diff --git a/test/meson.build b/test/meson.build
index 24d1927f977c..fc9c124927d2 100644
--- a/test/meson.build
+++ b/test/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+libtest_sources = files([
+    'test.cpp',
+])
+
+libtest = static_library('libtest', libtest_sources)
+
 test_init = executable('test_init', 'init.cpp',
                        link_with : libcamera,
                        include_directories : libcamera_includes)
diff --git a/test/test.cpp b/test/test.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4e7779e750d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later */
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2018, Google Inc.
+ *
+ * test.cpp - libcamera test base class
+ */
+
+#include "test.h"
+
+Test::Test()
+{
+}
+
+Test::~Test()
+{
+	cleanup();
+}
+
+int Test::execute()
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = init();
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return ret;
+
+	return run();
+}
diff --git a/test/test.h b/test/test.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..2464fc5cb607
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test.h
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later */
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2018, Google Inc.
+ *
+ * test.h - libcamera test base class
+ */
+
+#include <sstream>
+
+class Test
+{
+public:
+	Test();
+	virtual ~Test();
+
+	int execute();
+
+protected:
+	virtual int init() { return 0; }
+	virtual int run() = 0;
+	virtual void cleanup() { }
+};
+
+#define TEST_REGISTER(klass)						\
+int main(int argc, char *argv[])					\
+{									\
+	return klass().execute();					\
+}