diff --git a/cli_classic.c b/cli_classic.c
index 7a7125b0f..29f21cca4 100644
--- a/cli_classic.c
+++ b/cli_classic.c
@@ -1050,7 +1050,6 @@ static void free_options(struct cli_options *options)
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	const struct flashchip *chip = NULL;
-	struct flashctx context = {0}; /* holds the active detected chip and other info */
 	char *tempstr = NULL;
 	int i, j;
 	int ret = 0;
@@ -1058,6 +1057,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	const char **all_matched_names = NULL;
 	time_t time_start, time_end;
 
+	struct flashctx *context = NULL; /* holds the active detected chip and other info */
+	ret = flashrom_create_context(&context);
+	if (ret) {
+		msg_gerr("Failed to allocate flash context. Aborting");
+		return 1;
+	}
+
 	struct cli_options options = { 0 };
 	static const char optstring[] = "r::Rw::v::nNVEfc:l:i:p:Lzho:x";
 	static const struct option long_options[] = {
@@ -1216,7 +1222,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	msg_pdbg("The following protocols are supported: %s.\n", tempstr ? tempstr : "?");
 	free(tempstr);
 
-	all_matched_count = flashrom_flash_probe_v2(&context, &all_matched_names,
+	all_matched_count = flashrom_flash_probe_v2(context, &all_matched_names,
                                 NULL, options.chip_to_probe);
 	if (all_matched_count == -1) {
 		/* -1 is the ret code which means "something went wrong".
@@ -1229,7 +1235,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	if (all_matched_count > 1) {
 		msg_cinfo("Multiple flash chip definitions match the detected chip(s): \"%s\"",
-			  context.chip->name);
+			  context->chip->name);
 		for (int ind = 1; ind < all_matched_count; ind++)
 			msg_cinfo(", \"%s\"", all_matched_names[ind]);
 		msg_cinfo("\nPlease specify which chip definition to use with the -c <chipname> option.\n");
@@ -1264,7 +1270,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			int force_probe_ret = ERROR_FLASHROM_PROBE_NO_CHIPS_FOUND;
 			for (j = 0; j < registered_master_count; j++) {
 				mst = &registered_masters[j];
-				force_probe_ret = probe_flash(mst, 0, &context, 1, options.chip_to_probe);
+				force_probe_ret = probe_flash(mst, 0, context, 1, options.chip_to_probe);
 				if (force_probe_ret >= 0)
 					break;
 			}
@@ -1275,31 +1281,31 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 				goto out_shutdown;
 			}
 			msg_cinfo("Please note that forced reads most likely contain garbage.\n");
-			flashrom_flag_set(&context, FLASHROM_FLAG_FORCE, options.force);
-			ret = do_read(&context, options.filename);
-			free(context.chip);
+			flashrom_flag_set(context, FLASHROM_FLAG_FORCE, options.force);
+			ret = do_read(context, options.filename);
+			free(context->chip);
 			goto out_shutdown;
 		}
 		ret = 1;
 		goto out_shutdown;
 	} else if (!options.chip_to_probe) {
 		/* repeat for convenience when looking at foreign logs */
-		tempstr = flashbuses_to_text(context.chip->bustype);
+		tempstr = flashbuses_to_text(context->chip->bustype);
 		msg_gdbg("Found %s flash chip \"%s\" (%d kB, %s).\n",
-			 context.chip->vendor, context.chip->name, context.chip->total_size,
+			 context->chip->vendor, context->chip->name, context->chip->total_size,
 			 tempstr ? tempstr : "?");
 		free(tempstr);
 	}
 
 	struct cli_progress cli_progress = {0};
 	if (options.show_progress)
-		flashrom_set_progress_callback_v2(&context, &flashrom_progress_cb, &cli_progress);
+		flashrom_set_progress_callback_v2(context, &flashrom_progress_cb, &cli_progress);
 
-	print_chip_support_status(context.chip);
+	print_chip_support_status(context->chip);
 
-	unsigned int limitexceeded = count_max_decode_exceedings(&context, &max_rom_decode);
+	unsigned int limitexceeded = count_max_decode_exceedings(context, &max_rom_decode);
 	if (limitexceeded > 0 && !options.force) {
-		enum chipbustype commonbuses = context.mst->buses_supported & context.chip->bustype;
+		enum chipbustype commonbuses = context->mst->buses_supported & context->chip->bustype;
 
