976ad0c3a2..9b0295236e3 100644
--- a/tests/default.nix
+++ b/tests/default.nix
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ with import ../lib/testing.nix { inherit nixpkgs system; };
   ipv6 = makeTest (import ./ipv6.nix);
   kde4 = makeTest (import ./kde4.nix);
   login = makeTest (import ./login.nix);
+  mpich = makeTest (import ./mpich.nix);
   nat = makeTest (import ./nat.nix);
   nfs = makeTest (import ./nfs.nix);
   openssh = makeTest (import ./openssh.nix);
diff --git a/tests/mpich.nix b/tests/mpich.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0b81bc1d0de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/mpich.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+# Simple example to showcase distributed tests using NixOS VMs.
+
+{ pkgs, ... }:
+
+with pkgs;
+
+{
+  nodes = {
+    master =
+      { config, pkgs, ... }: {
+        environment.systemPackages = [ gcc mpich2 ];
+        #boot.kernelPackages = pkgs.kernelPackages_2_6_29;
+      };
+
+    slave =
+      { config, pkgs, ... }: {
+        environment.systemPackages = [ gcc mpich2 ];
+      };
+  };
+
+  # Start master/slave MPI daemons and compile/run a program that uses both
+  # nodes.
+  testScript =
+    ''
+       startAll;
+
+       $master->mustSucceed("echo 'MPD_SECRETWORD=secret' > /etc/mpd.conf");
+       $master->mustSucceed("chmod 600 /etc/mpd.conf");
+       $master->mustSucceed("mpd --daemon --ifhn=master --listenport=4444");
+
+       $slave->mustSucceed("echo 'MPD_SECRETWORD=secret' > /etc/mpd.conf");
+       $slave->mustSucceed("chmod 600 /etc/mpd.conf");
+       $slave->mustSucceed("mpd --daemon --host=master --port=4444");
+
+       $master->mustSucceed("mpicc -o example -Wall ${./mpich-example.c}");
+       $slave->mustSucceed("mpicc -o example -Wall ${./mpich-example.c}");
+
+       $master->mustSucceed("mpiexec -n 2 ./example >&2");
+    '';
+}