diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index b6b385e..fa14e41 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ TESTS_C += \
   tests/io_num_hdf5 \
   tests/io_dset_float_hdf5 \
   tests/io_dset_int_hdf5 \
+  tests/io_dset_sparse_hdf5 \
   tests/io_safe_dset_float_hdf5 \
   tests/io_str_hdf5 \
   tests/io_dset_str_hdf5 \
@@ -136,6 +137,7 @@ tests_open_hdf5_LDFLAGS = -no-install
 tests_io_num_hdf5_LDFLAGS = -no-install
 tests_io_dset_float_hdf5_LDFLAGS = -no-install
 tests_io_dset_int_hdf5_LDFLAGS = -no-install
+tests_io_dset_sparse_hdf5_LDFLAGS = -no-install
 tests_io_safe_dset_float_hdf5_LDFLAGS = -no-install
 tests_io_str_hdf5_LDFLAGS = -no-install
 tests_io_dset_str_hdf5_LDFLAGS = -no-install
diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index b4269e6..94fe414 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ if(ENABLE_HDF5)
     open_hdf5
     io_dset_float_hdf5
     io_dset_str_hdf5
+    io_dset_sparse_hdf5
     io_safe_dset_float_hdf5
     io_dset_int_hdf5
     io_num_hdf5
diff --git a/tests/io_dset_sparse_hdf5.c b/tests/io_dset_sparse_hdf5.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5758a4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/io_dset_sparse_hdf5.c
@@ -0,0 +1,211 @@
+#include "trexio.h"
+#include <assert.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+#define TEST_BACKEND  TREXIO_HDF5
+#define TREXIO_FILE   "test_dset_sparse.h5"
+#define RM_COMMAND    "rm -f -- " TREXIO_FILE
+#define SIZE          100
+#define N_CHUNKS      5
+
+static int test_write_dset_sparse (const char* file_name, const back_end_t backend) {
+
+/* Try to write an array of sparse data into the TREXIO file */
+
+  trexio_t* file = NULL;
+  trexio_exit_code rc;
+
+/*================= START OF TEST ==================*/
+
+  // open file in 'write' mode
+  file = trexio_open(file_name, 'w', backend, &rc);
+  assert (file != NULL);
+  assert (rc == TREXIO_SUCCESS);
+
+  // parameters to be written
+  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;
+  }
+
+  // write dataset chunks of sparse data in the file (including FAKE statements)
+  uint64_t chunk_size = (uint64_t) SIZE/N_CHUNKS;
+  uint64_t offset_f = 0;
+
+  // write n_chunks times using write_sparse
+  for(int i=0; i<N_CHUNKS; ++i){
+    rc = trexio_write_mo_2e_int_eri(file, offset_f, chunk_size, &index[4*offset_f], &value[offset_f]);
+    assert(rc == TREXIO_SUCCESS);
+    offset_f += chunk_size;
+  }
+
+  // close current session
+  rc = trexio_close(file);
+  assert (rc == TREXIO_SUCCESS);
+
+  // free the allocated memeory
+  free(index);
+  free(value);
+
+/*================= END OF TEST ==================*/
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+static int test_has_dset_sparse (const char* file_name, const back_end_t backend) {
+
+/* Try to check the existence of a dataset of sparse data in the TREXIO file */
+
+  trexio_t* file = NULL;
+  trexio_exit_code rc;
+
+/*================= START OF TEST ==================*/
+
+  // open file
+  file = trexio_open(file_name, 'r', backend, &rc);
+  assert (file != NULL);
+  assert (rc == TREXIO_SUCCESS);
+
+  // first check that mo_2e_int_eri_lr (we only write non-lr component in this unit test)
+  rc = trexio_has_mo_2e_int_eri_lr(file);
+  assert(rc==TREXIO_HAS_NOT);
+
+  // check that previous call to has_sparse did not create a file/dset
+  rc = trexio_has_mo_2e_int_eri_lr(file);
+  assert(rc==TREXIO_HAS_NOT);
+
+  // now check that previously written mo_2e_int_eri exists
+  rc = trexio_has_mo_2e_int_eri(file);
+  assert(rc==TREXIO_SUCCESS);
+
+  // close current session
+  rc = trexio_close(file);
+  assert (rc == TREXIO_SUCCESS);
+
+/*================= END OF TEST ==================*/
