diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 14741b31c..9a0838e74 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -45,15 +45,15 @@ install:
   - git clone https://github.com/torch/luajit-rocks.git
   - pushd luajit-rocks
   - git checkout 6529891
-  - cmake . -DWITH_LUA52=ON -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=${TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR}/install
+  - cmake . -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=${TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR}/install
   - make install
   - popd
   - export PATH=$PATH:${TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR}/install/bin
   - mkdir $HOME/.luarocks
   - cp ${TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR}/install/etc/luarocks/config.lua $HOME/.luarocks/config.lua
   - echo "wrap_bin_scripts = false" >> $HOME/.luarocks/config.lua
-  - travis_retry luarocks --local install ansicolors
   - travis_retry luarocks --local install luafilesystem
+  - travis_retry luarocks --local install ansicolors
   - travis_retry luarocks --local install busted 2.0.rc11-0
   #- travis_retry luarocks --local install busted 1.11.1-1
   #- mv -f $HOME/.luarocks/bin/busted_bootstrap $HOME/.luarocks/bin/busted
@@ -62,14 +62,12 @@ install:
   - travis_retry luarocks --local install luasec OPENSSL_LIBDIR=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu
   - travis_retry luarocks --local install luacov-coveralls --server=http://rocks.moonscript.org/dev
   # add local rocks to $PATH
-  # on newer luarocks, `luarocks path --bin` would suffice because it includes the PATH now
-  - luarocks path --bin
   - eval $(luarocks path --bin)
 
 script:
   - travis_retry make fetchthirdparty
   - make all
-  - make testfront
+  - travis_retry make testfront
 
 after_success:
   - make coverage
diff --git a/kodev b/kodev
index c437bd23c..5ac86e20b 100755
--- a/kodev
+++ b/kodev
@@ -2,6 +2,15 @@
 
 CURDIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" && pwd )"
 
+function assert_return_zero {
+    if [ $1 -ne 0 ]; then
+        if [ ! -z $2 ]; then
+            echo $2
+        fi
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
 function setup_env {
     files=("./koreader-emulator-*/koreader")
     export EMU_DIR=${files[0]}
@@ -36,33 +45,43 @@ ${SUPPORTED_TARGETS}"
             ;;
         kindle)
             make TARGET=kindle
+            assert_return_zero $?
             ;;
         kobo)
             make TARGET=kobo
+            assert_return_zero $?
             ;;
         kindle-legacy)
             make TARGET=kindle-legacy
+            assert_return_zero $?
             ;;
         android)
             if [ ! -d ${CURDIR}/base/toolchain/android-toolchain ]; then
                 make android-toolchain
+                assert_return_zero $?
             fi
             make TARGET=android
+            assert_return_zero $?
             ;;
         pocketbook)
             if [ ! -d ${CURDIR}/base/toolchain/pocketbook-toolchain ]; then
                 make pocketbook-toolchain
+                assert_return_zero $?
             fi
             make TARGET=pocketbook
+            assert_return_zero $?
             ;;
         ubuntu-touch)
             make TARGET=ubuntu-touch
+            assert_return_zero $?
             ;;
         win32)
             make TARGET=win32
+            assert_return_zero $?
             ;;
         *)
             make
+            assert_return_zero $? "Failed to build emulator!"
             setup_env
             ;;
     esac
@@ -225,6 +244,34 @@ OPTIONS:
     popd
 }
 
+function kodev-test {
+    TEST_HELP_MSG="
+usage: test [front|base] <TEST_NAME>
+
+    TEST_NAME is optional. If no TEST_NAME is given, all tests will be run.
+    "
+
+    if [ $# -lt 1 ]; then
+        echo "${TEST_HELP_MSG}"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    setup_env
+    make ${EMU_DIR}/.busted
+    pushd ${EMU_DIR}
+
+    test_path=./spec/$1/unit
+
+    if [ ! -z $2 ]; then
+        test_path="${test_path}/$2"
+    fi
+    busted --exclude-tags=notest ${test_path}
+
+    popd
+}
+
+
+
 HELP_MSG="
 usage: $0 COMMAND <ARGS>
 
@@ -265,6 +312,10 @@ case $1 in
         shift 1
         kodev-run $@
         ;;
+    test)
+        shift 1
+        kodev-test $@
+        ;;
     --help | -h)
         echo "${HELP_MSG}"
         exit 0