diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 91cc1d42..003c77b7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -9,14 +9,167 @@ on:
 jobs:
   snap:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      runtime: ${{ steps.upload-runtime.outputs.artifact-id }}
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v6
+
     - name: Free disk space
       run: |
         sudo rm -rf /usr/local/lib/android
-    - uses: snapcore/action-build@v1
+
+    - name: Build SDK
+      uses: snapcore/action-build@v1
       id: snapcraft
-    - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+
+    - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v6
       with:
         name: 'snap'
         path: ${{ steps.snapcraft.outputs.snap}}
+
+    - name: Prepare runtime
+      run: |
+        set -eu
+        git clone --depth 1 --branch gnome-46-2404 https://github.com/ubuntu/gnome-sdk gnome-runtime
+        mkdir gnome-runtime/base-gnome-sdk
+        mv ${{ steps.snapcraft.outputs.snap}} gnome-runtime/base-gnome-sdk/
+        cd gnome-runtime
+        ./local-build.py --prepare-only
+
+    - name: Build runtime
+      uses: snapcore/action-build@v1
+      id: snapcraft-runtime
+      with:
+        path: gnome-runtime
+
+    - name: Delete old snap
+      run: |
+        rm -f gnome-runtime/base-gnome-sdk/*.snap
+
+    - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v6
+      id: upload-runtime
+      with:
+        name: 'snap-runtime'
+        path: ${{ steps.snapcraft-runtime.outputs.snap}}
+
+  testing:
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        # define in 'snapname' the name of each snap to test
+        snapname:
+          - cheese
+          - chromium
+          - darktable
+          - evince
+          - epiphany
+          - firefox
+          - gimp
+          - gnome-calculator
+          - gnome-system-monitor
+          - gnome-text-editor
+          - kicad
+          - mattermost-desktop
+          - shotwell
+          - telegram-desktop
+          - thunderbird
+        # here, in waittext, define the text to find for each snap
+        # more variables are:
+        # - commandname: the command to run instead of 'snap run $snapname'
+        # - timeout: the timeout to wait for the text to appear. Default is 20 seconds.
+        # - connections: an space-separated list of plugs that must be connected
+        # - enablex11: if true, will enable Xwayland
+        # - separated: if true, the words will be split and must be found each anywhere in the screen
+        include:
+          - snapname: "cheese"
+            waittext: "Take a Photo"
+          - snapname: "chromium"
+            waittext: "New Tab"
+            enablex11: "true"
+          - snapname: "darktable"
+            waittext: "darktable lighttable darkroom"
+            separated: "true"
+          - snapname: "evince"
+            waittext: "Document Viewer Open"
+          - snapname: "epiphany"
+            waittext: "Set as Default Browser"
+            enablex11: "true"
+          - snapname: "firefox"
+            waittext: "Welcome to Firefox"
+          - snapname: "gimp"
+            waittext: "Welcome to GIMP"
+          - snapname: "gnome-calculator"
+            waittext: "Basic mod"
+            separated: "true"
+          - snapname: "gnome-system-monitor"
+            waittext: "Network Resources Processes Disk Memory Swap CPU"
+            separated: "true"
+          - snapname: "gnome-text-editor"
+            waittext: "New Document"
+          - snapname: "kicad"
+            waittext: "Configure KiCad"
+            enablex11: "true"
+          - snapname: "mattermost-desktop"
+            waittext: "Mattermost"
+            separated: "true"
+            commandname: "snap run mattermost-desktop"
+            enablex11: "true"
+            connections: "login-session-observe"
+          - snapname: "shotwell"
+            waittext: "Shotwell"
+          - snapname: "telegram-desktop"
+            waittext: "Welcome to the official Telegram Desktop app"
+          - snapname: "thunderbird"
+            waittext: "Thunderbird will automatically search"
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: snap
+    steps:
+    - name: Get data
+      uses: actions/checkout@v6
+    - name: Download artifact
+      id: download-snap
+      uses: actions/download-artifact@v8
+      with:
+        artifact-ids: ${{ needs.snap.outputs.runtime }}
+    - name: Install tools
+      run: |
+        set -eu
+        sudo snap refresh
+        sudo apt update
+        # dbus-x11 is required because it contains dbus-launch!!