 		/* Sometimes chip and programmer have more than one bus in common,
 		 * and the limit is not exceeded on all buses. Tell the user. */
@@ -1397,10 +1403,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	}
 
 	if (options.flash_name) {
-		if (context.chip->vendor && context.chip->name) {
+		if (context->chip->vendor && context->chip->name) {
 			printf("vendor=\"%s\" name=\"%s\"\n",
-				context.chip->vendor,
-				context.chip->name);
+				context->chip->vendor,
+				context->chip->name);
 		} else {
 			ret = -1;
 		}
@@ -1408,7 +1414,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	}
 
 	if (options.flash_size) {
-		printf("%zu\n", flashrom_flash_getsize(&context));
+		printf("%zu\n", flashrom_flash_getsize(context));
 		goto out_shutdown;
 	}
 
@@ -1417,10 +1423,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			msg_ginfo("Invalid input of sacrifice ratio, valid 0-50. Fallback to default value 0.\n");
 			options.sacrifice_ratio = 0;
 		}
-		context.sacrifice_ratio = options.sacrifice_ratio;
+		context->sacrifice_ratio = options.sacrifice_ratio;
 	}
 
-	if (options.ifd && (flashrom_layout_read_from_ifd(&options.layout, &context, NULL, 0) ||
+	if (options.ifd && (flashrom_layout_read_from_ifd(&options.layout, context, NULL, 0) ||
 			   process_include_args(options.layout, options.include_args))) {
 		ret = 1;
 		goto out_shutdown;
@@ -1445,7 +1451,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			goto out_shutdown;
 		}
 
-		if (flashrom_layout_read_fmap_from_buffer(&options.layout, &context, fmapfile_buffer, fmapfile_size) ||
+		if (flashrom_layout_read_fmap_from_buffer(&options.layout, context, fmapfile_buffer, fmapfile_size) ||
 		    process_include_args(options.layout, options.include_args)) {
 			ret = 1;
 			free(fmapfile_buffer);
@@ -1454,8 +1460,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		free(fmapfile_buffer);
 	} else if (options.fmap) {
 		/* Read layout from ROM fmap */
-		if (flashrom_layout_read_fmap_from_rom(&options.layout, &context, 0,
-				flashrom_flash_getsize(&context)) ||
+		if (flashrom_layout_read_fmap_from_rom(&options.layout, context, 0,
+				flashrom_flash_getsize(context)) ||
 				process_include_args(options.layout, options.include_args)) {
 			ret = 1;
 			goto out_shutdown;
@@ -1482,8 +1488,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 				goto out_release;
 			}
 			/* Read layout from file fmap */
-			if (flashrom_layout_read_fmap_from_buffer(&file_layout, &context, file_buffer,
-					flashrom_flash_getsize(&context)) ||
+			if (flashrom_layout_read_fmap_from_buffer(&file_layout, context, file_buffer,
+					flashrom_flash_getsize(context)) ||
 					process_include_args(file_layout, options.include_args)) {
 				ret = 1;
 				free(file_buffer);
@@ -1501,7 +1507,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			msg_cinfo("FMAP layouts match.\n");
 		}
 	}
-	flashrom_layout_set(&context, options.layout);
+	flashrom_layout_set(context, options.layout);
 
 	if (any_wp_op) {
 		if (options.set_wp_region && options.wp_region) {
@@ -1519,7 +1525,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			options.set_wp_range = true;
 		}
 		ret = wp_cli(
-			&context,
+			context,
 			options.enable_wp,
 			options.disable_wp,
 			options.print_wp_status,
@@ -1532,33 +1538,33 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			goto out_release;
 	}
 
-	flashrom_flag_set(&context, FLASHROM_FLAG_FORCE, options.force);
+	flashrom_flag_set(context, FLASHROM_FLAG_FORCE, options.force);
 #if CONFIG_INTERNAL == 1
-	flashrom_flag_set(&context, FLASHROM_FLAG_FORCE_BOARDMISMATCH, force_boardmismatch);
+	flashrom_flag_set(context, FLASHROM_FLAG_FORCE_BOARDMISMATCH, force_boardmismatch);
 #endif
-	flashrom_flag_set(&context, FLASHROM_FLAG_VERIFY_AFTER_WRITE, !options.dont_verify_it);
-	flashrom_flag_set(&context, FLASHROM_FLAG_VERIFY_WHOLE_CHIP, !options.dont_verify_all);
+	flashrom_flag_set(context, FLASHROM_FLAG_VERIFY_AFTER_WRITE, !options.dont_verify_it);
+	flashrom_flag_set(context, FLASHROM_FLAG_VERIFY_WHOLE_CHIP, !options.dont_verify_all);
 
