diff --git a/CMake/Test.cmake b/CMake/Test.cmake
index 58097529..a1c27be2 100644
--- a/CMake/Test.cmake
+++ b/CMake/Test.cmake
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@ function(configure_test)
     set(oneValueArgs NAME SUBPROJECT)
     set(multiValueArgs WRAPPERS SOURCES INCLUDES LIBRARIES)
     cmake_parse_arguments(CONFIGURE_TEST "${options}" "${oneValueArgs}" "${multiValueArgs}" ${ARGN})
-    message("${CONFIGURE_TEST_SOURCES}")
-    message("${CONFIGURE_TEST_WRAPPERS}")
 
     include_directories(
         ${CMOCKA_INCLUDE_DIR}
@@ -19,7 +17,12 @@ function(configure_test)
         ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/test/${CONFIGURE_TEST_SUBPROJECT}/${CONFIGURE_TEST_NAME}
     )
 
-    add_executable(${CONFIGURE_TEST_NAME}_test ${CONFIGURE_TEST_SOURCES})
+    add_executable(${CONFIGURE_TEST_NAME}_test
+        ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/test/util.c
+        ${CONFIGURE_TEST_SOURCES}
+    )
+
+    list(APPEND CONFIGURE_TEST_WRAPPERS "malloc" "calloc" "realloc" "free")
 
     list(LENGTH CONFIGURE_TEST_WRAPPERS WRAPPED_COUNT)
 
@@ -32,7 +35,6 @@ function(configure_test)
                 "${WRAPPED} \
                 -Wl,--wrap=${WRAPPER}"
             )
-            message("${WRAPPER}, ${WRAPPED}")
         endforeach()
 
         set_target_properties(${CONFIGURE_TEST_NAME}_test
@@ -42,4 +44,6 @@ function(configure_test)
     endif()
 
     target_link_libraries(${CONFIGURE_TEST_NAME}_test ${CMOCKA_LIBRARIES} ${CONFIGURE_TEST_LIBRARIES})
+
+    set(test_targets ${test_targets} ${CONFIGURE_TEST_NAME}_test PARENT_SCOPE)
 endfunction()
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index cc29dad0..67694fd3 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -24,6 +24,39 @@ branch. Instead, when you start working on a feature, do this:
 4. git push -u origin add-so-and-so-feature
 5. Make pull request from your feature branch
 
+## Writing Tests
+
+Tests are driven by [CMocka](https://cmocka.org/). When testing a given
+function, we can "mock" out the functions it relies on to program their behavior
+explicitly and test the function in isolation. The directory layout of `test/`
+is identical to the global directory layout, but each C file in the parent tree
+has its own directory in the test tree, with its own CMakeLists.txt that wires
+things up. To add a test, make the appropriate directory in `test/` and add a
+CMakeLists.txt that looks something like this made-up example:
+
+```cmake
+configure_test(
+    SUBPROJECT swaymsg
+    NAME main
+    SOURCES
+        ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/swaymsg/main.c
+        swaymsg.c
+    WRAPPERS
+        ipc_open_socket
+    LIBRARIES
+        ${WLC_LIBRARIES}
+    INCLUDES
+        ${WLC_INCLUDES}
+)
+```
+
+This defines a test suite in the swaymsg subproject that tests main. This file
+would live at `test/swaymsg/main/CMakeLists.txt`. It specifies that it requires
+`swaymsg/main.c` and `test/swaymsg/main/swaymsg.c`, the former being the actual
+swaymsg source and the latter being the test suite. It mocks ipc_open_socket and
+links against openssl. See the cmocka documentation or read existing tests to
+learn more about how mocks work.
+
 ## Coding Style
 
 Sway is written in C. The style guidelines is [kernel
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e9143f0f..c8c531dd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -69,6 +69,11 @@ On systems without logind, you need to suid the sway binary:
 
     sudo chmod a+s /usr/local/bin/sway
 
+## Tests
+
+Run `make && make check` from the build directory to run tests. The exit code
+will be the number of failed tests (0 for success).
+
 ## Configuration
 
 If you already use i3, then copy your i3 config to `~/.config/sway/config` and
diff --git a/include/tests.h b/include/tests.h
index 47b47059..36b68587 100644
--- a/include/tests.h
+++ b/include/tests.h
@@ -6,4 +6,13 @@
 #include <stdarg.h>
 #include <cmocka.h>
 
