diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/caliper/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/caliper/package.py
index ec47b873c8..b424c0e693 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/caliper/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/caliper/package.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: (Apache-2.0 OR MIT)
 
+import os
 import sys
 
 from spack import *
@@ -21,6 +22,8 @@ class Caliper(CMakePackage, CudaPackage):
 
     maintainers = ["daboehme"]
 
+    test_requires_compiler = True
+
     version('master', branch='master')
     version('2.6.0', sha256='6efcd3e4845cc9a6169e0d934840766b12182c6d09aa3ceca4ae776e23b6360f')
     version('2.5.0', sha256='d553e60697d61c53de369b9ca464eb30710bda90fba9671201543b64eeac943c')
@@ -137,3 +140,35 @@ def cmake_args(self):
             args.append('-DWITH_CUPTI=Off')
 
         return args
+
+    @run_after('install')
+    def cache_test_sources(self):
+        """Copy the example source files after the package is installed to an
+        install test subdirectory for use during `spack test run`."""
+        self.cache_extra_test_sources([join_path('examples', 'apps')])
+
+    def run_cxx_example_test(self):
+        """Run stand alone test: cxx_example"""
+
+        test_dir = join_path(self.test_suite.current_test_cache_dir, 'examples', 'apps')
+
+        if not os.path.exists(test_dir):
+            print('Skipping caliper test')
+            return
+
+        exe = 'cxx-example'
+
+        self.run_test(exe='gcc',
+                      options=['{0}'.format(join_path(test_dir, 'cxx-example.cpp')),
+                               '-L{0}'.format(join_path(self.prefix, 'lib64')),
+                               '-I{0}'.format(join_path(self.prefix, 'include')),
+                               '-std=c++11', '-lcaliper', '-lstdc++', '-o', exe],
+                      purpose='test: compile {0} example'.format(exe),
+                      work_dir=test_dir)
+
+        self.run_test(exe,
+                      purpose='test: run {0} example'.format(exe),
+                      work_dir=test_dir)
+
+    def test(self):
+        self.run_cxx_example_test()