diff --git a/spa/tests/gen-cpp-test.py b/spa/tests/gen-cpp-test.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..a02c1a1d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spa/tests/gen-cpp-test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+#
+# Generates a simple .cpp file including all of the SPA headers.
+#
+# Usage: gen-cpp-test.py path/to/pipewire.git/spa/include/spa
+
+template = """
+@@INCLUDES@@
+
+int main(int argc, char *argv[])
+{
+    return 0;
+}
+"""
+
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+basedir = Path(sys.argv[1])
+includes = [
+    "#include <{}>".format(f.relative_to(basedir.parent)) for f in sorted(basedir.rglob("*.h"))
+]
+
+print(template.replace("@@INCLUDES@@", "\n".join(includes)))
diff --git a/spa/tests/meson.build b/spa/tests/meson.build
index d59ad11fc..47771a760 100644
--- a/spa/tests/meson.build
+++ b/spa/tests/meson.build
@@ -31,8 +31,13 @@ foreach a : test_apps
 endforeach
 
 if have_cpp
+  gen_cpp_test = find_program('gen-cpp-test.py')
+  src_test_cpp = custom_target('gen-cpp-test',
+                               command: [gen_cpp_test, meson.source_root() / 'spa' / 'include' / 'spa'],
+                               output: 'test-cpp.cpp',
+                               capture: true)
   # compilation test only
-  executable('spa-test-cpp', 'test-cpp.cpp',
+  executable('spa-test-cpp', src_test_cpp,
              include_directories : [spa_inc ],
              dependencies : [],
              install : false)
diff --git a/spa/tests/test-cpp.cpp b/spa/tests/test-cpp.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 6e9c17778..000000000
--- a/spa/tests/test-cpp.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,81 +0,0 @@
-/* Simple Plugin API
- * Copyright © 2018 Collabora Ltd.
- *   @author George Kiagiadakis <george.kiagiadakis@collabora.com>
- *
- * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
- * copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"),
- * to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation
- * the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense,
- * and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the
- * Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
- *
- * The above copyright notice and this permission notice (including the next
- * paragraph) shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the
- * Software.
- *
- * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
- * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
- * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.  IN NO EVENT SHALL
- * THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
- * LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING
- * FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER
- * DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
- */
-
-#include <spa/buffer/alloc.h>
-#include <spa/buffer/buffer.h>
-#include <spa/buffer/meta.h>
-#include <spa/debug/buffer.h>
-#include <spa/debug/dict.h>
-#include <spa/debug/format.h>
-#include <spa/debug/mem.h>
-#include <spa/debug/node.h>
-#include <spa/debug/pod.h>
-#include <spa/debug/types.h>
-#include <spa/graph/graph.h>
-#include <spa/monitor/device.h>
-#include <spa/node/command.h>
-#include <spa/node/event.h>
-#include <spa/node/io.h>
-#include <spa/node/node.h>
-#include <spa/param/format.h>
-#include <spa/param/format-utils.h>
-#include <spa/param/param.h>
-#include <spa/param/props.h>
-#include <spa/param/audio/format.h>
-#include <spa/param/audio/format-utils.h>
-#include <spa/param/audio/layout.h>
-#include <spa/param/audio/raw.h>
-#include <spa/param/video/chroma.h>
-#include <spa/param/video/color.h>
-#include <spa/param/video/encoded.h>
-#include <spa/param/video/format.h>
-#include <spa/param/video/format-utils.h>
-#include <spa/param/video/multiview.h>
-#include <spa/param/video/raw.h>
-#include <spa/pod/builder.h>
-#include <spa/pod/command.h>
-#include <spa/pod/compare.h>
-#include <spa/pod/event.h>
-#include <spa/pod/filter.h>
-#include <spa/pod/iter.h>
-#include <spa/pod/parser.h>
-#include <spa/pod/pod.h>
-#include <spa/pod/vararg.h>
-#include <spa/support/cpu.h>
-#include <spa/support/dbus.h>
-#include <spa/support/log.h>
-#include <spa/support/log-impl.h>
-#include <spa/support/loop.h>
-#include <spa/support/plugin.h>
-#include <spa/utils/defs.h>
-#include <spa/utils/dict.h>
-#include <spa/utils/hook.h>
-#include <spa/utils/list.h>
-#include <spa/utils/ringbuffer.h>
-#include <spa/utils/type.h>
-
-int main(int argc, char *argv[])
-{
-    return 0;
-}