diff --git a/test/subset/data/expected/pin_all_at_default/Roboto-Variable.ABC.default.retain-all-codepoint.wght=400,wdth=100.0.ttf b/test/subset/data/expected/pin_all_at_default/Roboto-Variable.ABC.default.retain-all-codepoint.wght=400,wdth=100.0.ttf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..936647c4c
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/subset/data/expected/pin_all_at_default/Roboto-Variable.ABC.default.retain-all-codepoint.wght=400,wdth=100.0.ttf differ
diff --git a/test/subset/data/expected/pin_all_at_default/Roboto-Variable.ABC.default.retain-all-codepoint.wght=drop,wdth=100.ttf b/test/subset/data/expected/pin_all_at_default/Roboto-Variable.ABC.default.retain-all-codepoint.wght=drop,wdth=100.ttf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..936647c4c
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/subset/data/expected/pin_all_at_default/Roboto-Variable.ABC.default.retain-all-codepoint.wght=drop,wdth=100.ttf differ
diff --git a/test/subset/data/fonts/Roboto-Variable.ABC.ttf b/test/subset/data/fonts/Roboto-Variable.ABC.ttf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6cf001fc8
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/subset/data/fonts/Roboto-Variable.ABC.ttf differ
diff --git a/test/subset/data/tests/pin_all_at_default.tests b/test/subset/data/tests/pin_all_at_default.tests
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..068c8ad96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/subset/data/tests/pin_all_at_default.tests
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+FONTS:
+Roboto-Variable.ABC.ttf
+
+PROFILES:
+default.txt
+
+SUBSETS:
+*
+
+INSTANCES:
+wght=drop,wdth=100
+wght=400,wdth=100.0
diff --git a/test/subset/generate-expected-outputs.py b/test/subset/generate-expected-outputs.py
index 2182643ab..dc3a9028e 100755
--- a/test/subset/generate-expected-outputs.py
+++ b/test/subset/generate-expected-outputs.py
@@ -27,15 +27,31 @@ def strip_check_sum (ttx_string):
 		       ttx_string, count=1)
 
 
-def generate_expected_output(input_file, unicodes, profile_flags, output_directory, font_name):
+def generate_expected_output(input_file, unicodes, profile_flags, instance_flags, output_directory, font_name):
 	fonttools_path = os.path.join(tempfile.mkdtemp (), font_name)
 	args = ["fonttools", "subset", input_file]
 	args.extend(["--drop-tables+=DSIG",
 		     "--drop-tables-=sbix",
 		     "--unicodes=%s" % unicodes,
 		     "--output-file=%s" % fonttools_path])
+        #TODO: remove the drop later as instancing support is added to GPOS/GDEF.
+	if instance_flags:
+		args.extend(["--drop-tables+=GPOS,GDEF"])
 	args.extend(profile_flags)
 	check_call(args)
+
+	if instance_flags:
+		instance_path = os.path.join(tempfile.mkdtemp (), font_name)
+		args = ["fonttools", "varLib.instancer",
+			"--no-overlap-flag",
+			"--no-recalc-bounds",
+			"--no-recalc-timestamp",
+			"--output=%s" % instance_path,
+			fonttools_path]
+		args.extend(instance_flags)
+		check_call(args)
+		fonttools_path = instance_path
+
 	with io.StringIO () as fp:
 		with TTFont (fonttools_path) as font:
 			font.saveXML (fp)
@@ -50,7 +66,12 @@ def generate_expected_output(input_file, unicodes, profile_flags, output_directo
 		"--drop-tables+=DSIG",
 		"--drop-tables-=sbix"]
 	args.extend(profile_flags)
+        #TODO: remove the drop later as instancing support is added to GPOS/GDEF.
+	if instance_flags:
+		args.extend(["--drop-tables+=GDEF,GPOS",
+			     "--instance=%s" % ','.join(instance_flags)])
 	check_call(args)
+
 	with io.StringIO () as fp:
 		with TTFont (harfbuzz_path) as font:
 			font.saveXML (fp)
@@ -84,4 +105,4 @@ for path in args:
 			font_name = test.get_font_name()
 			print("Creating subset %s/%s" % (output_directory, font_name))
 			generate_expected_output(test.font_path, unicodes, test.get_profile_flags(),
-						 output_directory, font_name)
+						 test.get_instance_flags(), output_directory, font_name)
diff --git a/test/subset/run-tests.py b/test/subset/run-tests.py
index 75f873855..eb70db9f8 100755
--- a/test/subset/run-tests.py
+++ b/test/subset/run-tests.py
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ def run_test (test, should_check_ots):
 		    "--drop-tables+=DSIG",
 		    "--drop-tables-=sbix"]
 	cli_args.extend (test.get_profile_flags ())
+	if test.get_instance_flags ():
+		cli_args.extend (["--drop-tables+=GPOS,GDEF",
+				  "--instance=%s" % ','.join(test.get_instance_flags ())])
 	ret = subset_cmd (cli_args)
 
