diff --git a/bin/dev/run_tests.sh b/bin/dev/run_tests.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..d36b8bac02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/dev/run_tests.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+PHPUNIT_BIN="./vendor/bin/phpunit"
+
+if [ -z "${FRIENDICA_MYSQL_HOST}" -o -z "${FRIENDICA_MYSQL_DATABASE}" -o -z "${FRIENDICA_MYSQL_USER}" ]
+then
+	echo "$0: Please add this to your ~/.bashrc file:
+
+export FRIENDICA_MYSQL_HOST=\"localhost\"
+export FRIENDICA_MYSQL_DATABASE=\"friendica_test\"
+export FRIENDICA_MYSQL_USER=\"friendica_test\"
+export FRIENDICA_MYSQL_PASSWWORD=\"friendica_test\"
+# Optional:
+#export FRIENDICA_MYSQL_PORT=\"\"
+#export FRIENDICA_MYSQL_SOCKET=\"\"
+
+And create the user/password and database (schema). This script will map then all variables for you and call phpunit properly."
+	exit 255
+elif [ ! -e "${PHPUNIT_BIN}" ]
+then
+	echo "$0: Cannot find '${PHPUNIT_BIN}' executable."
+	exit 255
+fi
+
+export MYSQL_HOST="${FRIENDICA_MYSQL_HOST}"
+export MYSQL_DATABASE="${FRIENDICA_MYSQL_DATABASE}"
+export MYSQL_USER="${FRIENDICA_MYSQL_USER}"
+export MYSQL_PASSWORD="${FRIENDICA_MYSQL_PASSWORD}"
+export MYSQL_PORT="${FRIENDICA_MYSQL_PORT}"
+export MYSQL_SOCKET="${FRIENDICA_MYSQL_SOCKET}"
+
+echo "$0: Running unit tests ..."
+${PHPUNIT_BIN} -v tests/ > /tmp/friendica-phpunit.log 2>/dev/null
+STATUS=$?
+echo "$0: Returned status: ${STATUS}"
+exit ${STATUS}