diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 4fbe112..9e530e9 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ install:
 script:
   - ./itests/install-chronos.sh
   - ./itests/start-chronos.sh
-  - make itests
+  - make test && make itests
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1399e77..1cfb509 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+.PHONY: test
+test:
+	tox
+
 .PHONY: itests
 itests:
 	tox -e itests
diff --git a/tests/test_chronos_init.py b/tests/test_chronos_init.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..85d5113
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_chronos_init.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import json
+
+import mock
+
+import chronos
+
+
+def test_check_accepts_json():
+    client = chronos.ChronosClient(hostname="localhost")
+    fake_response = mock.Mock()
+    fake_response.status = 200
+    fake_content = '{ "foo": "bar" }'
+    actual = client._check(fake_response, fake_content)
+    assert actual == json.loads(fake_content)
+
+
+def test_check_returns_raw_response_when_not_json():
+    client = chronos.ChronosClient(hostname="localhost")
+    fake_response = mock.Mock()
+    fake_response.status = 401
+    fake_content = 'UNAUTHORIZED'
+    actual = client._check(fake_response, fake_content)
+    assert actual == fake_content
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 16eee32..aa87623 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -4,6 +4,24 @@ usedevelop=True
 basepython = python2.7
 envlist = py
 
+
+[flake8]
+max-line-length = 120
+
+
+[testenv:py]
+basepython = python2.7
+deps =
+    -rrequirements.txt
+    pep8==1.5.7
+    flake8
+    pytest
+    mock
+commands =
+    flake8 chronos tests
+    py.test -s {posargs:tests}
+
+
 [testenv:itests]
 passenv = TRAVIS
 basepython = python2.7