diff --git a/tests/profiles/tar/task.yaml b/tests/profiles/tar/task.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..da091b671
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/profiles/tar/task.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+summary: smoke test for the tar profile
+execute: |
+    # tar works (this is a very basic test).
+    # create a text file, archive it and delete the original file
+    echo "test" > file.txt && tar -czf archive.tar file.txt && rm file.txt
+    # extract archive, assert contets are correct
+    tar -xzf archive.tar && [ $(cat file.txt) == "test" ]
+
+    # The profile is attached based on the program path.
+    "$SPREAD_PATH"/tests/bin/actual-profile-of tar | MATCH 'tar \(enforce\)'