diff --git a/tests/tpm2dtests/Makefile.am b/tests/tpm2dtests/Makefile.am
index 36be90efd..ced4a1f49 100644
--- a/tests/tpm2dtests/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/tpm2dtests/Makefile.am
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ xcheck: tpm_server_found
 tpm_server_found:
 	@if [ -z "$(TPMSERVER)" -a -z "$(SWTPM)" -a -z "$(FORCE)" ]; then echo "ERROR: No Software TPM has been found, cannot run TPM tests.  Set FORCE=1 to force using the physical TPM"; exit 1; fi
 
-EXTRA_DIST = defs.scm shell.scm all-tests.scm
+EXTRA_DIST = defs.scm shell.scm all-tests.scm start_sw_tpm.sh
 
 CLEANFILES = gpg.conf gpg-agent.conf S.gpg-agent \
 	     pubring.gpg pubring.gpg~ pubring.kbx pubring.kbx~ \
diff --git a/tests/tpm2dtests/start_sw_tpm.sh b/tests/tpm2dtests/start_sw_tpm.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..36e1a806e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/tpm2dtests/start_sw_tpm.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# remove any prior TPM contents
+rm -f NVChip h*.bin *.permall
+if [ -x "${SWTPM}" ]; then
+    ${SWTPM} socket --tpm2 --server type=tcp,port=2321 \
+         --ctrl type=tcp,port=2322 --tpmstate dir=`pwd` &
+else
+    ${TPMSERVER} > /dev/null 2>&1  &
+fi
+pid=$!
+##
+# This powers on the tpm and starts it
+# then we derive the RSA version of the storage seed and
+# store it permanently at handle 81000001 and flush the transient
+##
+a=0; while [ $a -lt 10 ]; do
+    if [ -x "${SWTPM_IOCTL}" ]; then
+	${SWTPM_IOCTL} --tcp 127.0.0.1:2322 -i > /dev/null 2>&1
+    else
+	tsspowerup > /dev/null 2>&1
+    fi
+    if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+	break;
+    fi
+    sleep 1
+    a=$[$a+1]
+done
+if [ $a -eq 10 ]; then
+    echo "Waited 10s for tpm_server to come up; exiting"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+tssstartup || exit 1
+echo -n $pid