diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index e02ee8c1..886ea772 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -18,10 +18,12 @@ python:
   - 3.6
 
 install:
-  - pip install -U tox-travis
-  - pip install -U pip setuptools setuptools_scm wheel
-  - pip install -U nose -rrequirements.txt
+  - pip install -U tox-travis coveralls pip setuptools wheel
+  - pip install -r requirements_dev.txt
   - python setup.py build_ext --inplace
 
 script:
   - tox
+
+after_success:
+  - coveralls
diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index cf3d2b06..1872d15d 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -12,3 +12,6 @@ codecs for use in data storage and communication applications.
 
 .. image:: https://ci.appveyor.com/api/projects/status/r35av34952d9fcyn?svg=true
     :target: https://ci.appveyor.com/project/alimanfoo/numcodecs
+
+.. image:: https://coveralls.io/repos/github/alimanfoo/numcodecs/badge.svg?branch=master
+    :target: https://coveralls.io/github/alimanfoo/numcodecs?branch=master
diff --git a/appveyor.yml b/appveyor.yml
index 77a4e453..3bbc3630 100644
--- a/appveyor.yml
+++ b/appveyor.yml
@@ -41,10 +41,8 @@ install:
 build: off
 
 test_script:
-  - "%CMD_IN_ENV% python -m pip install -U pip"
-  - "%CMD_IN_ENV% python -m pip install -U setuptools wheel"
-  - "%CMD_IN_ENV% python -m pip install -rrequirements_test.txt"
-  - "%CMD_IN_ENV% python -m pip install -rrequirements.txt"
+  - "%CMD_IN_ENV% python -m pip install -U pip setuptools wheel"
+  - "%CMD_IN_ENV% python -m pip install -rrequirements_dev.txt"
   - "%CMD_IN_ENV% python setup.py build_ext --inplace"
   - "%CMD_IN_ENV% python -m nose -v"
 
diff --git a/numcodecs/tests/test_msgpacks.py b/numcodecs/tests/test_msgpacks.py
index 1c5672d2..05b802bc 100644
--- a/numcodecs/tests/test_msgpacks.py
+++ b/numcodecs/tests/test_msgpacks.py
@@ -2,15 +2,9 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function, division
 
 
-import nose
 import numpy as np
 from numpy.testing import assert_raises
-
-try:
-    from numcodecs.msgpacks import MsgPack
-except ImportError:
-    raise nose.SkipTest("no msgpack installed")
-
+from numcodecs.msgpacks import MsgPack
 from numcodecs.tests.common import (check_config, check_repr,
                                     check_encode_decode_objects)
 
diff --git a/requirements_dev.txt b/requirements_dev.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c1796daa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/requirements_dev.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# pinned dependencies for the development and CI environment
+appdirs
+args==0.1.0
+clint==0.5.1
+coverage==4.3.4
+Cython==0.25.2
+fasteners==0.14.1
+flake8==3.3.0
+mccabe==0.6.1
+monotonic==1.2
+msgpack-python==0.4.8
+nose==1.3.7
+numpy==1.12.0
+packaging
+pkginfo==1.4.1
+pluggy==0.4.0
+py==1.4.32
+pycodestyle==2.3.1
+pyflakes==1.5.0
+pyparsing==2.1.10
+requests==2.13.0
+requests-toolbelt==0.7.1
+setuptools-scm==1.15.0
+six
+tox==2.6.0
+twine==1.8.1
+virtualenv==15.1.0
diff --git a/requirements_test.txt b/requirements_test.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index ecb06381..00000000
--- a/requirements_test.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-setuptools
-setuptools_scm
-cython
-tox
-nose
-coverage
-flake8
-twine
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index c862801f..7bf30b5e 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@ setenv =
 commands =
     py27: pip install -U backports.lzma
     python setup.py build_ext --inplace
-    py27,py34,py35: nosetests -v numcodecs
+    py27,py34,py35: nosetests -v numcodecs --with-coverage --cover-erase --cover-package=numcodecs
     py36: nosetests -v --with-coverage --cover-erase --cover-package=numcodecs --with-doctest --doctest-options=+NORMALIZE_WHITESPACE numcodecs
     py36: flake8 --max-line-length=100 numcodecs
     python setup.py bdist_wheel
+    coverage report -m
 deps =
-    -rrequirements_test.txt
-    -rrequirements.txt
+    -rrequirements_dev.txt
 
 [testenv:docs]
 basepython = python2.7