diff --git a/haptools/data/covariates.py b/haptools/data/covariates.py
index 47de25e4..3aa2e50a 100644
--- a/haptools/data/covariates.py
+++ b/haptools/data/covariates.py
@@ -28,5 +28,5 @@ class Covariates(Phenotypes):
     """
 
     def __init__(self, fname: Path | str, log: Logger = None):
-        super(Phenotypes, self).__init__(fname, log)
+        super().__init__(fname, log)
         self._ext = "covar"
diff --git a/tests/test_data.py b/tests/test_data.py
index 3a7e1752..bcfb0d25 100644
--- a/tests/test_data.py
+++ b/tests/test_data.py
@@ -774,6 +774,40 @@ def test_load_covariates_subset(self):
         np.testing.assert_allclose(covars.data, expected)
         assert covars.samples == tuple(samples)
 
+    def test_subset_covariates(self):
+        cvs = self._get_fake_covariates()
+
+        # subset to just the samples we want
+        expected_data = cvs.data[:3]
+        expected_names = cvs.names
+        samples = ("HG00096", "HG00097", "HG00099")
+        cvs_sub = cvs.subset(samples=samples)
+        assert cvs_sub.samples == samples
+        np.testing.assert_allclose(cvs_sub.data, expected_data)
+        assert np.array_equal(cvs_sub.names, expected_names)
+
+        # subset to just the names we want
+        expected_data = cvs.data[:, [1]]
+        assert len(expected_data.shape) == 2
+        expected_names = (cvs.names[1],)
+        names = ("age",)
+        cvs_sub = cvs.subset(names=names)
+        assert cvs_sub.samples == cvs.samples
+        np.testing.assert_allclose(cvs_sub.data, expected_data)
+        assert np.array_equal(cvs_sub.names, expected_names)
+
+        # subset both: samples and names
+        expected_data = cvs.data[[3, 4], [1]]
+        expected_data = expected_data[:, np.newaxis]
+        assert len(expected_data.shape) == 2
+        expected_names = (cvs.names[1],)
+        samples = ("HG00100", "HG00101")
+        names = ("age",)
+        cvs_sub = cvs.subset(samples=samples, names=names)
+        assert cvs_sub.samples == samples
+        np.testing.assert_allclose(cvs_sub.data, expected_data)
+        assert np.array_equal(cvs_sub.names, expected_names)
+
 
 class TestHaplotypes:
     def _basic_haps(self):