diff --git a/components/esp_system/test_apps/rtc_8md256/CMakeLists.txt b/components/esp_system/test_apps/rtc_8md256/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..46c2c5b8ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/esp_system/test_apps/rtc_8md256/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# This is the project CMakeLists.txt file for the test subproject
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.5)
+
+set(EXTRA_COMPONENT_DIRS "$ENV{IDF_PATH}/tools/unit-test-app/components")
+
+include($ENV{IDF_PATH}/tools/cmake/project.cmake)
+project(rtc_8md256)
diff --git a/components/esp_system/test_apps/rtc_8md256/component_ut_test.py b/components/esp_system/test_apps/rtc_8md256/component_ut_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f0d88e7573
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/esp_system/test_apps/rtc_8md256/component_ut_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2021-2022 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: CC0-1.0
+
+import re
+
+import ttfw_idf
+
+
+def deepsleep_test(dut, case_name):
+    dut.expect('Press ENTER to see the list of tests')
+    dut.write(case_name)
+    reset_reason = 'DEEPSLEEP_RESET' if dut.TARGET == 'esp32' else 'DSLEEP'
+    if dut.TARGET == 'esp32c3':
+        # Known issue: IDF-5003
+        dut.expect(re.compile(r'rst:.*\(%s\)' % reset_reason), timeout=40)
+    else:
+        dut.expect(re.compile(r'rst:.*\(%s\)' % reset_reason), timeout=10)
+
+
+@ttfw_idf.idf_component_unit_test(env_tag='COMPONENT_UT_GENERIC', target=['esp32', 'esp32s2', 'esp32c3'])
+def test_component_ut_rtc_8md256_deepsleep_force_rtcperiph(env, _):
+    dut = env.get_dut('rtc_8md256', 'components/esp_system/test_apps/rtc_8md256')
+    dut.start_app()
+
+    deepsleep_test(dut, '"Can use 8MD256 as RTC clock source in deepsleep (force rtc_periph)"')
+
+
+@ttfw_idf.idf_component_unit_test(env_tag='COMPONENT_UT_GENERIC', target=['esp32', 'esp32s2', 'esp32c3'])
+def test_component_ut_rtc_8md256_deepsleep(env, _):
+    dut = env.get_dut('rtc_8md256', 'components/esp_system/test_apps/rtc_8md256')
+    dut.start_app()
+
+    deepsleep_test(dut, '"Can use 8MD256 as RTC clock source in deepsleep"')
+
+
+def lightsleep_test(dut, case_name):
+    dut.expect('Press ENTER to see the list of tests')
+    dut.write(case_name)
+    if dut.TARGET == 'esp32c3':
+        # Known issue: IDF-5003
+        dut.expect(r'Returned from light sleep, reason: timer', timeout=40)
+    else:
+        dut.expect(r'Returned from light sleep, reason: timer', timeout=10)
+
+
+@ttfw_idf.idf_component_unit_test(env_tag='COMPONENT_UT_GENERIC', target=['esp32', 'esp32s2', 'esp32c3'])
+def test_component_ut_rtc_8md256_lightsleep(env, _):
+    dut = env.get_dut('rtc_8md256', 'components/esp_system/test_apps/rtc_8md256')
+    dut.start_app()
+
+    lightsleep_test(dut, '"Can use 8MD256 as RTC clock source in lightsleep"')
+
+
+@ttfw_idf.idf_component_unit_test(env_tag='COMPONENT_UT_GENERIC', target=['esp32', 'esp32s2', 'esp32c3'])
+def test_component_ut_rtc_8md256_lightsleep_force_rtcperiph(env, _):
+    dut = env.get_dut('rtc_8md256', 'components/esp_system/test_apps/rtc_8md256')
+    dut.start_app()
+
+    lightsleep_test(dut, '"Can use 8MD256 as RTC clock source in lightsleep (force rtc_periph)"')
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    test_component_ut_rtc_8md256_deepsleep()
+    test_component_ut_rtc_8md256_deepsleep_force_rtcperiph()
+    test_component_ut_rtc_8md256_lightsleep()
+    test_component_ut_rtc_8md256_lightsleep_force_rtcperiph()
