diff --git a/build.zig b/build.zig
index 57ccd1dabebd9c98401ace88b26d3ec9365917c3..15ff56b7c7a101fcd18d69cdbcb3a04a31555733 100644
--- a/build.zig
+++ b/build.zig
@@ -1,11 +1,22 @@
 const std = @import("std");
 
 pub fn build(b: *std.build.Builder) void {
+    const target = b.standardTargetOptions(.{});
+    const mode = b.option(std.builtin.Mode, "mode", "") orelse .Debug;
+
     _ = b.addModule(
         "extras",
         .{ .source_file = .{ .path = "src/lib.zig" } },
     );
 
+    const exe_unit_tests = b.addTest(.{
+        .root_source_file = .{ .path = "src/lib.zig" },
+        .target = target,
+        .optimize = mode,
+    });
+
+    const run_exe_unit_tests = b.addRunArtifact(exe_unit_tests);
+
     const test_step = b.step("test", "dummy test step to pass CI checks");
-    _ = test_step;
+    test_step.dependOn(&run_exe_unit_tests.step);
 }