diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 1d0e2dcecdee..fafab853b520 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ abg-config.cc				\
 abg-ini.cc				\
 abg-workers.cc				\
 abg-tools-utils.cc			\
+abg-elf-helpers.h			\
+abg-elf-helpers.cc			\
 $(CXX11_SOURCES)
 
 libabigail_la_LIBADD = $(DEPS_LIBS)
diff --git a/src/abg-elf-helpers.cc b/src/abg-elf-helpers.cc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e99fe4a5c306
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/abg-elf-helpers.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+// -*- Mode: C++ -*-
+//
+// Copyright (C) 2020 Google, Inc.
+//
+// This file is part of the GNU Application Binary Interface Generic
+// Analysis and Instrumentation Library (libabigail).  This library is
+// free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+// terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the
+// Free Software Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option) any
+// later version.
+
+// This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+// WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+// General Lesser Public License for more details.
+
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+// License along with this program; see the file COPYING-LGPLV3.  If
+// not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+/// @file
+///
+/// This contains the definitions of the ELF utilities for the dwarf reader.
+
+#include "abg-elf-helpers.h"
+
+namespace abigail
+{
+
+namespace elf_helpers
+{
+
+} // end namespace elf_helpers
+} // end namespace abigail
diff --git a/src/abg-elf-helpers.h b/src/abg-elf-helpers.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..bffa46cc3c2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/abg-elf-helpers.h
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+// -*- Mode: C++ -*-
+//
+// Copyright (C) 2020 Google, Inc.
+//
+// This file is part of the GNU Application Binary Interface Generic
+// Analysis and Instrumentation Library (libabigail).  This library is
+// free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+// terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the
+// Free Software Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option) any
+// later version.
+
+// This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+// WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+// General Lesser Public License for more details.
+
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+// License along with this program; see the file COPYING-LGPLV3.  If
+// not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+/// @file
+///
+/// This contains a set of ELF utilities used by the dwarf reader.
+
+#ifndef __ABG_ELF_HELPERS_H__
+#define __ABG_ELF_HELPERS_H__
+
+namespace abigail
+{
+
+namespace elf_helpers
+{
+
+} // end namespace elf_helpers
+} // end namespace abigail
+
+#endif // __ABG_ELF_HELPERS_H__
diff --git a/tests/.gitignore b/tests/.gitignore
index f05e295db260..ebe7b9cc9e13 100644
--- a/tests/.gitignore
+++ b/tests/.gitignore
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ runtestdiffdwarfabixml
 runtestdifffilter
 runtestdiffpkg
 runtestdiffsuppr
+runtestelfhelpers
 runtestini
 runtestkmiwhitelist
 runtestlookupsyms
diff --git a/tests/Makefile.am b/tests/Makefile.am
index 823e0db50c37..c1b187051377 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ runtestabidiffexit		\
 runtestini			\
 runtesttoolsutils		\
 runtestkmiwhitelist		\
+runtestelfhelpers		\
 $(CXX11_TESTS)
 
 if ENABLE_RUNNING_TESTS_WITH_PY3
@@ -142,6 +143,9 @@ runtesttoolsutils_LDADD = libtestutils.la $(top_builddir)/src/libabigail.la
 runtestkmiwhitelist_SOURCES = test-kmi-whitelist.cc
 runtestkmiwhitelist_LDADD = libtestutils.la libcatch.la $(top_builddir)/src/libabigail.la
 
+runtestelfhelpers_SOURCES = test-elf-helpers.cc
+runtestelfhelpers_LDADD = libcatch.la $(top_builddir)/src/libabigail.la
+
 runtestsvg_SOURCES=test-svg.cc
 runtestsvg_LDADD=$(top_builddir)/src/libabigail.la
 
@@ -172,7 +176,7 @@ runtestfedabipkgdiffpy3.sh$(EXEEXT):
 runtestdefaultsupprspy3_sh_SOURCES =
 runtestdefaultsupprspy3.sh$(EXEEXT):
 
-AM_CPPFLAGS=-I${abs_top_srcdir}/include \
+AM_CPPFLAGS=-I${abs_top_srcdir}/include -I${abs_top_srcdir}/src \
 -I${abs_top_builddir}/include -I${abs_top_srcdir}/tools -fPIC
 
 clean-local: clean-local-check
diff --git a/tests/test-elf-helpers.cc b/tests/test-elf-helpers.cc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..1b36ee2f122a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test-elf-helpers.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+// -*- Mode: C++ -*-
+//
+// Copyright (C) 2020 Google, Inc.
+//
+// This file is part of the GNU Application Binary Interface Generic
+// Analysis and Instrumentation Library (libabigail).  This library is
+// free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+// terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the
+// Free Software Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option) any
+// later version.
+
+// This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+// WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+// General Lesser Public License for more details.
+
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+// License along with this program; see the file COPYING-LGPLV3.  If
+// not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+// Author: Matthias Maennich
+
+/// @file
+///
+/// This program tests libabigail's ELF helpers.
+
+#include "lib/catch.hpp"
+
+#include "abg-elf-helpers.h"
+
