diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 48fc8a1..032b9cf 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -20,3 +20,5 @@
 
 core
 core.*
+
+osmoappdesc.pyc
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 2c080ed..e23a40f 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -1,3 +1,16 @@
 AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = foreign dist-bzip2 1.6
 
 SUBDIRS = src examples
+EXTRA_DIST = osmoappdesc.py
+
+if ENABLE_VTY_TESTS
+python-tests: $(BUILT_SOURCES)
+	osmotestvty.py -p $(top_srcdir) -w $(builddir) -v
+	osmotestconfig.py -p $(top_srcdir) -w $(builddir) -v
+else
+python-tests: $(BUILT_SOURCES)
+	@echo "Not running python-based tests (determined at configure-time)"
+endif
+
+check-local: $(BUILT_SOURCES)
+	$(MAKE) $(AM_MAKEFLAGS) python-tests
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index f4b1d07..dfe98a8 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -42,6 +42,21 @@
 AC_MSG_RESULT([$enable_sysmocom_dsp])
 AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_SYSMODSP, test "x$enable_sysmocom_dsp" = "xyes")
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([vty_tests],
+		AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-vty-tests],
+				[Include the VTY tests in make check [default=yes]]),
+		[enable_vty_tests="$enableval"],[enable_vty_tests="yes"])
+if test "x$enable_vty_tests" = "xyes" ; then
+	AM_PATH_PYTHON
+	AC_CHECK_PROG(OSMOTESTVTY_CHECK,osmotestvty.py,yes)
+	 if test "x$OSMOTESTVTY_CHECK" != "xyes" ; then
+		AC_MSG_ERROR([Please install osmocom-python to run the vty tests.])
+	fi
+fi
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether to enable VTY tests])
+AC_MSG_RESULT([$enable_vty_tests])
+AM_CONDITIONAL(ENABLE_VTY_TESTS, test "x$enable_vty_tests" = "xyes")
+
 AC_OUTPUT(
     src/Makefile
     examples/Makefile
diff --git a/osmoappdesc.py b/osmoappdesc.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b202dc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/osmoappdesc.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# (C) 2013 by Katerina Barone-Adesi <kat.obsc@gmail.com>
+# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+app_configs = {
+    "osmo-pcu": ["examples/osmo-pcu.cfg"]
+}
+
+apps = [(4240, "src/osmo-pcu", "Osmo-PCU", "osmo-pcu"),
+        ]
+
+vty_command = ["src/osmo-pcu", "-c", "examples/osmo-pcu.cfg"]
+
+vty_app = apps[0]