+        # x11-apps are required to wait for XWayland
+        sudo apt install -y \
+          dbus-daemon \
+          dconf-gsettings-backend \
+          xwayland \
+          gnome-keyring \
+          wayland-utils \
+          xdg-desktop-portal-gnome \
+          gnome-session-common \
+          gnome-settings-daemon \
+          x11-apps
+        # to be able to use Xwayland, --devmode is required
+        sudo snap install --devmode mir-test-tools
+        sudo snap install --beta yarf
+        sudo snap connect yarf:process-control
+        sudo snap install --dangerous ${{ steps.download-snap.outputs.download-path}}/*.snap
+
+# test application with the new runtime
+    - name: Test application
+      run: |
+        export TEST_SNAPNAME=${{ matrix.snapname }}
+        export TEST_WAITTEXT="${{ matrix.waittext }}"
+        export TEST_COMMAND_NAME="${{ matrix.commandname }}"
+        export TEST_DO_ENABLE_X11=${{ matrix.enablex11 }}
+        export TEST_DO_SEPARATED=${{ matrix.separated }}
+        export TEST_TIMEOUT=${{ matrix.timeout }}
+        export TEST_IFACE_CONNECTIONS=${{ matrix.connections }}
+
+        ./.github/workflows/test_script.sh
+
+    - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v6
+      id: upload-yarf-log
+      if: always()
+      with:
+        path: ~/snap/yarf/common/yarf-outdir
+        name: yarf-logs-${{ matrix.snapname }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_script.sh b/.github/workflows/test_script.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..7265a764
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_script.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -eux -o pipefail
+
+export TEST_COMMAND_NAME="${TEST_COMMAND_NAME:-snap run ${TEST_SNAPNAME}}"
+# default value for TEST_TIMEOUT: 20 seconds
+export TEST_TIMEOUT=${TEST_TIMEOUT:-20}
+
+echo Testing ${TEST_SNAPNAME} with $TEST_COMMAND_NAME and waiting for ${TEST_WAITTEXT}
+rm -rf ./testRobot
+mkdir ./testRobot
+
+TEST_ROBOT_FILE=./testRobot/app.robot
+cat > $TEST_ROBOT_FILE <<EOF
+*** Settings ***
+Resource        kvm.resource
+Library         Process
+
+*** Tasks ***
+Do test
+EOF
+if [[ "${TEST_DO_SEPARATED}" == "true" ]]; then
+    for entry in ${TEST_WAITTEXT}; do
+    echo "  Match Text    ${entry}    ${TEST_TIMEOUT}" >> ${TEST_ROBOT_FILE}
+    export TEST_TIMEOUT=""
+    done
+    echo "  Sleep    5" >> ${TEST_ROBOT_FILE}
+    for entry in ${TEST_WAITTEXT}; do
+    echo "  Match Text    ${entry}" >> ${TEST_ROBOT_FILE}
+    done
+else
+    cat >> $TEST_ROBOT_FILE <<EOF
+    Match Text    ${TEST_WAITTEXT}    ${TEST_TIMEOUT}
+    Sleep    5
+    Match Text    ${TEST_WAITTEXT}
+EOF
+fi
+cat >> $TEST_ROBOT_FILE <<EOF
+    Keys Combo    Alt_L    F4
+    [Teardown]    Run Keyword    Log Screenshot
+EOF
+
+echo "Test robot file:"
+cat ${TEST_ROBOT_FILE}
+sudo snap install ${TEST_SNAPNAME} || echo Snap already installed
+# This is needed because the gnome runtime has been installed manually with --dangerous
+sudo snap connect ${TEST_SNAPNAME}:gnome-46-2404 gnome-46-2404:gnome-46-2404
+for plug in ${TEST_IFACE_CONNECTIONS}; do
+    sudo snap connect ${TEST_SNAPNAME}:${plug}
+done
+sudo /usr/lib/snapd/snap-discard-ns ${TEST_SNAPNAME}
+echo Current connections:
+snap connections ${TEST_SNAPNAME}
+echo
+
+MYUID=$(id -u)
+export WAYLAND_DISPLAY=/run/user/${MYUID}/wayland-0
+export MIR_SERVER_ADD_WAYLAND_EXTENSIONS=zwlr_screencopy_manager_v1:zwlr_virtual_pointer_manager_v1
