A procedure is described for the semiquantitative measurement of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) and detection of inhibitors of cAMP phosphodiesterase by an agar plate test. The assay organism was an adenyl cyclase-deficient mutant derived from Escherichia coli HfrH. In the presence of an acid base indicator, acid production from barbohydrate metabolism was observed as a yellow zone around filter paper disks containing cAMP. Since yellow zone formation reflects the presence of cAMP, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor can be detected indirectly by the presence of a yellow zone on assay plates from a reaction mixture of an inhibitor, phosphodiesterase, and cAMP. Three known cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibitors were active against beef brain phosphodiesterase in this system.