diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 666e0f0..838cb66 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -35,8 +35,9 @@ IF(CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR STREQUAL PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR)
 	ADD_LIBRARY(SDL2pp SHARED ${LIBRARY_SOURCES})
 	TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES(SDL2pp ${SDL2_LIBRARY})
 
-	# demos
+	# demos and tests
 	ADD_SUBDIRECTORY(demos)
+	ADD_SUBDIRECTORY(tests)
 ELSE(CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR STREQUAL PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR)
 	MESSAGE(STATUS "libSDL2pp bundled build")
 
diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..65ace6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# header tests: these just include specific headers to check if
+# they are compilable (e.g., includes and forward declarations are
+# complete and do not require extra includes)
+SET(HEADER_TESTS
+	hdr_exception
+	hdr_point
+	hdr_rect
+	hdr_renderer
+	hdr_sdl
+	hdr_sdl2pp
+	hdr_texture
+	hdr_window
+)
+
+FOREACH(TEST ${HEADER_TESTS})
+	ADD_EXECUTABLE(${TEST} ${TEST}.cc)
+ENDFOREACH(TEST ${TESTS})
diff --git a/tests/hdr_exception.cc b/tests/hdr_exception.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8b21093
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hdr_exception.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#include <SDL2pp/Exception.hh>
+
+int main() {
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/tests/hdr_point.cc b/tests/hdr_point.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..462bd14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hdr_point.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#include <SDL2pp/Point.hh>
+
+int main() {
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/tests/hdr_rect.cc b/tests/hdr_rect.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5e45731
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hdr_rect.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#include <SDL2pp/Rect.hh>
+
+int main() {
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/tests/hdr_renderer.cc b/tests/hdr_renderer.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8ace592
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hdr_renderer.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#include <SDL2pp/Renderer.hh>
+
+int main() {
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/tests/hdr_sdl.cc b/tests/hdr_sdl.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7b4f35d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hdr_sdl.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#include <SDL2pp/SDL.hh>
+
+int main() {
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/tests/hdr_sdl2pp.cc b/tests/hdr_sdl2pp.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..07e8341
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hdr_sdl2pp.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#include <SDL2pp/SDL2pp.hh>
+
+int main() {
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/tests/hdr_texture.cc b/tests/hdr_texture.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a5b1573
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hdr_texture.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#include <SDL2pp/Texture.hh>
+
+int main() {
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/tests/hdr_window.cc b/tests/hdr_window.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cda49ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hdr_window.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#include <SDL2pp/Window.hh>
+
+int main() {
+	return 0;
+}