diff --git a/test_runner/performance/test_startup.py b/test_runner/performance/test_startup.py
index fa2e058491..b16ba86b22 100644
--- a/test_runner/performance/test_startup.py
+++ b/test_runner/performance/test_startup.py
@@ -1,10 +1,50 @@
 from contextlib import closing
 
 import pytest
-from fixtures.benchmark_fixture import NeonBenchmarker
+import requests
+from fixtures.benchmark_fixture import MetricReport, NeonBenchmarker
 from fixtures.neon_fixtures import NeonEnvBuilder
 
 
+# Just start and measure duration.
+#
+# This test runs pretty quickly and can be informative when used in combination
+# with emulated network delay. Some useful delay commands:
+#
+# 1. Add 2msec delay to all localhost traffic
+# `sudo tc qdisc add dev lo root handle 1:0 netem delay 2msec`
+#
+# 2. Test that it works (you should see 4ms ping)
+# `ping localhost`
+#
+# 3. Revert back to normal
+# `sudo tc qdisc del dev lo root netem`
+#
+# NOTE this test might not represent the real startup time because the basebackup
+#      for a large database might be larger, or safekeepers might need more syncing,
+#      or there might be more operations to apply during config step.
+def test_startup_simple(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder, zenbenchmark: NeonBenchmarker):
+    neon_env_builder.num_safekeepers = 3
+    env = neon_env_builder.init_start()
+
+    env.neon_cli.create_branch("test_startup")
+    with zenbenchmark.record_duration("start_and_select"):
+        endpoint = env.endpoints.create_start("test_startup")
+        endpoint.safe_psql("select 1;")
+
+    metrics = requests.get(f"http://localhost:{endpoint.http_port}/metrics.json").json()
+    durations = {
+        "wait_for_spec_ms": "wait_for_spec",
+        "sync_safekeepers_ms": "sync_safekeepers",
+        "basebackup_ms": "basebackup",
+        "config_ms": "config",
+        "total_startup_ms": "total_startup",
+    }
+    for key, name in durations.items():
+        value = metrics[key]
+        zenbenchmark.record(name, value, "ms", report=MetricReport.LOWER_IS_BETTER)
+
+
 # This test sometimes runs for longer than the global 5 minute timeout.
 @pytest.mark.timeout(600)
 def test_startup(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder, zenbenchmark: NeonBenchmarker):