diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5b4f67b..be9576b 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ pip-log.txt
 pip-delete-this-directory.txt
 
 # Unit test / coverage reports
+.testrepository/
 .tox/
 .coverage
 .cache
diff --git a/.testr.conf b/.testr.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d3026e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.testr.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+[DEFAULT]
+test_command=OS_STDOUT_CAPTURE=${OS_STDOUT_CAPTURE:-1} \
+             OS_STDERR_CAPTURE=${OS_STDERR_CAPTURE:-1} \
+             OS_TEST_TIMEOUT=${OS_TEST_TIMEOUT:-160} \
+             ${PYTHON:-python} -m subunit.run discover -t ./ ./tests $LISTOPT $IDOPTION
+
+test_id_option=--load-list $IDFILE
+test_list_option=--list
diff --git a/git-upstream b/git-upstream
index 909245d..a22d2d2 100755
--- a/git-upstream
+++ b/git-upstream
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 #
 
 from git_upstream.main import main
-from sys import argv
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    main(argv)
+    return(main())
diff --git a/git_upstream/commands/supersede.py b/git_upstream/commands/supersede.py
index c257449..1d449aa 100644
--- a/git_upstream/commands/supersede.py
+++ b/git_upstream/commands/supersede.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 from git_upstream.errors import GitUpstreamError
 from git_upstream.log import LogDedentMixin
+from git_upstream.lib import note
 from git_upstream.lib.utils import GitMixin
 from git_upstream.lib.searchers import CommitMessageSearcher
 from git_upstream import subcommand, log
diff --git a/git_upstream/main.py b/git_upstream/main.py
index a484b3a..fe607bb 100644
--- a/git_upstream/main.py
+++ b/git_upstream/main.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ from git_upstream.errors import GitUpstreamError
 import git_upstream.log as log
 import git_upstream.version
 from git_upstream.lib import utils
+from git_upstream.lib import note
 
 import subcommand
 import argparse
@@ -97,11 +98,11 @@ def help(parser, args, commands=None):
         parser.print_help()
 
 
-def main(argv):
+def main():
     (cmds, parser) = get_parser()
 
-    if not argv:
-        help(parser, argv)
+    if not sys.argv:
+        help(parser, sys.argv)
         return 0
 
     if argparse_loaded:
diff --git a/tests/base.py b/tests/base.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..60e7350
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/base.py
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+# Copyright 2010-2011 OpenStack Foundation
+# Copyright (c) 2013 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+# not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+# a copy of the License at
+#
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+import os
+
+import git
+import fixtures
+import testtools
+
+
+class DiveDir(fixtures.Fixture):
+    """Dive into given directory and return back on cleanup.
+
+    :ivar path: The target directory.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, path):
+        self.path = path
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(DiveDir, self).setUp()
+        self.addCleanup(os.chdir, os.getcwd())
+        os.chdir(self.path)
+
+
+class GitRepo(fixtures.Fixture):
+    """Create a copy git repo in which to operate."""
+
+    def __init__(self, repo):
+        self.repo = repo
+        self.path = ''
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(GitRepo, self).setUp()
+        tempdir = fixtures.TempDir()
+        self.addCleanup(tempdir.cleanUp)
+        tempdir.setUp()
+        self.path = os.path.join(tempdir.path, 'git')
+        self.repo.clone(self.path)
+
+
+class BaseTestCase(testtools.TestCase):
+    """Base Test Case for all tests."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(BaseTestCase, self).setUp()
+        
+        repo_path = self.useFixture(GitRepo(git.Repo('.'))).path
+        self.useFixture(DiveDir(repo_path))
+        repo = git.Repo('.')
+        repo.git.config('user.email', 'user@example.com')
+        repo.git.config('user.name', 'Example User')
diff --git a/tests/test_drop.py b/tests/test_drop.py
index 7eccff4..447c0ea 100644
--- a/tests/test_drop.py
+++ b/tests/test_drop.py
@@ -9,13 +9,14 @@
 #
 
 """Tests the drop module"""
-import testtools
+from tests import base
+
 from git_upstream.commands import drop as d
 from git import repo as r
 from git import GitCommandError
 
 
-class TestDrop(testtools.TestCase):
+class TestDrop(base.BaseTestCase):
     """Test case for Drop class"""
 
     first_commit = "bd6b9eefe961abe8c15cb5dc6905b92e14714a4e"
diff --git a/tests/test_supersede.py b/tests/test_supersede.py
index 25301af..8323b99 100644
--- a/tests/test_supersede.py
+++ b/tests/test_supersede.py
@@ -10,13 +10,14 @@
 
 """Tests the supersede module"""
 
-import testtools
+from tests import base
+
 from git_upstream.commands import supersede as s
 from git import repo as r
 from git import GitCommandError
 
 
-class TestSupersede(testtools.TestCase):
+class TestSupersede(base.BaseTestCase):
     """Test case for Supersede class"""
 
     first_commit = "bd6b9eefe961abe8c15cb5dc6905b92e14714a4e"
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ class TestSupersede(testtools.TestCase):
     second_change_ids = ("Iebd1f5aa789dcd9574a00bb8837e4596bf55fa88",
                          "I4ab003213c40b0375283a15e2967d11e0351feb1")
     invalid_change_ids = ("this_is_an_invalid_change_id",)
+
     change_ids_branch = "master"
     invalid_change_ids_branch = "this_is_an_invalid_change_ids_branch"
     note_ref = 'refs/notes/upstream-merge'