diff --git a/Tests/subset/subset_test.py b/Tests/subset/subset_test.py
index 3ed1d3349..4c2c76b42 100644
--- a/Tests/subset/subset_test.py
+++ b/Tests/subset/subset_test.py
@@ -273,6 +273,21 @@ class SubsetTest(unittest.TestCase):
         subsetfont = TTFont(subsetpath)
         self.expect_ttx(subsetfont, self.getpath("expect_notdef_width_cid.ttx"), ["CFF "])
 
+    def test_recalc_timestamp(self):
+        ttxpath = self.getpath("TestTTF-Regular.ttx")
+        font = TTFont()
+        font.importXML(ttxpath)
+        modified = font['head'].modified
+        _, fontpath = self.compile_font(ttxpath, ".ttf")
+        subsetpath = self.temp_path(".ttf")
+
+        # by default, the subsetter does not recalculate the modified timestamp
+        subset.main([fontpath, "--output-file=%s" % subsetpath, "*"])
+        self.assertEqual(modified, TTFont(subsetpath)['head'].modified)
+
+        subset.main([fontpath, "--recalc-timestamp", "--output-file=%s" % subsetpath, "*"])
+        self.assertLess(modified, TTFont(subsetpath)['head'].modified)
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     sys.exit(unittest.main())