diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e43b0f9..8687e41 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1 +1,4 @@
 .DS_Store
+
+# build artifacts from `make build`
+build/
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..75144fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# distribution — build/test gate.
+#
+# The sx compiler lives in a separate repo; locate it via SX (overridable):
+#   make build SX=/path/to/sx
+SX ?= /Users/agra/projects/sx/zig-out/bin/sx
+
+BUILD_DIR := build
+
+# Programs compiled by `make build`. Currently just the smoke program;
+# product entry points under src/ get added here as they land (P1.2+).
+SMOKE := tests/smoke.sx
+
+.PHONY: build test publish-example clean
+
+# Compile the smoke program (and, later, product sources) without running.
+build:
+	@mkdir -p $(BUILD_DIR)
+	$(SX) build -o $(BUILD_DIR)/smoke $(SMOKE)
+
+# Run the test runner over every tests/**/*.sx. Exits non-zero on any failure.
+test:
+	@SX="$(SX)" ./tests/run.sh
+
+# Placeholder for the end-to-end publish flow — becomes real in P3.4.
+publish-example:
+	@echo "publish-example: not implemented yet (becomes real in P3.4)"
+
+clean:
+	@rm -rf $(BUILD_DIR)
diff --git a/examples/.gitkeep b/examples/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/src/.gitkeep b/src/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/src/infra/.gitkeep b/src/infra/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/tests/run.sh b/tests/run.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..dabb2de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/run.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+# Test runner — discovers every tests/**/*.sx, runs each via `$SX run`, and
+# reports per-test ok/FAIL. Exits 0 only when every test passes.
+#
+# A test passes iff `$SX run <file>` exits 0 (compile failures count as a
+# failure too). Each test program asserts its own invariants — e.g. via
+# process.assert — and exits non-zero on failure.
+#
+# Locate the compiler via SX (overridable); defaults to the sibling sx repo.
+set -u
+
+SX="${SX:-/Users/agra/projects/sx/zig-out/bin/sx}"
+TESTS_DIR=$(CDPATH= cd -- "$(dirname -- "$0")" && pwd)
+
+pass=0
+fail=0
+
+# Test filenames follow the no-spaces convention, so word-splitting the
+# sorted find output is safe and keeps the loop in the current shell (so the
+# pass/fail counters survive).
+for t in $(find "$TESTS_DIR" -name '*.sx' -type f | sort); do
+    name=${t#"$TESTS_DIR"/}
+    if "$SX" run "$t" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        printf '  %-44s ok\n' "$name"
+        pass=$((pass + 1))
+    else
+        printf '  %-44s FAIL\n' "$name"
+        fail=$((fail + 1))
+    fi
+done
+
+total=$((pass + fail))
+if [ "$total" -eq 0 ]; then
+    echo "no tests found under $TESTS_DIR" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "------------------------------------------------"
+printf 'tests: %d   pass: %d   fail: %d\n' "$total" "$pass" "$fail"
+
+[ "$fail" -eq 0 ]
diff --git a/tests/smoke.sx b/tests/smoke.sx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9b4d4b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/smoke.sx
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+// Smoke test: proves the sx toolchain is wired end-to-end from this repo —
+// the standard library import resolves, the program runs, and it exits 0.
+// The runner (tests/run.sh) treats a clean exit as `ok`.
+#import "modules/std.sx";
+
+main :: () -> s32 {
+    print("distribution smoke test: toolchain ok\n");
+    return 0;
+}