 	/* FIXME: We should issue an unconditional chip reset here. This can be
 	 * done once we have a .reset function in struct flashchip.
 	 * Give the chip time to settle.
 	 */
-	programmer_delay(&context, 100000);
+	programmer_delay(context, 100000);
 	if (options.read_it)
-		ret = do_read(&context, options.filename);
+		ret = do_read(context, options.filename);
 	else if (options.extract_it)
-		ret = do_extract(&context);
+		ret = do_extract(context);
 	else if (options.erase_it) {
-		ret = flashrom_flash_erase(&context);
+		ret = flashrom_flash_erase(context);
 	}
 	else if (options.write_it)
-		ret = do_write(&context, options.filename, options.referencefile);
+		ret = do_write(context, options.filename, options.referencefile);
 	else if (options.verify_it)
-		ret = do_verify(&context, options.filename);
+		ret = do_verify(context, options.filename);
 
 #if CONFIG_RPMC_ENABLED == 1
 	if (any_rpmc_op && ret == 0) {
-		ret = rpmc_cli(&context,
+		ret = rpmc_cli(context,
 			       options.rpmc_root_key_file,
 			       options.rpmc_key_data,
 			       options.rpmc_counter_address,
@@ -1576,9 +1582,8 @@ out_release:
 out_shutdown:
 	flashrom_programmer_shutdown(NULL);
 out:
-	flashrom_layout_release(context.default_layout);
-	free(context.chip);
 	flashrom_data_free(all_matched_names);
+	flashrom_flash_release(context);
 
 	free_options(&options);
 
diff --git a/doc/release_notes/devel.rst b/doc/release_notes/devel.rst
index 5eab95d24..f0fe3c8f5 100644
--- a/doc/release_notes/devel.rst
+++ b/doc/release_notes/devel.rst
@@ -63,3 +63,19 @@ New programmers
 ===============
 
 * Nvidia System Management Agent
+
+libflashrom
+===========
+
+The real life usage of ``flashrom_flash_probe_v2`` discovered the issue, the error messages as below::
+
+    error: variable 'flashctx' has initializer but incomplete type
+    error: storage size of 'flashctx' isn't known
+
+New API method ``flashrom_create_context`` is created to fix this.
+``flashrom_create_context`` does create and all initialisations needed for flash context.
+It need to be called prior to any other API calls that require flash context.
+
+The issue was a good motivation to write a new test which is built and runs as an external
+client of libflashrom. The test runs in a separate test executable to achieve this.
+As a bonus, test code in ``tests/external_client.c`` is an example how to use libflashrom API.
diff --git a/include/libflashrom.h b/include/libflashrom.h
index 46d710b70..1e804b774 100644
--- a/include/libflashrom.h
+++ b/include/libflashrom.h
@@ -50,6 +50,19 @@ int flashrom_init(int perform_selfcheck);
  * @return 0 on success
  */
 int flashrom_shutdown(void);
+
+struct flashrom_flashctx;
+
+/**
+ * @brief Create flash context.
+ *
+ * @param[out] flashctx Points to a pointer of type struct flashrom_flashctx
+ *                      that will be initialised to be used for further operations. *flashctx
+ *                      has to be freed by the caller with @ref flashrom_flash_release.*
+ * @return 0 on success
+ */
+int flashrom_create_context(struct flashrom_flashctx **const flashctx);
+
 enum flashrom_log_level {
 	FLASHROM_MSG_ERROR	= 0,
 	FLASHROM_MSG_WARN	= 1,
@@ -117,7 +130,6 @@ struct flashrom_progress {
 	void *user_data;
 };
 
-struct flashrom_flashctx;
 typedef void(flashrom_progress_callback)(struct flashrom_flashctx *flashctx);
 
 /**
diff --git a/libflashrom.c b/libflashrom.c
index b5902d7c9..4ea0881a5 100644
--- a/libflashrom.c
+++ b/libflashrom.c
@@ -49,6 +49,23 @@ int flashrom_shutdown(void)
 	return 0; /* TODO: nothing to do? */
 }
 