 	if ret != "success":
diff --git a/test/subset/subset_test_suite.py b/test/subset/subset_test_suite.py
index a58d01703..5ef4de303 100644
--- a/test/subset/subset_test_suite.py
+++ b/test/subset/subset_test_suite.py
@@ -5,10 +5,11 @@ import os
 # A single test in a subset test suite. Identifies a font
 # a subsetting profile, and a subset to be cut.
 class Test:
-	def __init__(self, font_path, profile_path, subset):
+	def __init__(self, font_path, profile_path, subset, instance):
 		self.font_path = font_path
 		self.profile_path = profile_path
 		self.subset = subset
+		self.instance = instance
 
 	def unicodes(self):
 		import re
@@ -20,23 +21,38 @@ class Test:
 		else:
 			return ",".join("%X" % ord(c) for (i, c) in enumerate(self.subset))
 
+	def instance_name(self):
+		if not self.instance:
+			return self.instance
+		else:
+			s = "." + self.instance.replace(':', '-')
+			return s
+
 	def get_profile_flags(self):
 		with open (self.profile_path, mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
 		    return f.read().splitlines()
 
+	def get_instance_flags(self):
+		if not self.instance:
+			return []
+		else:
+			return self.instance.split(',')
+
 	def get_font_name(self):
 		font_base_name = os.path.basename(self.font_path)
 		font_base_name_parts = os.path.splitext(font_base_name)
 		profile_name = os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(self.profile_path))[0]
 
 		if self.unicodes() == "*":
-			return "%s.%s.retain-all-codepoint%s" % (font_base_name_parts[0],
+			return "%s.%s.retain-all-codepoint%s%s" % (font_base_name_parts[0],
 				       profile_name,
+				       self.instance_name(),
 				       font_base_name_parts[1])
 		else:
-			return "%s.%s.%s%s" % (font_base_name_parts[0],
+			return "%s.%s.%s%s%s" % (font_base_name_parts[0],
 				       profile_name,
 				       self.unicodes(),
+				       self.instance_name(),
 				       font_base_name_parts[1])
 
 	def get_font_extension(self):
@@ -53,6 +69,7 @@ class SubsetTestSuite:
 		self.fonts = []
 		self.profiles = []
 		self.subsets = []
+		self.instances = []
 		self._parse(definition)
 
 	def get_output_directory(self):
@@ -73,7 +90,11 @@ class SubsetTestSuite:
 			for profile in self.profiles:
 				profile = os.path.join(self._base_path(), "profiles", profile)
 				for subset in self.subsets:
-					yield Test(font, profile, subset)
+					if self.instances: 
+						for instance in self.instances:
+							yield Test(font, profile, subset, instance)
+					else:
+						yield Test(font, profile, subset, "")
 
 	def _base_path(self):
 		return os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(self.test_path))
@@ -82,7 +103,8 @@ class SubsetTestSuite:
 		destinations = {
 				"FONTS:": self.fonts,
 				"PROFILES:": self.profiles,
-				"SUBSETS:": self.subsets
+				"SUBSETS:": self.subsets,
+				"INSTANCES:": self.instances
 		}
 
 		current_destination = None