+export DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/${MYUID}/bus
+export LANG=en_US.UTF-8
+export XDG_CONFIG_DIRS=/etc/xdg/xdg-ubuntu:/etc/xdg
+export XDG_MENU_PREFIX=gnome-
+export XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP=ubuntu
+export XDG_SESSION_TYPE=wayland
+export XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=ubuntu:GNOME
+export XDG_SESSION_CLASS=user
+export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/${MYUID}
+export XDG_DATA_DIRS=/usr/share/ubuntu:/usr/share/gnome:/usr/local/share/:/usr/share/:/var/lib/snapd/desktop
+export GNOME_SHELL_SESSION_MODE=ubuntu
+export GNOME_SETUP_DISPLAY=:1
+
+# use only GTK portal, since mutter isn't running
+sudo sed -i -e 's/gnome;gtk;/gtk;/g' /usr/share/xdg-desktop-portal/gnome-portals.conf
+
+# this must be defined after launching the demo server; if not, it won't launch
+unset DISPLAY
+export ENABLE_X11_PROP=""
+if [[ "${TEST_DO_ENABLE_X11}" == "true" ]]; then
+    export ENABLE_X11_PROP="--enable-x11=true"
+fi
+
+# required to work in a no-DRM environment
+export XWAYLAND_NO_GLAMOR=1
+mir-test-tools.demo-server --platform-display-libs mir:virtual --virtual-output 1920x1080 ${ENABLE_X11_PROP} &  MIR_PID=$! # starts the demo Mir compositor
+
+counter=0
+until wayland-info > /dev/null || (( ${counter} > 30 )); do
+    echo waiting for mir server...
+    sleep 1
+    counter=$((counter+1))
+done
+
+if [[ "${TEST_DO_ENABLE_X11}" == "true" ]]; then
+    export DISPLAY=:0
+    counter=0
+    until (( ${counter} > 30 )); do
+        timeout 2 xclock || EXIT_CODE=$?
+        # 124 is "timeout"
+        if (( "EXIT_CODE" == "124" )); then
+            # end loop if timed out
+            echo XWayland available
+            counter=50
+        else
+            echo Waiting for XWayland to be available
+            sleep 1
+        fi
+        counter=$((counter+1))
+    done
+    unset WAYLAND_DISPLAY
+    export XDG_SESSION_TYPE=x11
+fi
+
+echo Launching ${TEST_COMMAND_NAME}
+${TEST_COMMAND_NAME} & command_pid=$!
+
+echo Launching YARF
+YARF_RETERR=0
+APP_RETERR=0
+MIR_RETERR=0
+yarf --platform Mir ./testRobot || YARF_RETERR=$?
+
+echo Journal
+journalctl --user --no-pager
+
+echo Waiting for application to die
+# wait up to 10 seconds for the snap to finish.
+timeout 10 tail --pid=${command_pid} -f /dev/null || /bin/true
+
+echo killing MIR server
+# kill DBus and MIR and wait for it to fully finish.
+kill $MIR_PID
+wait $MIR_PID
+
+echo Cleaning up
+# remove user data, just in case
+rm -rf ~/snap/${TEST_SNAPNAME}
+sudo snap remove ${TEST_SNAPNAME} || echo Failed to remove the snap
+rm -rf ./testRobot
+# only fail after cleanup
+exit ${YARF_RETERR}
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0a1edd16..90f02c01 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -27,3 +27,21 @@ Core22/Gnome-42-2204:
 Core24/Gnome-46-2404:
 
     git clone -b gnome-46-2404-sdk https://github.com/ubuntu/gnome-sdk.git gnome-46-2404-sdk
+
+## CI tests
+
+The `build.yml` CI test builds the SDK, then builds the RUNTIME from it, and finally
+tests it against a curated list of snaps. It installs the needed dependencies, connects
+the RUNTIME being tested to each snap, launches the snap itself and waits for some specific
+text to appear on the screen. When it happens, it waits five seconds and checks that the
+text is still there, to ensure that the application hasn't crashed.