+int flashrom_create_context(struct flashrom_flashctx **const flashctx)
+{
+	struct flashrom_flashctx *const out = malloc(sizeof(struct flashrom_flashctx));
+	if (!out)
+		return 1;
+
+	/* Init of values inside context. */
+	*out = (struct flashrom_flashctx) {
+		.virtual_memory = (chipaddr)ERROR_PTR,
+		.virtual_registers = (chipaddr)ERROR_PTR,
+	};
+
+	*flashctx = out;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 void flashrom_set_log_level(enum flashrom_log_level level)
 {
 	global_log_level = level;
diff --git a/libflashrom.map b/libflashrom.map
index 358280ad3..742f569ea 100644
--- a/libflashrom.map
+++ b/libflashrom.map
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 LIBFLASHROM_1.0 {
   global:
+    flashrom_create_context;
     flashrom_data_free;
     flashrom_flag_get;
     flashrom_flag_set;
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index d6dd6b6ef..aa66470af 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -791,6 +791,14 @@ if get_option('tests').auto() or get_option('tests').enabled()
     ],
   )
 
+  # This is a special dependency for tests that run as external client of libflashrom
+  # External client does not know internal symbols, includes libflashrom.h,
+  # and only uses what is in the public API.
+  libflashrom_test_dep = declare_dependency(
+    include_directories : include_dir,
+    link_with : libflashrom
+  )
+
   if cmocka_dep.found()
     subdir('tests')
   endif
diff --git a/tests/client_tests.c b/tests/client_tests.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..413d6d766
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/client_tests.c
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of the flashrom project.
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025 Google LLC
+ */
+
+#include "client_tests.h"
+
+int main(int argc, char *argv[])
+{
+	int ret = 0;
+
+	if (argc > 1)
+		cmocka_set_test_filter(argv[1]);
+
+	cmocka_set_message_output(CM_OUTPUT_STDOUT);
+
+	const struct CMUnitTest external_client_tests[] = {
+		cmocka_unit_test(flashrom_init_probe_erase_shutdown),
+	};
+	ret |= cmocka_run_group_tests_name("external_client.c tests",
+			external_client_tests, NULL, NULL);
+
+	return ret;
+}
diff --git a/tests/client_tests.h b/tests/client_tests.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7ff4ba85d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/client_tests.h
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of the flashrom project.
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025 Google LLC
+ */
+
+#ifndef CLIENT_TESTS_H
+#define CLIENT_TESTS_H
+
+#include <include/test.h>
+
+/* external_client.c */
+void flashrom_init_probe_erase_shutdown(void **state);
+
+#endif /* CLIENT_TESTS_H */
diff --git a/tests/dummyflasher.c b/tests/dummyflasher.c
index 18a75a79e..ceb3d554c 100644
--- a/tests/dummyflasher.c
+++ b/tests/dummyflasher.c
@@ -257,8 +257,7 @@ static void dummy_test_shutdown(struct flashrom_flashctx *flashctx,
 
 	io_mock_register(NULL);
 
-	flashrom_layout_release(flashctx->default_layout);
-	free(flashctx->chip);
+	flashrom_flash_release(flashctx);
 }
 
 void dummy_probe_and_read(void **state)
@@ -266,21 +265,22 @@ void dummy_probe_and_read(void **state)
 	(void) state; /* unused */
 
 	struct flashrom_programmer *flashprog = NULL;
-	struct flashrom_flashctx flashctx = { 0 };
+	struct flashrom_flashctx *flashctx = NULL;
+	assert_int_equal(0, flashrom_create_context(&flashctx));
 
-	dummy_test_init_and_probe(&flashctx, flashprog);
+	dummy_test_init_and_probe(flashctx, flashprog);
 
 	const unsigned long image_size = 16384 * KiB;
 	unsigned char *buf = calloc(image_size, sizeof(unsigned char));
 	assert_non_null(buf);
 
 	printf("Testing flashrom_image_read ...\n");
-	assert_int_equal(0, flashrom_image_read(&flashctx, buf, image_size));
+	assert_int_equal(0, flashrom_image_read(flashctx, buf, image_size));
 	printf("... flashrom_image_read is successful.\n");
 
 	free(buf);
 
-	dummy_test_shutdown(&flashctx, flashprog);
+	dummy_test_shutdown(flashctx, flashprog);
 }
 
 void dummy_probe_and_write(void **state)
@@ -288,21 +288,22 @@ void dummy_probe_and_write(void **state)
 	(void) state; /* unused */
 
 	struct flashrom_programmer *flashprog = NULL;
-	struct flashrom_flashctx flashctx = { 0 };
+	struct flashrom_flashctx *flashctx = NULL;
+	assert_int_equal(0, flashrom_create_context(&flashctx));
 
