diff --git a/src/tests/run_unit_tests.sh b/src/tests/run_unit_tests.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d529e0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/run_unit_tests.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+fatal() {
+    echo "fatal: $*" >&2
+    exit 1
+}
+
+[ -d "./tests" ] || fatal "must be run from parent directory"
+
+./bin/yait --help 2>&1 || fatal "failed on --help"
+./bin/yait --version 2>&1 || fatal "failed on --version"