diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index faee0c43..3ecdfae2 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 /luals-out/
 /luals/
+/plenary.nvim/
 # backup vim files
 *~
diff --git a/.luarc.json b/.luarc.json
index bb0a84b9..1cef7a9b 100644
--- a/.luarc.json
+++ b/.luarc.json
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
   "workspace": {
     "library": [
       "$VIMRUNTIME/lua/vim",
-      "${3rd}/luv/library"
+      "${3rd}/luv/library",
+      "plenary.nvim"
     ]
   },
   "diagnostics": {
diff --git a/scripts/test.sh b/scripts/test.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..9c2b18db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/test.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+set -e
+
+# TODO add ability for user to specify a test file or directory
+
+REPO_DIR="$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)"
+PLENARY_DIR="${REPO_DIR}/plenary.nvim"
+
+nvim --headless \
+	--clean \
+	--noplugin \
+	-c "set runtimepath+=${PLENARY_DIR}" \
+	-c "lua require('plenary.test_harness').test_directory('tests/', { minimal_init = './tests/minimal_init.lua' })" \
+	-c "qa!"
+
diff --git a/tests/minimal_init.lua b/tests/minimal_init.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0678145c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/minimal_init.lua
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+-- this file is necessary for the minimal_init option which directs the spawned nvim test instances be run with --noplugin
diff --git a/tests/unit/utils_spec.lua b/tests/unit/utils_spec.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..51fb50d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/utils_spec.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+---@type Luassert
+local assert = require("luassert")
+
+local utils = require("nvim-tree.utils")
+
+describe("utils.path_add_trailing", function()
+  before_each(function()
+  end)
+
+  it("trailing added", function()
+    assert.equals(utils.path_add_trailing("foo"), "foo/")
+  end)
+
+  it("trailing already present", function()
+    assert.equals(utils.path_add_trailing("foo/"), "foo/")
+  end)
+end)