diff --git a/tests/python_tests/load_map_test.py b/tests/python_tests/load_map_test.py
index 6126394d0..93195eb77 100644
--- a/tests/python_tests/load_map_test.py
+++ b/tests/python_tests/load_map_test.py
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 
 from nose.tools import *
-from mapnik import Map, load_map
 from utilities import execution_path
 
-import os, sys, glob
+import os, sys, glob, mapnik
 
 def setup():
     # All of the paths used are relative, if we run the tests
@@ -14,24 +13,24 @@ def setup():
 # We expect these files to not raise any
 # exceptions at all
 def assert_loads_successfully(file):
-    m = Map(512, 512)
+    m = mapnik.Map(512, 512)
 
     print "Loading %s" % (file)
 
     strict = True
-    load_map(m, file, strict)
+    mapnik.load_map(m, file, strict)
 
 # We expect these files to raise a UserWarning
 # and fail if there isn't one (or a different type
 # of exception)
 @raises(UserWarning)
 def assert_raises_userwarning(file):
-    m = Map(512, 512)
+    m = mapnik.Map(512, 512)
 
     print "Loading %s" % (file)
 
     strict = True
-    load_map(m, file, strict)
+    mapnik.load_map(m, file, strict)
 
 def test_broken_files():
     broken_files = glob.glob("../data/broken_maps/*.xml")
diff --git a/tests/python_tests/save_map_test.py b/tests/python_tests/save_map_test.py
index e169a02a3..f989db972 100644
--- a/tests/python_tests/save_map_test.py
+++ b/tests/python_tests/save_map_test.py
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 
-from mapnik import *
 from nose.tools import *
 from utilities import execution_path
 
-import os, sys, glob
+import os, sys, glob, mapnik
 
 def setup():
     # All of the paths used are relative, if we run the tests
@@ -17,22 +16,22 @@ def test():
     # 2. Save map as XML
     # 3. Load map to a second object
     # 4. Compare both map objects
-    map = Map(256, 256)
+    map = mapnik.Map(256, 256)
     in_map = "../data/good_maps/osm-styles.xml"
 
     print "Loading map '%s' ... " % in_map
 
-    load_map(map, in_map)
+    mapnik.load_map(map, in_map)
     test_map = "test_map.xml"
 
     print "Saving map '%s' ... " % test_map
 
-    save_map(map, test_map)
-    new_map = Map(256, 256)
+    mapnik.save_map(map, test_map)
+    new_map = mapnik.Map(256, 256)
 
     print "Reloading map '%s' ... " % test_map
 
-    load_map(new_map, test_map)
+    mapnik.load_map(new_map, test_map)
 
     if os.path.exists(test_map):
         print "Removing '%s'" % test_map
diff --git a/tests/run_tests.py b/tests/run_tests.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..741384ffd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/run_tests.py
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+import nose, sys, os, getopt
+
+def usage():
+    print "test.py -h | --help"
+    print "test.py [-q | -v] [-p | --prefix <path>]"
+
+def main():
+    try:
+        opts, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:], "hvqp:", ["help", "prefix="])
+    except getopt.GetoptError, err:
+        print str(err)
+        usage()
+        sys.exit(2)
+
+    prefix = None
+    verbose = False
+    quiet = False
+
+    for o, a in opts:
+        if o == "-q":
+            quiet = True
+        elif o == "-v":
+            verbose = True
+        elif o in ("-h", "--help"):
+            usage()
+            sys.exit()
+        elif o in ("-p", "--prefix"):
+            prefix = a
+        else:
+            assert False, "unhandled option"
+   
+    if quiet and verbose:
+        usage()
+        sys.exit(2)
+ 
+    if prefix:
+        # Allow python to find libraries for testing on the buildbot
+        sys.path.insert(0, os.path.join(prefix, "lib/python%s/site-packages" % sys.version[:3]))
+
+    import mapnik
+
+    if not quiet:
+        print "- mapnik path: %s" % mapnik.__file__
+        print "- _mapnik.so path: %s" % mapnik._mapnik.__file__
+        print "- Input plugins path: %s" % mapnik.inputpluginspath
+        print "- Font path: %s" % mapnik.fontscollectionpath
+        print
+        print "- Running nosetests:"
+        print
+
+    argv = [__file__, '--exe']
+
+    if not quiet:
+        argv.append('-v')
+
+    if verbose:
+        argv.append('-v')
+        argv.append('-v')
+
+    nose.run(argv=argv)
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()