-	dummy_test_init_and_probe(&flashctx, flashprog);
+	dummy_test_init_and_probe(flashctx, flashprog);
 
 	const unsigned long image_size = 16384 * KiB;
 	uint8_t *const newcontents = malloc(image_size);
 	assert_non_null(newcontents);
 
 	printf("Testing flashrom_image_write ...\n");
-	assert_int_equal(0, flashrom_image_write(&flashctx, newcontents, image_size, NULL));
+	assert_int_equal(0, flashrom_image_write(flashctx, newcontents, image_size, NULL));
 	printf("... flashrom_image_write is successful.\n");
 
 	free(newcontents);
 
-	dummy_test_shutdown(&flashctx, flashprog);
+	dummy_test_shutdown(flashctx, flashprog);
 }
 
 void dummy_probe_and_erase(void **state)
@@ -310,15 +311,16 @@ void dummy_probe_and_erase(void **state)
 	(void) state; /* unused */
 
 	struct flashrom_programmer *flashprog = NULL;
-	struct flashrom_flashctx flashctx = { 0 };
+	struct flashrom_flashctx *flashctx = NULL;
+	assert_int_equal(0, flashrom_create_context(&flashctx));
 
-	dummy_test_init_and_probe(&flashctx, flashprog);
+	dummy_test_init_and_probe(flashctx, flashprog);
 
 	printf("Testing flashrom_flash_erase ...\n");
-	assert_int_equal(0, flashrom_flash_erase(&flashctx));
+	assert_int_equal(0, flashrom_flash_erase(flashctx));
 	printf("... flashrom_flash_erase is successful.\n");
 
-	dummy_test_shutdown(&flashctx, flashprog);
+	dummy_test_shutdown(flashctx, flashprog);
 }
 
 #else
diff --git a/tests/external_client.c b/tests/external_client.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e125a9386
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/external_client.c
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of the flashrom project.
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025 Google LLC
+ */
+
+/*
+ * The purpose of this test is to use libflashrom API as an external client.
+ *
+ * Therefore, the test *must not* include any flashrom-internal headers.
+ * In meson files, test depends on a special `libflashrom_test_dep` and runs
+ * in a separate test executable `flashrom_client_tests`.
+ */
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include "client_tests.h"
+#include "libflashrom.h"
+
+#define DUMMYFLASHER_NAME "dummy"
+
+void flashrom_init_probe_erase_shutdown(void **state)
+{
+	(void) state; /* unused */
+
+	assert_int_equal(0, flashrom_init(1));
+	printf("flashrom_init with selfcheck: OK\n");
+
+	struct flashrom_programmer *flashprog = NULL;
+	struct flashrom_flashctx *flashctx;
+	const char **all_matched_names = NULL;
+
+	assert_int_equal(0, flashrom_create_context(&flashctx));
+	printf("flashrom_create_context: OK\n");
+
+	const char **progs_names = flashrom_supported_programmers();
+	assert_non_null(progs_names);
+
+	const char **ptr = progs_names;
+	bool dummyflasher_support = false;
+	do {
+		if (!strcmp(*ptr, DUMMYFLASHER_NAME)) {
+			dummyflasher_support = true;
+			break;
+		}
+	} while (*(++ptr));
+	flashrom_data_free(progs_names);
+
+	if (dummyflasher_support) {
+		printf("dummyflasher supported: OK\n");
+
+		assert_int_equal(0, flashrom_programmer_init(
+					&flashprog,
+					DUMMYFLASHER_NAME,
+					"bus=spi,emulate=W25Q128FV"));
+		printf("flashrom_programmer_init for dummy with params 'bus=spi,emulate=W25Q128FV': OK\n");
+
+		assert_int_equal(1, flashrom_flash_probe_v2(
+					flashctx,
+					&all_matched_names,
+					flashprog,
+					NULL));
+		printf("flashrom_flash_probe_v2 found 1 chip: OK\n");
+		assert_int_equal(0, strcmp("W25Q128.V", all_matched_names[0]));
+		printf("chip name matches 'W25Q128.V': OK\n");
+		assert_int_equal(16777216, flashrom_flash_getsize(flashctx));
+		printf("chip size 16M: OK\n");
+
+		assert_int_equal(0, flashrom_flash_erase(flashctx));
+		printf("flashrom_flash_erase: OK\n");
+
+		assert_int_equal(0, flashrom_programmer_shutdown(flashprog));
+		printf("flashrom_programmer_shutdown: OK\n");
+	} else {
+		printf("WARNING: dummyflasher is disabled, cannot test probe and erase\n");
+	}
+
+	flashrom_flash_release(flashctx);
+	printf("flashrom_flash_release: OK\n");
+
+	assert_int_equal(0, flashrom_shutdown());
+	printf("flashrom_shutdown: OK\n");
+}
diff --git a/tests/libflashrom.c b/tests/libflashrom.c
index 5ae4b2d96..cebf5c27b 100644
--- a/tests/libflashrom.c
+++ b/tests/libflashrom.c
@@ -133,7 +133,9 @@ void probe_v2_error_code_propagation(void **state)
 {
 	(void) state; /* unused */
 
