diff --git a/test/subset/data/Makefile.am b/test/subset/data/Makefile.am
index 00ab34097..d16052b97 100644
--- a/test/subset/data/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/subset/data/Makefile.am
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ EXTRA_DIST += \
 	expected/sbix \
 	expected/colr \
 	expected/cbdt \
+	expected/variable \
 	fonts \
 	profiles \
 	$(NULL)
diff --git a/test/subset/data/Makefile.sources b/test/subset/data/Makefile.sources
index 581e1d6bc..abb762ad5 100644
--- a/test/subset/data/Makefile.sources
+++ b/test/subset/data/Makefile.sources
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ TESTS = \
 	tests/layout.notonastaliqurdu.tests \
 	tests/layout.tests \
 	tests/sbix.tests \
+	tests/variable.tests \
 	$(NULL)
 
 XFAIL_TESTS = \
diff --git a/test/subset/data/expected/variable/Fraunces.keep-layout.26,66,69,124,125.ttf b/test/subset/data/expected/variable/Fraunces.keep-layout.26,66,69,124,125.ttf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b0d7f4f6f
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/subset/data/expected/variable/Fraunces.keep-layout.26,66,69,124,125.ttf differ
diff --git a/test/subset/data/expected/variable/Fraunces.keep-layout.61.ttf b/test/subset/data/expected/variable/Fraunces.keep-layout.61.ttf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a80eed226
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/subset/data/expected/variable/Fraunces.keep-layout.61.ttf differ
diff --git a/test/subset/data/fonts/Fraunces.ttf b/test/subset/data/fonts/Fraunces.ttf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8210f9488
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/subset/data/fonts/Fraunces.ttf differ
diff --git a/test/subset/data/tests/variable.tests b/test/subset/data/tests/variable.tests
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..57e13b18d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/subset/data/tests/variable.tests
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+FONTS:
+Fraunces.ttf
+
+PROFILES:
+keep-layout.txt
+
+SUBSETS:
+a
+&fiĤĥ
diff --git a/test/subset/meson.build b/test/subset/meson.build
index 0bbaf0e8d..d8bd328a8 100644
--- a/test/subset/meson.build
+++ b/test/subset/meson.build
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ tests = [
   'sbix',
   'colr',
   'cbdt',
+  'variable',
 ]
 
 repack_tests = [