diff --git a/tests/test_build/Makefile b/tests/test_build/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..da755d0897fdffbb010524802d6170e658041ae7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_build/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+
+.PHONY: default
+default: test
+
+.PHONY: test
+test: check_env 
+	@pytest . -v
+
+.PHONY: check_env
+check_env: guard-EPICS_BASE guard-E3_REQUIRE_VERSION
+	@#$(or $(wildcard ${EPICS_BASE}/require/${E3_REQUIRE_VERSION}/bin/setE3Env.bash), $(error setE3Env.bash not found. Please check your version of base and require.))
+
+guard-%:
+	@#$(or ${$*}, $(error $* is not set))
+