diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 65e0e1b..a8f57ab 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ TESTS_C = \
   tests/io_num_text \
   tests/io_dset_float_text \
   tests/io_dset_int_text \
+  tests/io_dset_sparse_text \
   tests/io_safe_dset_float_text \
   tests/io_str_text \
   tests/io_dset_str_text \
@@ -123,6 +124,7 @@ tests_open_text_LDFLAGS = -no-install
 tests_io_num_text_LDFLAGS = -no-install
 tests_io_dset_float_text_LDFLAGS = -no-install
 tests_io_dset_int_text_LDFLAGS = -no-install
+tests_io_dset_sparse_text_LDFLAGS = -no-install
 tests_io_safe_dset_float_text_LDFLAGS = -no-install
 tests_io_str_text_LDFLAGS = -no-install
 tests_io_dset_str_text_LDFLAGS = -no-install
@@ -271,4 +273,3 @@ CLEANFILES += $(pytrexio_c) \
 .PHONY: cppcheck python-test python-install python-sdist check-numpy FORCE
 
 endif
-
diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index cf2d896..b4269e6 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 
-# ================= TESTING ================= 
+# ================= TESTING =================
 
 # Create a list of tests for TEXT back end.
 set(Tests_text
   open_text
   io_dset_float_text
   io_dset_str_text
+  io_dset_sparse_text
   io_safe_dset_float_text
   io_dset_int_text
   io_num_text
@@ -43,4 +44,3 @@ endforeach()
 add_executable(test_f test_f.f90)
 target_link_libraries(test_f PRIVATE trexio_f)
 add_test(NAME test_f COMMAND $<TARGET_FILE:test_f>)
-
diff --git a/tests/io_dset_sparse_text.c b/tests/io_dset_sparse_text.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a20d1a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/io_dset_sparse_text.c
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include "trexio.h"
+#include <assert.h>
+
+#define FILENAME "test_sparse.dir"
+
+
+int main(){
+
+  uint64_t offset_f = 0;
+
+  // create the data to write
+  uint64_t size = 100;
+  int32_t* index;
+  double* value;
+
+  index = calloc(4L*size, sizeof(int32_t));
+  value = calloc(size, sizeof(double));
+
+  for(int i=0; i<size; i++){
+    index[4*i]   = 4*i;
+    index[4*i+1] = 4*i+1;
+    index[4*i+2] = 4*i+2;
+    index[4*i+3] = 4*i+3;
+    value[i]     = 3.14 + (double) i;
+  }
+
+  int rc_open;
+  trexio_t* trexio_file = trexio_open(FILENAME, 'w', TREXIO_TEXT, &rc_open);
+  assert(rc_open == TREXIO_SUCCESS);
+  assert(trexio_file != NULL);
+
+  // check if the file exists
+  int rc;
+  rc = trexio_has_mo_2e_int_eri(trexio_file);
+  assert(rc==TREXIO_SUCCESS || rc==TREXIO_HAS_NOT);
+
+  if(rc==TREXIO_HAS_NOT){
+    printf("FILE DID NOT EXIST AT THE START.\n");
+  } else {
+    printf("FILE EXIST AT THE START.\n");
+  }
+
+  // check that previous call to has_sparse did not create a file
+  if (rc==TREXIO_HAS_NOT) {
+    rc = trexio_has_mo_2e_int_eri(trexio_file);
+    assert(rc==TREXIO_HAS_NOT);
+  }
+
+  // define chunks: here they contain 20 elements, i.e. 100/5
+  int n_chunks = 5;
+  uint64_t chunk_size = size/n_chunks;
+
+  // write 5 chunks using write_sparse
+  for(int i=0; i<n_chunks; ++i){
+    rc = trexio_write_mo_2e_int_eri(trexio_file, offset_f, offset_f, chunk_size, index, value);
+    assert(rc==TREXIO_SUCCESS);
+    offset_f += chunk_size;
+  }
+
+  rc = trexio_close(trexio_file);
+  assert(rc == TREXIO_SUCCESS);
+  // TODO: SHOULD NOT TREXIO_CLOSE SET TO NULL THE TREXIO_T POINTER ???
+  //assert(trexio_file == NULL);
+
+  trexio_t* trexio_file_2 = trexio_open(FILENAME, 'w', TREXIO_TEXT, &rc_open);
+  assert(rc_open == TREXIO_SUCCESS);
+  assert(trexio_file_2 != NULL);
+
+  // define arrays to read into
+  int32_t* index_read;
+  double* value_read;
+
+  index_read = (int32_t*) calloc(4L*chunk_size,sizeof(int32_t));
+  value_read = (double*) calloc(chunk_size,sizeof(double));
+
+  // read 1 chunk of 20 elements using offset of 40( i.e. lines No. 40--59)
+  uint64_t offset_f_read = 40L;
+  rc = trexio_read_mo_2e_int_eri(trexio_file_2, offset_f_read, 0L, chunk_size, index_read, value_read);
+  assert(rc==TREXIO_SUCCESS);
+
+  // print the data being read
+  for(int i=0; i<chunk_size; ++i){
+    printf("%d %d %d %d %lf\n",
+    index_read[4*i],
+    index_read[4*i+1],
+    index_read[4*i+2],
+    index_read[4*i+3],
+    value_read[i]
+    );
+  }
+
+  // check that the file has been created
+  rc = trexio_has_mo_2e_int_eri(trexio_file_2);
+  assert(rc==TREXIO_SUCCESS);
+
+  rc = trexio_close(trexio_file_2);
+  assert(rc == TREXIO_SUCCESS);
+
+  // free the memory
+  free(index);
+  free(value);
+  free(index_read);
+  free(value_read);
+
+}