+
+When adding new tests, the `local-test.py` script can be useful. It uses multipass to
+create a VM and run the test inside. To use it, first initialize the VM with
+
+    local-test.py init
+
+and then you can run the test for a specific snap by calling it with the snap name.
+For example, if you want to test `chromium`, just run
+
+    local-test.py chromium
diff --git a/local-test.py b/local-test.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..afafb896
--- /dev/null
+++ b/local-test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+import os
+import sys
+import time
+import yaml
+
+vm_name = 'local-test'
+# Ubuntu version name
+vm_version = 'noble'
+# Memory in GB
+vm_memory = 16
+# number of cores assigned to the VM
+vm_cpu_cores = 2
+# disk space for the VM in GB
+vm_disk_space = 10
+
+def run_command_inside(command):
+    print(f'Running {command}')
+    os.system(f'multipass exec {vm_name} -- {command}')
+
+def create_vm():
+    print('Creating VM')
+    # first, delete any old VM
+    os.system(f'multipass delete {vm_name}')
+    os.system(f'multipass purge')
+    time.sleep(2)
+    os.system(f'multipass launch {vm_version} -n {vm_name} -m {vm_memory}G -c {vm_cpu_cores} -d {vm_disk_space}G')
+    run_command_inside('sudo apt update')
+    run_command_inside('sudo apt dist-upgrade -y')
+    run_command_inside('mkdir -p /home/ubuntu/basedir')
+    os.system(f'multipass stop {vm_name}')
+    os.system(f'multipass mount -t native . {vm_name}:/home/ubuntu/basedir')
+    os.system(f'multipass start {vm_name}')
+
+
+if (len(sys.argv) != 2):
+    print('Usage:')
+    print('    local-test init      Initializes the VM and exits')
+    print('    local-text SNAP-NAME Tests the specified snap')
+    sys.exit(-1)
+
+if (sys.argv[1] == 'init'):
+    create_vm()
+    print('System created')
+    sys.exit(0)
+
+# load YAML test file
+
+snapName = sys.argv[1]
+
+with open('./.github/workflows/build.yml', 'r') as testFile:
+    testData = yaml.load(testFile, yaml.CLoader)
+
+job = testData['jobs']['testing']
+snapList = job['strategy']['matrix']['snapname']
+snapParams = job['strategy']['matrix']['include']
+
+if snapName not in snapList:
+    print(f'Error: the snap "{snapName}" is not in the test list')
+    sys.exit(-1)
+
+params = {}
+for param in snapParams:
+    if param['snapname'] == snapName:
+        params = param
+        break
+
+correspondences = {
+    'snapname': 'TEST_SNAPNAME',
+    'waittext': 'TEST_WAITTEXT',
+    'commandname': 'TEST_COMMAND_NAME',
+    'enablex11': 'TEST_DO_ENABLE_X11',
+    'separated': 'TEST_DO_SEPARATED',
+    'timeout': 'TEST_TIMEOUT',
+    'connections': 'TEST_IFACE_CONNECTIONS'
+}
+
+test_script_path = './test.sh'
+
+with open(test_script_path, "w") as test_script:
+    test_script.write('#!/bin/bash\n\n')
+
+    for step in job['steps']:
+        if 'run' not in step:
+            continue
+        if step['name'] == 'Test application':
+            continue
+        for line in step['run'].split('\n'):
+            if line.find('steps.download-snap.outputs.download-path') != -1:
+                continue
+            test_script.write(line + '\n')
+        test_script.write('\n')
+    for param in correspondences:
+        if param in params:
+            test_script.write(f'export {correspondences[param]}="{params[param]}"\n')
+        else:
+            test_script.write(f'export {correspondences[param]}=""\n')
+    test_script.write(f'./.github/workflows/test_script.sh\n')
+    test_script.write(f'cp -a ~/snap/yarf/common/yarf-outdir .')
+
+os.chmod(test_script_path, 0o755)
+run_command_inside(test_script_path)