diff --git a/test/bench/ruby/helper.rb b/test/bench/ruby/helper.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..17763de7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/bench/ruby/helper.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+require_relative '../../soml/helper'
+
+# Benchmarks for the stuff in results.md
+
+module BenchTests
+
+  include RuntimeTests
+  
+  ENV["REMOTE_PI"] = "pi" unless ENV.has_key?("REMOTE_PI")
+
+  def setup
+    @stdout =  ""
+    @machine = Register.machine.boot
+    Soml::Compiler.load_parfait
+  end
+
+  def main
+runko = <<HERE
+class Object
+  int main()
+    PROGRAM
+  end
+end
+HERE
+  runko.sub("PROGRAM" , @main )
+  end
+
+  def check_remote val
+    check_r val , true
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/bench/ruby/test_integer.rb b/test/bench/ruby/test_integer.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8e4def41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/bench/ruby/test_integer.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+require_relative 'helper'
+
+class BenchInt < MiniTest::Test
+  include BenchTests
+
+  def test_adds
+    @main = "int count = 100352 - 352
+             while_plus( count - 1)
+               40.fibw( )
+               count = count - 1
+             end
+             return count"
+    check_remote 0
+  end
+
+  def test_calls
+    @main = "int count = 1000
+             while_plus( count - 1)
+               20.fibr( )
+               count = count - 1
+             end
+             return count"
+    check_remote 0
+  end
+
+  def test_itos
+    @main = "int count = 100352 - 352
+             while_plus( count - 1)
+               count.to_s( )
+               count = count - 1
+             end
+             return count"
+    check_remote 0
+  end
+  def test_loop
+    @main = "int count = 100352 - 352
+             while_plus( count - 1)
+               count = count - 1
+             end
+             return count"
+    check_remote 0
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/bench/ruby/test_word.rb b/test/bench/ruby/test_word.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0a09b192
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/bench/ruby/test_word.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+require_relative 'helper'
+
+class BenchWord < MiniTest::Test
+  include BenchTests
+
+  def test_hello
+    @main = <<HERE
+    int count = 100352 - 352
+    Word hello = "Hello there"
+    while_plus( count - 1)
+      hello.putstring()
+      count = count - 1
+     end
+     return 1
+HERE
+    check_remote 1
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/soml/helper.rb b/test/soml/helper.rb
index 69c15a36..233968ba 100644
--- a/test/soml/helper.rb
+++ b/test/soml/helper.rb
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ module RuntimeTests
 
   def check ret = nil
     i = check_local
-    check_remote ret
+    check_r ret
     i
   end
 
@@ -60,13 +60,14 @@ module RuntimeTests
     @@conn = Rye::Box.new(machine || "localhost" , :port => (port || 2222) , :user => (user || "pi"))
   end
 
-  def check_remote ret_val
+  def check_r ret_val , dont_run = false
     return unless box = connected
     load_program
     file = write_object_file
     r_file = file.sub("./" , "salama/")
     box.file_upload file , r_file
     print "\nfile #{file} "
+    return if dont_run
     box.ld "-N", r_file
     begin    #need to rescue here as rye throws if no return 0
       ret = box.aout           # and we use return to mean something