-	struct flashrom_flashctx flashctx = { 0 };
+	struct flashrom_flashctx *flashctx = NULL;
+	assert_int_equal(0, flashrom_create_context(&flashctx));
+
 	struct flashrom_programmer *flashprog;
 	const char **all_matched_names = NULL;
 
@@ -148,7 +150,7 @@ void probe_v2_error_code_propagation(void **state)
 	registered_masters[0].spi.command = &always_fail_spi_send_command;
 
 	assert_int_equal(0 /* no chips found */,
-			flashrom_flash_probe_v2(&flashctx, &all_matched_names,
+			flashrom_flash_probe_v2(flashctx, &all_matched_names,
 			flashprog,
 			NULL));
 
@@ -159,6 +161,7 @@ void probe_v2_error_code_propagation(void **state)
 	assert_int_equal(0, flashrom_programmer_shutdown(flashprog));
 
 	flashrom_data_free(all_matched_names);
+	flashrom_flash_release(flashctx);
 }
 #else
 	SKIP_TEST(probe_v2_error_code_propagation)
diff --git a/tests/lifecycle.c b/tests/lifecycle.c
index c39e8e0db..5a265207a 100644
--- a/tests/lifecycle.c
+++ b/tests/lifecycle.c
@@ -13,11 +13,12 @@ static void probe_chip_v2(const struct programmer_entry *prog,
 			const char **expected_matched_names,
 			unsigned int expected_matched_count)
 {
-	struct flashrom_flashctx flashctx = { 0 };
+	struct flashrom_flashctx *flashctx = NULL;
+	assert_int_equal(0, flashrom_create_context(&flashctx));
 	const char **all_matched_names = NULL;
 
 	printf("Testing flashrom_flash_probe_v2 for programmer=%s, chip=%s ... \n", prog->name, chip_name);
-	assert_int_equal(expected_matched_count, flashrom_flash_probe_v2(&flashctx, &all_matched_names,
+	assert_int_equal(expected_matched_count, flashrom_flash_probe_v2(flashctx, &all_matched_names,
 						 flashprog, chip_name));
 
 	for (unsigned int i = 0; i < expected_matched_count; i++)
@@ -26,14 +27,13 @@ static void probe_chip_v2(const struct programmer_entry *prog,
 	assert_null(all_matched_names[expected_matched_count]);
 
 	if (chip_name && expected_matched_count > 0)
-		assert_int_equal(0, strcmp(chip_name, flashctx.chip->name));
+		assert_int_equal(0, strcmp(chip_name, flashctx->chip->name));
 
 	printf("... flashrom_flash_probe_v2 for programmer=%s successful\n", prog->name);
 
 	/* cleanup */
 	flashrom_data_free(all_matched_names);
-	flashrom_layout_release(flashctx.default_layout);
-	free(flashctx.chip);
+	flashrom_flash_release(flashctx);
 }
 
 static void run_lifecycle(void **state, const struct io_mock *io, const struct programmer_entry *prog,
diff --git a/tests/meson.build b/tests/meson.build
index b98fa16cc..34af21375 100644
--- a/tests/meson.build
+++ b/tests/meson.build
@@ -134,3 +134,18 @@ test('cmocka test flashrom', flashrom_tests)
 if get_option('llvm_cov').enabled()
   run_target('llvm-cov-tests', command : ['../scripts/llvm-cov', flashrom_tests])
 endif
+
+# Creating a second test executable which runs tests as if it is an external
+# flashrom client using libflashrom via public API.
+
+client_test_srcs = files(
+  'external_client.c',
+  'client_tests.c',
+  )
+
+flashrom_client_tests = executable('flashrom_client_tests',
+  client_test_srcs,
+  export_dynamic : true,
+  dependencies : [cmocka_dep, libflashrom_test_dep],
+)
+test('flashrom client tests', flashrom_client_tests)