diff --git a/graphics/bitmap/Makefile b/graphics/bitmap/Makefile
index b86212cccfbf..4f57c232cfb8 100644
--- a/graphics/bitmap/Makefile
+++ b/graphics/bitmap/Makefile
@@ -22,9 +22,12 @@ PLIST_FILES=	include/bitmap_image.hpp
 do-install:
 	${INSTALL_DATA} ${WRKSRC}/bitmap_image.hpp ${STAGEDIR}${PREFIX}/include
 
-do-test: # tests failure reported to the author: Error - Failed to open 'image.bmp'
+do-test:
 	@cd ${WRKSRC} && \
 		${SETENV} ${MAKE_ENV} ${MAKE_CMD} bitmap_test && \
-		./bitmap_test
+		${CXX} ${CXXFLAGS} -o mk-image ${FILESDIR}/mk-image.cpp -I. && \
+		./mk-image && \
+		./bitmap_test && \
+		${ECHO} "Tests succeeded"
 
 .include <bsd.port.mk>
diff --git a/graphics/bitmap/files/mk-image.cpp b/graphics/bitmap/files/mk-image.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..17b5494c66d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/graphics/bitmap/files/mk-image.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#include "bitmap_image.hpp"
+
+// creates the BMP image image.bmp that tests expect
+
+int main()
+{
+   bitmap_image base(1024, 800);
+   base.clear();
+
+   const double c1 = 0.8;
+   const double c2 = 0.4;
+   const double c3 = 0.2;
+   const double c4 = 0.6;
+
+   ::srand(0xA5AA57A0);
+   plasma(base, 0, 0, base.width(), base.height(), c1, c2, c3, c4, 3.0, jet_colormap);
+
+   base.save_image("image.bmp");
+
+   return 0;
+}