diff --git a/tests/main.py b/tests/main.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4bc1849bda
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/main.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import _pytest
+if not hasattr(_pytest, '__file__'):
+    import os
+    import _pytest._pluggy
+    import py
+
+    _pytest.__file__ = os.getcwd()
+    _pytest._pluggy.__file__ = os.getcwd()
+    py.__file__ = os.getcwd()
+
+import pytest
+
+pytest.main()
diff --git a/tests/requirements.txt b/tests/requirements.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b5c81dac66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/requirements.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+pytest
+--pre --extra-index-url https://archive.panda3d.org/branches/deploy-ng
+panda3d
diff --git a/tests/setup.py b/tests/setup.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cdbea42587
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/setup.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+from setuptools import setup
+import pytest
+
+setup(
+    name="panda3d-tester",
+    options = {
+        'build_apps': {
+            'gui_apps': {
+                'tester': 'main.py',
+            },
+            'plugins': [
+                'pandagl',
+                'p3openal_audio',
+            ],
+            'include_modules': {
+                '*': [
+                    'pkg_resources.*.*',
+                    # TODO why does the above not get these modules too?
+                    'pkg_resources._vendor.packaging.*',
+                    'pkg_resources._vendor.packaging.version',
+                    'pkg_resources._vendor.packaging.specifiers',
+                    'pkg_resources._vendor.packaging.requirements',
+                ] + pytest.freeze_includes(),
+            },
+            'deploy_platforms': [
+                'manylinux1_x86_64',
+                'macosx_10_6_x86_64',
+                'win32',
+                'win_amd64',
+            ],
+        }
+    }
+)