diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/checks.yml b/.gitea/workflows/checks.yml
index f76c69f..1553bb7 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/checks.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/checks.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 name: checks
 on:
+  # XXX only run for pushes to main, or for pr
   - push
   - pull_request
 
@@ -16,3 +17,28 @@ jobs:
           github-server-url: "https://code.communitymedia.network"
       - name: rustfmt
         run: cargo fmt --check
+  build:
+    runs_on: "alpine_amd64"
+    container:
+      # TODO use communitymedia docker registry
+      image: "cascode/aural-isle-ci:0"
+    name: format
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        with:
+          github-server-url: "https://code.communitymedia.network"
+      - name: build
+        run: cargo build
+  # TODO(cascode) cache builds for test stage
+  test:
+    runs_on: "alpine_amd64"
+    container:
+      # TODO use communitymedia docker registry
+      image: "cascode/aural-isle-ci:0"
+    name: format
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        with:
+          github-server-url: "https://code.communitymedia.network"
+      - name: run unit tests
+        run: cargo test