diff --git a/CODEOWNERS b/CODEOWNERS
index 53e48ed47a0..61b38da0bb6 100644
--- a/CODEOWNERS
+++ b/CODEOWNERS
@@ -255,6 +255,7 @@
 /kernel/device.c                          @andrewboie @andyross @nashif
 /kernel/idle.c                            @andrewboie @andyross @nashif
 /samples/                                 @nashif
+/samples/basic/minimal/                   @carlescufi
 /samples/basic/servo_motor/*microbit*     @jhe
 /samples/bluetooth/                       @joerchan @jhedberg @Vudentz
 /samples/boards/intel_s1000_crb/          @sathishkuttan @dcpleung @nashif
diff --git a/samples/basic/minimal/CMakeLists.txt b/samples/basic/minimal/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0ffa890ac02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/basic/minimal/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.13.1)
+
+include($ENV{ZEPHYR_BASE}/cmake/app/boilerplate.cmake NO_POLICY_SCOPE)
+project(minimal)
+
+target_sources(app PRIVATE src/main.c)
diff --git a/samples/basic/minimal/README.rst b/samples/basic/minimal/README.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..040365e4daa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/basic/minimal/README.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+.. _minimal_sample:
+
+Minimal sample
+##############
+
+Overview
+********
+
+This sample defines An empty ``main()`` and a set of minimal configurations
+that provide tests for the smallest ROM sizes possible with the Zephyr kernel.
+
+The following configuration files are available:
+
+* :file:`mt.conf`: Enable multithreading
+* :file:`no-mt.conf`: Disable multithreading
+* :file:`no-preempt.conf`: Disable preemption
+* :file:`no-timers.conf`:: Disable timers
+* :file:`arm.conf`: Arm-specific disabling of features
+
+Building and measuring ROM size
+*******************************
+
+In order to compare ROM sizes with different minimal configurations, the
+following combinations are suggested:
+
+* Reel board (Arm architecture)
+
+  * Multithreading enabled
+
+    * Reference ROM size: 7-8KB
+
+    .. zephyr-app-commands::
+       :zephyr-app: samples/basic/minimal
+       :tool: west
+       :host-os: unix
+       :board: reel_board
+       :build-dir: reel_board/mt/
+       :conf: "common.conf mt.conf arm.conf"
+       :goals: rom_report
+       :compact:
+
+  * Multithreading enabled, no preemption
+
+    * Reference ROM size: 7-8KB
+
+    .. zephyr-app-commands::
+       :zephyr-app: samples/basic/minimal
+       :tool: west
+       :host-os: unix
+       :board: reel_board
+       :build-dir: reel_board/mt-no-preempt/
+       :conf: "common.conf mt.conf no-preempt.conf arm.conf"
+       :goals: rom_report
+       :compact:
+
+  * Multithreading enabled, no preemption, timers disabled
+
+    * Reference ROM size: 3-4KB
+
+    .. zephyr-app-commands::
+       :zephyr-app: samples/basic/minimal
+       :tool: west
+       :host-os: unix
+       :board: reel_board
+       :build-dir: reel_board/mt-no-preempt-no-timers/
+       :conf: "common.conf mt.conf no-preempt.conf no-timers.conf arm.conf"
+       :goals: rom_report
+       :compact:
+
+  * Multithreading disabled, timers enabled
+
+    * Reference ROM size: 4-5KB
+
+    .. zephyr-app-commands::
+       :zephyr-app: samples/basic/minimal
+       :tool: west
+       :host-os: unix
+       :board: reel_board
+       :build-dir: reel_board/no-mt/
+       :conf: "common.conf no-mt.conf arm.conf"
+       :goals: rom_report
+       :compact:
+
+  * Multithreading disabled, timers disabled
+
+    * Reference ROM size: 2-3KB
+
+    .. zephyr-app-commands::
+       :zephyr-app: samples/basic/minimal
+       :tool: west
+       :host-os: unix
+       :board: reel_board
+       :build-dir: reel_board/no-mt-no-timers/
+       :conf: "common.conf no-mt.conf no-timers.conf arm.conf"
+       :goals: rom_report
+       :compact:
+
diff --git a/samples/basic/minimal/arm.conf b/samples/basic/minimal/arm.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b695c18ab28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/basic/minimal/arm.conf
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+CONFIG_ARM_MPU=n
diff --git a/samples/basic/minimal/common.conf b/samples/basic/minimal/common.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7473dc45799
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/basic/minimal/common.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+# Drivers and peripherals
+CONFIG_I2C=n
+CONFIG_WATCHDOG=n
+CONFIG_GPIO=n
+CONFIG_PINMUX=n
+CONFIG_SPI=n
+CONFIG_SERIAL=n
+CONFIG_FLASH=n
+
+# Power management
+CONFIG_SYS_POWER_MANAGEMENT=n
+
+# Interrupts
+CONFIG_DYNAMIC_INTERRUPTS=n
