diff --git a/samples/sensor/apds9960/prj.conf b/samples/sensor/apds9960/prj.conf
index 64aacc22cc6..888ca523e63 100644
--- a/samples/sensor/apds9960/prj.conf
+++ b/samples/sensor/apds9960/prj.conf
@@ -2,5 +2,11 @@ CONFIG_PRINTK=y
 CONFIG_GPIO=y
 CONFIG_I2C=y
 CONFIG_PRINTK=y
-CONFIG_APDS9960=y
 CONFIG_SENSOR=y
+
+CONFIG_SYS_LOG=y
+CONFIG_SYS_LOG_SENSOR_LEVEL=1
+CONFIG_SYS_LOG_I2C_LEVEL=1
+
+CONFIG_APDS9960=y
+CONFIG_APDS9960_TRIGGER_GLOBAL_THREAD=n
diff --git a/samples/sensor/apds9960/sample.yaml b/samples/sensor/apds9960/sample.yaml
index 0e86b798c60..94103124549 100644
--- a/samples/sensor/apds9960/sample.yaml
+++ b/samples/sensor/apds9960/sample.yaml
@@ -6,3 +6,10 @@ tests:
     platform_whitelist: reel_board
     tags: samples sensor
     depends_on: i2c gpio
+  test-trigger:
+    harness: sensor
+    platform_whitelist: reel_board
+    tags: samples sensor
+    depends_on: i2c gpio
+    extra_configs:
+      - CONFIG_APDS9960_TRIGGER_GLOBAL_THREAD=y
diff --git a/samples/sensor/apds9960/src/main.c b/samples/sensor/apds9960/src/main.c
index 8b84edd1611..ff9393eadc9 100644
--- a/samples/sensor/apds9960/src/main.c
+++ b/samples/sensor/apds9960/src/main.c
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /*
- *
  * Copyright (c) 2017 Intel Corporation
+ * Copyright (c) 2018 Phytec Messtechnik GmbH
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
@@ -11,43 +11,68 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <misc/printk.h>
 
-static void do_main(struct device *dev)
+#ifdef CONFIG_APDS9960_TRIGGER
+K_SEM_DEFINE(sem, 0, 1);
+
+static void trigger_handler(struct device *dev, struct sensor_trigger *trigger)
 {
-	struct sensor_value intensity, pdata;
+	ARG_UNUSED(dev);
+	ARG_UNUSED(trigger);
 
-	while (1) {
-
-		if (sensor_sample_fetch(dev)) {
-			printk("sensor_sample fetch failed\n");
-		}
-
-		sensor_channel_get(dev, SENSOR_CHAN_LIGHT, &intensity);
-
-		printk("ambient light intensity without"
-				" trigger is %d\n", intensity.val1);
-
-		k_sleep(1000);
-
-		sensor_channel_get(dev, SENSOR_CHAN_PROX, &pdata);
-
-		printk("proxy without trigger is %d\n", pdata.val1);
-
-		k_sleep(1000);
-	}
+	k_sem_give(&sem);
 }
+#endif
 
 void main(void)
 {
 	struct device *dev;
+	struct sensor_value intensity, pdata;
 
 	printk("APDS9960 sample application\n");
-	dev = device_get_binding("APDS9960");
-
+	dev = device_get_binding(CONFIG_APDS9960_DRV_NAME);
 	if (!dev) {
 		printk("sensor: device not found.\n");
 		return;
 	}
 
-	do_main(dev);
+#ifdef CONFIG_APDS9960_TRIGGER
+	struct sensor_value attr = {
+		.val1 = 127,
+		.val2 = 0,
+	};
 
+	if (sensor_attr_set(dev, SENSOR_CHAN_PROX,
+			    SENSOR_ATTR_UPPER_THRESH, &attr)) {
+		printk("Could not set threshold\n");
+		return;
+	}
+
+	struct sensor_trigger trig = {
+		.type = SENSOR_TRIG_THRESHOLD,
+		.chan = SENSOR_CHAN_PROX,
+	};
+
+	if (sensor_trigger_set(dev, &trig, trigger_handler)) {
+		printk("Could not set trigger\n");
+		return;
+	}
+#endif
+
+	while (true) {
+#ifdef CONFIG_APDS9960_TRIGGER
+		printk("Waiting for a threshold event\n");
+		k_sem_take(&sem, K_FOREVER);
+#else
+		k_sleep(5000);
+#endif
+		if (sensor_sample_fetch(dev)) {
+			printk("sensor_sample fetch failed\n");
+		}
+
+		sensor_channel_get(dev, SENSOR_CHAN_LIGHT, &intensity);
+		sensor_channel_get(dev, SENSOR_CHAN_PROX, &pdata);
+
+		printk("ambient light intensity %d, proximity %d\n",
+		       intensity.val1, pdata.val1);
+	}
 }