diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index bbca5f1..ca201f8 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -40,10 +40,13 @@ format:  ## Fix python formatting issues where possible
 	@ruff format . && ruff . --fix --show-fixes
 
 test:  ## Run unit test suite
-	@py.test
+	@py.test --benchmark-skip
+
+bench:  ## Run benchmark test suite
+	@py.test --benchmark-only
 
 coverage:  ## Run coverage and create html report
-	coverage run -m pytest
+	coverage run -m pytest --benchmark-skip
 	coverage html -d coverage_html
 
 build: clean ## builds source and wheel package
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 68440d0..b28d4fe 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ requires-python = ">=3.8"
 [project.optional-dependencies]
 dev = [
     "pytest ~=7.4.4",
+    "pytest-benchmark",
     "flit ~= 3.9.0",
     "ruff ~= 0.1.13",
     "coverage ~= 7.4.0",
diff --git a/tests/test_benchmark.py b/tests/test_benchmark.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..120ef2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_benchmark.py
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+import rispy
+
+EXAMPLE_RECORD = """
+42.
+TY  - JOUR
+ID  - 12345
+T1  - The title of the reference
+A1  - Marxus, Karlus
+A1  - Lindgren, Astrid
+A2  - Glattauer, Daniel
+Y1  - 2006//
+N2  - BACKGROUND: Lorem dammed ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.  RESULTS: Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. CONCLUSIONS: Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium.
+KW  - Pippi Langstrumpf
+KW  - Nordwind
+KW  - Piraten
+KW  - Seeräuber
+KW  - Kinderbuch
+KW  - Astrid Lindgren
+JF  - Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
+JA  - lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
+VL  - 6
+IS  - 3
+SP  - e0815341
+CY  - Germany
+PB  - Dark Factory
+SN  - 1732-4208
+M1  - 1228150341
+L2  - http://example2.com
+UR  - http://example.com/1
+UR  - http://example.com/2
+UR  - http://example.com/3
+DO  - 10.1371/journal.pone.0081534
+ER  -
+
+"""  # noqa
+
+
+EXAMPLE_RECORD_MULTILINE = """
+42.
+TY  - JOUR
+ID  - 12345
+T1  - The title of the reference
+A1  - Marxus, Karlus
+A1  - Lindgren, Astrid
+A2  - Glattauer, Daniel
+Y1  - 2006//
+N2  - BACKGROUND: Lorem dammed ipsum dolor sit amet,
+consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa.
+    - Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus
+    - mus.  RESULTS: Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem.
+      Nulla consequat massa quis enim. CONCLUSIONS: Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet
+nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam
+dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium.
+KW  - Pippi Langstrumpf
+KW  - Nordwind
+KW  - Piraten
+KW  - Seeräuber
+KW  - Kinderbuch
+KW  - Astrid Lindgren
+JF  - Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
+JA  - lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
+VL  - 6
+IS  - 3
+SP  - e0815341
+CY  - Germany
+PB  - Dark Factory
+SN  - 1732-4208
+M1  - 1228150341
+L2  - http://example2.com
+UR  - http://example.com/1
+UR  - http://example.com/2
+UR  - http://example.com/3
+DO  - 10.1371/journal.pone.0081534
+ER  -
+
+"""
+
+
+def test_benchmark_rispy_large(benchmark):
+    benchmark_dataset = EXAMPLE_RECORD * 10000
+
+    benchmark(rispy.loads, benchmark_dataset)
+
+
+def test_benchmark_rispy_large_multiline(benchmark):
+    benchmark_dataset = EXAMPLE_RECORD_MULTILINE * 10000
+
+    benchmark(rispy.loads, benchmark_dataset)