+CONFIG_IRQ_OFFLOAD=n
+
+# Memory protection
+CONFIG_MEMORY_PROTECTION=n
+CONFIG_THREAD_STACK_INFO=n
+CONFIG_THREAD_CUSTOM_DATA=n
+CONFIG_FLOAT=n
+
+# Boot
+CONFIG_BOOT_BANNER=n
+CONFIG_BOOT_DELAY=0
+
+# Console
+CONFIG_CONSOLE=n
+CONFIG_UART_CONSOLE=n
+CONFIG_STDOUT_CONSOLE=n
+CONFIG_PRINTK=n
+CONFIG_EARLY_CONSOLE=n
+
+# Build
+CONFIG_SIZE_OPTIMIZATIONS=y
diff --git a/samples/basic/minimal/mt.conf b/samples/basic/minimal/mt.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d9cea530365
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/basic/minimal/mt.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+CONFIG_MULTITHREADING=y
+CONFIG_NUM_COOP_PRIORITIES=16
+CONFIG_NUM_METAIRQ_PRIORITIES=0
+
+CONFIG_ERRNO=n
+CONFIG_SCHED_DUMB=y
+CONFIG_WAITQ_DUMB=y
+
diff --git a/samples/basic/minimal/no-mt.conf b/samples/basic/minimal/no-mt.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..312b3906c8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/basic/minimal/no-mt.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# Single-threaded, no timer support in the kernel
+
+CONFIG_MULTITHREADING=n
diff --git a/samples/basic/minimal/no-preempt.conf b/samples/basic/minimal/no-preempt.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4319a2a8ba4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/basic/minimal/no-preempt.conf
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+CONFIG_NUM_PREEMPT_PRIORITIES=0
diff --git a/samples/basic/minimal/no-timers.conf b/samples/basic/minimal/no-timers.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..05dc0d53afd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/basic/minimal/no-timers.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# No timer support in the kernel
+
+CONFIG_SYS_CLOCK_TICKS_PER_SEC=0
diff --git a/samples/basic/minimal/sample.yaml b/samples/basic/minimal/sample.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..94d79a38d73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/basic/minimal/sample.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+sample:
+  description: minimal sample, the smallest possible Zephyr application
+  name: minimal
+tests:
+  sample.minimal.mt.arm:
+    build_only: true
+    extra_args: CONF_FILE='common.conf;mt.conf;arm.conf'
+    platform_whitelist: reel_board frdm_k64f mps2_an385 nrf51_pca10028
+  sample.minimal.mt-no-preempt.arm:
+    build_only: true
+    extra_args: CONF_FILE='common.conf;mt.conf;no-preempt.conf;arm.conf'
+    platform_whitelist: reel_board frdm_k64f mps2_an385 nrf51_pca10028
+  sample.minimal.mt-no-preempt-no-timers.arm:
+    build_only: true
+    extra_args: CONF_FILE='common.conf;mt.conf;no-preempt.conf;no-timers.conf;arm.conf'
+    platform_whitelist: reel_board frdm_k64f mps2_an385 nrf51_pca10028
+  sample.minimal.no-mt.arm:
+    build_only: true
+    extra_args: CONF_FILE='common.conf;no-mt.conf;arm.conf'
+    platform_whitelist: reel_board frdm_k64f mps2_an385 nrf51_pca10028
+  sample.minimal.no-mt-no-timers.arm:
+    build_only: true
+    extra_args: CONF_FILE='common.conf;no-mt.conf;no-timers.conf;arm.conf'
+    platform_whitelist: reel_board frdm_k64f mps2_an385 nrf51_pca10028
+  sample.minimal.mt.x86:
+    build_only: true
+    extra_args: CONF_FILE='common.conf;mt.conf;x86.conf'
+    platform_whitelist: qemu_x86
+  sample.minimal.mt-no-preempt.x86:
+    build_only: true
+    extra_args: CONF_FILE='common.conf;mt.conf;no-preempt.conf;x86.conf'
+    platform_whitelist: qemu_x86
+  sample.minimal.mt-no-preempt-no-timers.x86:
+    build_only: true
+    extra_args: CONF_FILE='common.conf;mt.conf;no-preempt.conf;no-timers.conf;x86.conf'
+    platform_whitelist: qemu_x86
+  sample.minimal.no-mt.x86:
+    build_only: true
+    extra_args: CONF_FILE='common.conf;no-mt.conf;x86.conf'
+    platform_whitelist: qemu_x86
+  sample.minimal.no-mt-no-timers.x86:
+    build_only: true
+    extra_args: CONF_FILE='common.conf;no-mt.conf;no-timers.conf;x86.conf'
+    platform_whitelist: qemu_x86
+
diff --git a/samples/basic/minimal/src/main.c b/samples/basic/minimal/src/main.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..eeba938b838
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/basic/minimal/src/main.c
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2019 Nordic Semiconductor ASA
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ */
+
+#include <zephyr.h>
+
+void main(void)
+{
+}
diff --git a/samples/basic/minimal/x86.conf b/samples/basic/minimal/x86.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9f31dfe6c42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/basic/minimal/x86.conf
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+CONFIG_X86_MMU=n