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+static int test_read_dset_sparse (const char* file_name, const back_end_t backend) {
+
+/* Try to read one chunk of dataset of sparse data in the TREXIO file */
+
+  trexio_t* file = NULL;
+  trexio_exit_code rc;
+
+/*================= START OF TEST ==================*/
+
+  // open file
+  file = trexio_open(file_name, 'r', backend, &rc);
+  assert (file != NULL);
+  assert (rc == TREXIO_SUCCESS);
+
+ // define arrays to read into
+  int32_t* index_read;
+  double* value_read;
+  uint64_t size_r = 20L;
+
+  index_read = (int32_t*) calloc(4L*size_r,sizeof(int32_t));
+  value_read = (double*) calloc(size_r,sizeof(double));
+
+  // specify the read parameters, here:
+  // 1 chunk of 10 elements using offset of 40 (i.e. lines No. 40--59) into elements of the array starting from 5
+  int64_t chunk_read = 10L;
+  int64_t offset_file_read = 40L;
+  int offset_data_read = 5;
+
+  // read one chunk using the aforementioned parameters
+  rc = trexio_read_mo_2e_int_eri(file, offset_file_read, chunk_read, &index_read[4*offset_data_read], &value_read[offset_data_read]);
+  assert(rc == TREXIO_SUCCESS);
+  assert(index_read[0] == 0);
+  assert(index_read[4*offset_data_read] == offset_file_read*4);
+
+  // now attempt to read so that one encounters end of file during reading (i.e. offset_file_read + chunk_read > size_max)
+  offset_file_read = 97L;
+  offset_data_read = 1;
+
+  // read one chunk that will reach EOF and return TREXIO_END code
+  rc = trexio_read_mo_2e_int_eri(file, offset_file_read, chunk_read, &index_read[4*offset_data_read], &value_read[offset_data_read]);
+  assert(rc == TREXIO_END);
+  assert(index_read[4*size_r-1] == 0);
+  assert(index_read[4*offset_data_read] == 4 * (int32_t) offset_file_read);
+
+  // close current session
+  rc = trexio_close(file);
+  assert (rc == TREXIO_SUCCESS);
+
+  // free the memory
+  free(index_read);
+  free(value_read);
+
+/*================= END OF TEST ==================*/
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+static int test_read_dset_sparse_size (const char* file_name, const back_end_t backend, const int64_t size_check) {
+
+/* Try to read a size of the dataset of sparse data in the TREXIO file */
+
+  trexio_t* file = NULL;
+  trexio_exit_code rc;
+
+/*================= START OF TEST ==================*/
+
+  // open file
+  file = trexio_open(file_name, 'r', backend, &rc);
+  assert (file != NULL);
+  assert (rc == TREXIO_SUCCESS);
+
+  // define the variable to read into
+  int64_t size_written;
+
+  // read one chunk using the aforementioned parameters
+  rc = trexio_read_mo_2e_int_eri_size(file, &size_written);
+  assert(rc == TREXIO_SUCCESS);
+  assert(size_written == size_check);
+
+  // close current session
+  rc = trexio_close(file);
+  assert (rc == TREXIO_SUCCESS);
+
+/*================= END OF TEST ==================*/
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+int main(){
+
+/*============== Test launcher ================*/
+
+  int rc;
+  rc = system(RM_COMMAND);
+  assert (rc == 0);
+
+  // check the first write attempt (SIZE elements written in N_CHUNKS chunks)
+  test_write_dset_sparse    (TREXIO_FILE, TEST_BACKEND);
+  test_has_dset_sparse      (TREXIO_FILE, TEST_BACKEND);
+  //test_read_dset_sparse     (TREXIO_FILE, TEST_BACKEND);
+  //test_read_dset_sparse_size(TREXIO_FILE, TEST_BACKEND, (int64_t) SIZE);
+
+  // check the second write attempt (SIZE elements written in N_CHUNKS chunks)
+  //test_write_dset_sparse    (TREXIO_FILE, TEST_BACKEND);
+  //test_read_dset_sparse_size(TREXIO_FILE, TEST_BACKEND, (int64_t) SIZE*2);
+
+  //rc = system(RM_COMMAND);
+  assert (rc == 0);
+
+  return 0;
+}