diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests-minimal.yml b/.github/workflows/tests-minimal.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a4ae3a5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests-minimal.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+name: Tests minimal
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [ main ]
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [ main ]
+
+jobs:
+    tests:
+      name: Minimal test suite
+      runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+      steps:
+        - name: Checkout code
+          uses: actions/checkout@v2
+          with:
+            submodules: recursive
+        - name: Set system to non-interactive mode
+          run: export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
+        - name: install dependencies
+          run: |
+            sudo apt-get install -y --force-yes -qq build-essential
+        - name: build and install
+          run: |
+            mkdir -p build
+            cd build
+            cmake -DPORTS_OF_CALL_BUILD_TESTING=ON ..
+            make -j
+            make test
diff --git a/spack-repo/packages/ports-of-call/package.py b/spack-repo/packages/ports-of-call/package.py
index c2bba612..d4c89053 100644
--- a/spack-repo/packages/ports-of-call/package.py
+++ b/spack-repo/packages/ports-of-call/package.py
@@ -41,11 +41,15 @@ class PortsOfCall(CMakePackage):
         default="None",
         when="@:1.2.0",
     )
+    variant("test", default=False, description="Build tests")
 
     depends_on("cmake@3.12:")
+    depends_on("catch2@3.0.1:", when"+test")
 
     def cmake_args(self):
-        args = []
+        args = [
+            self.define_from_variant("PORTS_OF_CALL_BUILD_TESTING", "test"),
+        ]
         if self.spec.satisfies("@:1.2.0"):
             args.append(self.define_from_variant("PORTABILITY_STRATEGY", "portability_strategy"))
         return args