diff --git a/.forgejo/workflows/ci.yaml b/.forgejo/workflows/ci.yaml
index 63fcf3c..48f7cae 100644
--- a/.forgejo/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.forgejo/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -5,17 +5,22 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: podman
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - name: Run pre-commit checks
+      - name: Setup Python
         run: |
           pip install pre-commit
           pre-commit run --all-files
-
       - name: Build FastAPI image
         run: |
           podman build -t cmmc-fastapi:${{ forgejo.sha }} \
                        -f .container-images/fastapi.Dockerfile .
 
-      # optional push to internal registry:
-      # - name: Push image
-      #   run: podman push cmmc-fastapi:${{ forgejo.sha }} <registry>/<path>:${{ forgejo.sha }}
+  tests:
+    runs-on: podman
+    needs: lint-build
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Install test deps
+        run: |
+          pip install -r requirements.txt -r requirements-dev.txt
+      - name: Run pytest
+        run: pytest -q
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4141314..ec631b1 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -12,4 +12,8 @@ logs:          ## follow logs
 build:         ## build FastAPI image locally
 	podman build -t cmmc-fastapi:latest -f .container-images/fastapi.Dockerfile .
 
-.PHONY: up down logs build
+test:          ## run pytest quietly
+	pytest -q
+
+
+.PHONY: up down logs build test
diff --git a/pytest.ini b/pytest.ini
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a635c5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pytest.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+[pytest]
+pythonpath = .
diff --git a/src/__init__.py b/src/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29