diff --git a/tests/create_compress_files.c b/tests/create_compress_files.c
index 88d60b73..797a73e7 100644
--- a/tests/create_compress_files.c
+++ b/tests/create_compress_files.c
@@ -17,10 +17,15 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 
 
+// If a command-line argument was given, only create the file if its
+// name was specified on the command line. If no args were given then
+// all files are created.
+//
 // Avoid re-creating the test files every time the tests are run.
-#define create_test(name) \
+#define maybe_create_test(argc, argv, name) \
 do { \
-	if (!file_exists("compress_generated_" #name)) { \
+	if ((argc < 2 || strcmp(argv[1], #name) == 0) \
+			&& !file_exists("compress_generated_" #name)) { \
 		FILE *file = file_create("compress_generated_" #name); \
 		write_ ## name(file); \
 		file_finish(file, "compress_generated_" #name); \
@@ -53,7 +58,7 @@ file_create(const char *filename)
 
 	if (file == NULL) {
 		perror(filename);
-		exit(1);
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 	}
 
 	return file;
@@ -68,7 +73,7 @@ file_finish(FILE *file, const char *filename)
 
 	if (ferror_fail || fclose_fail) {
 		perror(filename);
-		exit(1);
+		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -80,7 +85,7 @@ write_abc(FILE *file)
 {
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < 12345; ++i)
 		if (fwrite("abc\n", 4, 1, file) != 1)
-			exit(1);
+			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 }
 
 
@@ -149,10 +154,10 @@ write_text(FILE *file)
 
 
 int
-main(void)
+main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	create_test(abc);
-	create_test(random);
-	create_test(text);
-	return 0;
+	maybe_create_test(argc, argv, abc);
+	maybe_create_test(argc, argv, random);
+	maybe_create_test(argc, argv, text);
+	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }