diff --git a/hacking/nix/scope/default.nix b/hacking/nix/scope/default.nix
index 5c093a23f..8b9af45f5 100644
--- a/hacking/nix/scope/default.nix
+++ b/hacking/nix/scope/default.nix
@@ -197,6 +197,21 @@ superCallPackage ../rust-utils {} self //
   shellForMakefile = callPackage ./shell-for-makefile.nix {};
   shellForHacking = callPackage ./shell-for-hacking.nix {};
 
+  ### unit tests
+
+  someUnitTests = buildCratesInLayers {
+    name = "some-unit-tests";
+    test = true;
+    rootCrates = with crates; [
+      sel4-bitfield-ops
+      sel4-kernel-loader-embed-page-tables
+      sel4-backtrace-types
+    ];
+    features = [
+      "sel4-backtrace-types/full"
+    ];
+  };
+
   ### kernel
 
   mkSeL4 = callPackage ./sel4 {};
diff --git a/hacking/nix/top-level/default.nix b/hacking/nix/top-level/default.nix
index b344e3f17..f09e2e99f 100644
--- a/hacking/nix/top-level/default.nix
+++ b/hacking/nix/top-level/default.nix
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ in {
       map (instance: instance.links) world.instances.all
     ))
 
+    pkgs.build.this.someUnitTests
+
     someConfigurationBuildTests
 
     sel4testInstancesList