diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index 16219b0bc..cab495a46 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ jobs:
               msgq/test_runner && \
               msgq/visionipc/test_runner"
     - name: python tests
-      run: $RUN_NAMED "${{ matrix.backend }}=1 coverage run -m unittest discover ."
+      run: $RUN_NAMED "${{ matrix.backend }}=1 coverage run -m pytest"
     - name: Upload coverage
       run: |
         docker commit msgq msgqci
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 982d8fa5b..5f533cd62 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
     zlib1g-dev \
   && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
-RUN pip3 install --break-system-packages --no-cache-dir pyyaml Cython scons pycapnp pre-commit ruff parameterized coverage numpy
+RUN pip3 install --break-system-packages --no-cache-dir pyyaml Cython scons pycapnp pre-commit ruff parameterized coverage numpy pytest pytest-xdist
 
 WORKDIR /project/msgq/
 RUN cd /tmp/ && \
diff --git a/msgq/tests/test_messaging.py b/msgq/tests/test_messaging.py
index a747708a7..cf54fa1b6 100644
--- a/msgq/tests/test_messaging.py
+++ b/msgq/tests/test_messaging.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python3
 import os
 import random
 import threading
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 73928614e..5d0f0ae3d 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ lint.flake8-implicit-str-concat.allow-multiline=false
 line-length = 160
 target-version="py311"
 
+[tool.ruff.lint.flake8-tidy-imports.banned-api]
+"pytest.main".msg = "pytest.main requires special handling that is easy to mess up!"
+"unittest".msg = "Use pytest"
+
 [mypy.tool]
 # third-party packages
 ignore_missing_imports=true
@@ -19,3 +23,11 @@ warn_unused_ignores=true
 # restrict dynamic typing
 warn_return_any=true
 check_untyped_defs=true
+
+[tool.pytest.ini_options]
+addopts = "--durations=10 -n auto"
+testpaths = [
+  "msgq/tests",
+  "msgq/visionipc/tests",
+]
+