diff --git a/components/esp_system/test_apps/rtc_8md256/main/CMakeLists.txt b/components/esp_system/test_apps/rtc_8md256/main/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..de06a799d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/esp_system/test_apps/rtc_8md256/main/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+idf_component_register(SRCS "test_rtc_8md256.c"
+                       PRIV_REQUIRES unity)
diff --git a/components/esp_system/test_apps/rtc_8md256/main/test_rtc_8md256.c b/components/esp_system/test_apps/rtc_8md256/main/test_rtc_8md256.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..73c46a38c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/esp_system/test_apps/rtc_8md256/main/test_rtc_8md256.c
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+/*
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2021-2022 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ */
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include "esp_sleep.h"
+#include "unity.h"
+#include "esp_log.h"
+#include "freertos/FreeRTOS.h"
+#include "freertos/task.h"
+#include "driver/uart.h"
+#include "soc/soc_caps.h"
+
+static const char TAG[] = "rtc_8m";
+
+static void test_deepsleep(bool force_rtc_periph)
+{
+    esp_sleep_enable_timer_wakeup(2000000);
+#if SOC_PM_SUPPORT_RTC_PERIPH_PD
+    if (force_rtc_periph) {
+        esp_sleep_pd_config(ESP_PD_DOMAIN_RTC_PERIPH, ESP_PD_OPTION_ON);
+    }
+#else
+    (void)force_rtc_periph;
+#endif
+
+    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Entering deep sleep");
+    esp_deep_sleep_start();
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("Can use 8MD256 as RTC clock source in deepsleep", "[pm]")
+{
+    test_deepsleep(false);
+}
+
+static void test_lightsleep(bool force_rtc_periph)
+{
+    esp_sleep_enable_timer_wakeup(2000000);
+#if SOC_PM_SUPPORT_RTC_PERIPH_PD
+    if (force_rtc_periph) {
+        esp_sleep_pd_config(ESP_PD_DOMAIN_RTC_PERIPH, ESP_PD_OPTION_ON);
+    }
+#else
+    (void)force_rtc_periph;
+#endif
+
+    while (true) {
+        printf("Entering light sleep\n");
+        /* To make sure the complete line is printed before entering sleep mode,
+         * need to wait until UART TX FIFO is empty:
+         */
+        uart_wait_tx_idle_polling(CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_NUM);
+
+        /* Enter sleep mode */
+        esp_light_sleep_start();
+
+        /* Determine wake up reason */
+        const char* wakeup_reason;
+        switch (esp_sleep_get_wakeup_cause()) {
+            case ESP_SLEEP_WAKEUP_TIMER:
+                wakeup_reason = "timer";
+                break;
+            default:
+                wakeup_reason = "other";
+                break;
+        }
+        printf("Returned from light sleep, reason: %s\n", wakeup_reason);
+        vTaskDelay(1000/portTICK_PERIOD_MS);
+    }
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("Can use 8MD256 as RTC clock source in lightsleep", "[pm]")
+{
+    test_lightsleep(false);
+}
+
+#if SOC_PM_SUPPORT_RTC_PERIPH_PD
+TEST_CASE("Can use 8MD256 as RTC clock source in deepsleep (force rtc_periph)", "[pm]")
+{
+    test_deepsleep(true);
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("Can use 8MD256 as RTC clock source in lightsleep (force rtc_periph)", "[pm]")
+{
+    test_lightsleep(true);
+}
+#endif
+
+void app_main(void)
+{
+    unity_run_menu();
+}
diff --git a/components/esp_system/test_apps/rtc_8md256/sdkconfig.defaults b/components/esp_system/test_apps/rtc_8md256/sdkconfig.defaults
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3660129c9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/esp_system/test_apps/rtc_8md256/sdkconfig.defaults
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+CONFIG_FREERTOS_HZ=1000
+CONFIG_ESP_TASK_WDT=n
+CONFIG_RTC_CLK_SRC_INT_8MD256=y