diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index baa867676dd..310d0e48564 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ The setup script for salt
 '''
 import os
 import sys
+import unittest
+from distutils import log
+from distutils.cmd import Command
 from distutils.core import setup
 from distutils.extension import Extension
 from distutils.sysconfig import get_python_lib, PREFIX
@@ -21,8 +24,53 @@ if os.environ.has_key('SYSCONFDIR'):
 else:
     etc_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(PREFIX), 'etc')
 
+class UnitTest(Command):
+    description = "run unit tests"
+    user_options = []
+
+    def initialize_options(self):
+        self.test_dirs = None
+
+    def finalize_options(self):
+        if self.test_dirs is None:
+            self.test_dirs = ["test"]
+
+    def run(self):
+        errors = 0
+        failures = 0
+        for path in self.test_dirs:
+            for root, dirs, files in os.walk(path):
+                for filename in files:
+                    if filename.startswith("test_") and \
+                            filename.endswith(".py"):
+                        results = self._run_test(os.path.join(root, filename))
+                        errors += results[0]
+                        failures += results[1]
+        self.announce(
+            "unit test: {} errors and {} failures".format(errors, failures),
+            level=log.INFO)
+
+    def _run_test(self, path):
+        self.announce("run tests in " + path, log.INFO)
+        dirname, basename = os.path.split(path)
+        sys.path.insert(0, dirname)
+        try:
+            modname = os.path.splitext(basename)[0]
+            mod = __import__(modname)
+            if hasattr(mod, "test_suite"):
+                suite = mod.test_suite()
+                runner = unittest.TextTestRunner(verbosity=2)
+                results = runner.run(suite)
+                return len(results.errors), len(results.failures)
+            else:
+                return (0, 0)
+        finally:
+            if sys.path[0] == dirname:
+                del sys.path[0]
+
 setup(name=NAME,
       version=VER,
+      cmdclass={"test":UnitTest},
       description=DESC,
       author='Thomas S Hatch',
       author_email='thatch45@gmail.com',