+enum wrapper_behavior {
+    WRAPPER_INVOKE_REAL,
+    WRAPPER_INVOKE_CMOCKA,
+    WRAPPER_DO_ASSERTIONS,
+};
+
+int reset_mem_wrappers(void **state);
+void memory_behavior(enum wrapper_behavior behavior);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index e4717b2d..e6024560 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1 +1,7 @@
+set(test_targets "")
+
 add_subdirectory(common)
+
+add_custom_target(check
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}
+    COMMAND ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/test/runner)
diff --git a/test/common/list/list.c b/test/common/list/list.c
index dd66dec7..7cfc2609 100644
--- a/test/common/list/list.c
+++ b/test/common/list/list.c
@@ -5,15 +5,16 @@
 #include "tests.h"
 #include "list.h"
 
-static void test_test(void **state) {
+static void test_create_list(void **state) {
+	memory_behavior(WRAPPER_INVOKE_CMOCKA);
 	list_t *list = create_list();
-	free(list);
-	assert_true(true);
+	assert_int_equal(list->length, 0);
+	list_free(list);
 }
 
-int main() {
+int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 	const struct CMUnitTest tests[] = {
-		cmocka_unit_test(test_test),
+		cmocka_unit_test(test_create_list),
 	};
-	return cmocka_run_group_tests(tests, NULL, NULL);
+	return cmocka_run_group_tests(tests, reset_mem_wrappers, NULL);
 }
diff --git a/test/runner b/test/runner
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..cee622f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/runner
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/usr/bin/bash
+tests=$(find . -type f -name "*_test")
+ret=0
+for test in $tests
+do
+    printf 'Running %s\n' $(basename $test)
+    $test
+    ret+=$?
+done
+
+exit $ret
diff --git a/test/util.c b/test/util.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ef825200
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/util.c
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#include "tests.h"
+
+void *__real_malloc(size_t size);
+void __real_free(void *ptr);
+void *__real_calloc(size_t nmemb, size_t size);
+void *__real_realloc(void *ptr, size_t size);
+
+enum wrapper_behavior _memory_behavior = WRAPPER_INVOKE_REAL;
+
+int reset_mem_wrappers(void **state) {
+	_memory_behavior = WRAPPER_INVOKE_REAL;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void memory_behavior(enum wrapper_behavior behavior) {
+	_memory_behavior = behavior;
+}
+
+void *__wrap_malloc(size_t size) {
+	switch (_memory_behavior) {
+	case WRAPPER_INVOKE_CMOCKA:
+		return test_malloc(size);
+	case WRAPPER_DO_ASSERTIONS:
+		check_expected(size);
+		return mock_type(void *);
+	case WRAPPER_INVOKE_REAL:
+	default:
+		return __real_malloc(size);
+	}
+}
+
+void __wrap_free(void *ptr) {
+	switch (_memory_behavior) {
+	case WRAPPER_INVOKE_CMOCKA:
+		test_free(ptr);
+		break;
+	case WRAPPER_DO_ASSERTIONS:
+		check_expected_ptr(ptr);
+		break;
+	case WRAPPER_INVOKE_REAL:
+	default:
+		__real_free(ptr);
+		break;
+	}
+}
+
+void *__wrap_calloc(size_t nmemb, size_t size) {
+	switch (_memory_behavior) {
+	case WRAPPER_INVOKE_CMOCKA:
+		return test_calloc(nmemb, size);
+	case WRAPPER_DO_ASSERTIONS:
+		check_expected(nmemb);
+		check_expected(size);
+		return mock_type(void *);
+	case WRAPPER_INVOKE_REAL:
+	default:
+		return __real_calloc(nmemb, size);
+	}
+}
+
+void *__wrap_realloc(void *ptr, size_t size) {
+	switch (_memory_behavior) {
+	case WRAPPER_INVOKE_CMOCKA:
+		return test_realloc(ptr, size);
+	case WRAPPER_DO_ASSERTIONS:
+		check_expected_ptr(ptr);
+		check_expected(size);
+		return mock_type(void *);
+	case WRAPPER_INVOKE_REAL:
+	default:
+		return __real_realloc(ptr, size);
+	}
+}