diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml
index 509a889..deea11e 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ jobs:
       - run: tar x -C /usr/local -f zig-linux-${ARCH}-${ZIG_VERSION}.tar.xz
       - run: ln -s /usr/local/zig-linux-${ARCH}-${ZIG_VERSION}/zig /usr/local/bin/zig
       - run: apt update && apt install --no-install-recommends git
-      - run: (cd codegen && zig build test)
       - run: zig build test
       - run: zig build -Dtarget=arm-linux
       - run: zig build -Dtarget=x86_64-windows
diff --git a/build.zig b/build.zig
index 57447c9..627dfae 100644
--- a/build.zig
+++ b/build.zig
@@ -58,6 +58,22 @@ pub fn build(b: *Builder) !void {
     const run_step = b.step("run", "Run the app");
     run_step.dependOn(&run_cmd.step);
 
+    // Creates a step for unit testing. This only builds the test executable
+    // but does not run it.
+    const unit_tests = b.addTest(.{
+        .root_source_file = .{ .path = "src/main.zig" },
+        .target = target,
+        .optimize = optimize,
+    });
+
+    const run_unit_tests = b.addRunArtifact(unit_tests);
+
+    // Similar to creating the run step earlier, this exposes a `test` step to
+    // the `zig build --help` menu, providing a way for the user to request
+    // running the unit tests.
+    const test_step = b.step("test", "Run unit tests");
+    test_step.dependOn(&run_unit_tests.step);
+
     {
         const cg = b.step("gen", "Generate zig service code from smithy models");
 
@@ -101,6 +117,7 @@ pub fn build(b: *Builder) !void {
 
         cg.dependOn(&cg_cmd.step);
         exe.step.dependOn(cg);
+        unit_tests.step.dependOn(cg);
     }
 
     b.installArtifact(exe);