diff --git a/tasks/calamari_nosetests.py b/tasks/calamari_nosetests.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5c5b15dbecb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/calamari_nosetests.py
@@ -0,0 +1,281 @@
+import contextlib
+import logging
+import os
+import textwrap
+import yaml
+
+from teuthology import contextutil
+from teuthology import misc
+from teuthology import packaging
+from teuthology.orchestra import run
+
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+# extra stuff we need to do our job here
+EXTRA_PKGS = [
+    'git',
+]
+
+# stuff that would be in a devmode install, but should be
+# installed in the system for running nosetests against
+# a production install.
+EXTRA_NOSETEST_PKGS = [
+    'python-psutil',
+    'python-mock',
+]
+
+
+def find_client0(cluster):
+    ''' Find remote that has client.0 role, or None '''
+    for rem, roles in cluster.remotes.iteritems():
+        if 'client.0' in roles:
+            return rem
+    return None
+
+
+def pip(remote, package, venv=None, uninstall=False, force=False):
+    ''' {un}install a package with pip, possibly in a virtualenv '''
+    if venv:
+        pip = os.path.join(venv, 'bin', 'pip')
+        args = ['sudo', pip]
+    else:
+        args = ['sudo', 'pip']
+
+    if uninstall:
+        args.extend(['uninstall', '-y'])
+    else:
+        args.append('install')
+        if force:
+            args.append('-I')
+
+    args.append(package)
+    remote.run(args=args)
+
+
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def install_epel(remote):
+    ''' install a disabled-by-default epel repo config file '''
+    remove = False
+    try:
+        if remote.os.package_type == 'deb':
+            yield
+        else:
+            remove = True
+            distromajor = remote.os.version.split('.')[0]
+
+            repofiledata = textwrap.dedent('''
+                [epel]
+                name=epel{version}
+                metalink=http://mirrors.fedoraproject.org/metalink?repo=epel-{version}&arch=$basearch
+                enabled=0
+                gpgcheck=0
+            ''').format(version=distromajor)
+
+            misc.create_file(remote, '/etc/yum.repos.d/epel.repo',
+                             data=repofiledata, sudo=True)
+            remote.run(args='sudo yum clean all')
+            yield
+
+    finally:
+        if remove:
+            misc.delete_file(remote, '/etc/yum.repos.d/epel.repo', sudo=True)
+
+
+def enable_epel(remote, enable=True):
+    ''' enable/disable the epel repo '''
+    args = 'sudo sed -i'.split()
+    if enable:
+        args.extend(['s/enabled=0/enabled=1/'])
+    else:
+        args.extend(['s/enabled=1/enabled=0/'])
+    args.extend(['/etc/yum.repos.d/epel.repo'])
+
+    remote.run(args=args)
+    remote.run(args='sudo yum clean all')
+
+
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def install_extra_pkgs(client):
+    ''' Install EXTRA_PKGS '''
+    try:
+        for pkg in EXTRA_PKGS:
+            packaging.install_package(pkg, client)
+        yield
+
+    finally:
+        for pkg in EXTRA_PKGS:
+            packaging.remove_package(pkg, client)
+
+
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def clone_calamari(config, client):
+    ''' clone calamari source into current directory on remote '''
+    branch = config.get('calamari_branch', 'master')
+    url = config.get('calamari_giturl', 'git://github.com/ceph/calamari')
+    try:
+        cmd = 'git clone -b {branch} {giturl}'.format(
+            branch=branch, giturl=url
+        )
+        client.run(args=cmd)
+        yield
+    finally:
+        # sudo python setup.py develop may have left some root files around
+        client.run(args='sudo rm -rf calamari')
+
+
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def write_info_yaml(cluster, client):
+    ''' write info.yaml to client for nosetests '''
+    try:
+        info = {
+            'cluster': {
+                rem.name: {'roles': roles}
+                for rem, roles in cluster.remotes.iteritems()
+            }
+        }
+        misc.create_file(client, 'calamari/info.yaml',
+                         data=yaml.safe_dump(info, default_flow_style=False))
+        yield
+    finally:
+        misc.delete_file(client, 'calamari/info.yaml')
+
+
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def write_test_conf(client):
+    ''' write calamari/tests/test.conf to client for nosetests '''
+    try:
+        testconf = textwrap.dedent('''
+            [testing]
+
+            calamari_control = external
+            ceph_control = external
+            bootstrap = False
+            api_username = admin
+            api_password = admin
+            embedded_timeout_factor = 1
+            external_timeout_factor = 3
+            external_cluster_path = info.yaml
+        ''')
+        misc.create_file(client, 'calamari/tests/test.conf', data=testconf)
+        yield
+
+    finally:
+        misc.delete_file(client, 'calamari/tests/test.conf')
+
+
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def prepare_nosetest_env(client):
+    try:
+        # extra dependencies that would be in the devmode venv
+        if client.os.package_type == 'rpm':
+            enable_epel(client, enable=True)
+        for package in EXTRA_NOSETEST_PKGS:
+            packaging.install_package(package, client)
+        if client.os.package_type == 'rpm':
+            enable_epel(client, enable=False)
+
+        # install nose itself into the calamari venv, force it in case it's
+        # already installed in the system, so we can invoke it by path without
+        # fear that it's not present
+        pip(client, 'nose', venv='/opt/calamari/venv', force=True)
+
+        # install a later version of requests into the venv as well
+        # (for precise)
+        pip(client, 'requests', venv='/opt/calamari/venv', force=True)
+
+        # link (setup.py develop) calamari/rest-api into the production venv
+        # because production does not include calamari_rest.management, needed
+        # for test_rest_api.py's ApiIntrospection
+        args = 'cd calamari/rest-api'.split() + [run.Raw(';')] + \
+               'sudo /opt/calamari/venv/bin/python setup.py develop'.split()
+        client.run(args=args)
+
+        # because, at least in Python 2.6/Centos, site.py uses
+        # 'os.path.exists()' to process .pth file entries, and exists() uses
+        # access(2) to check for existence, all the paths leading up to
+        # $HOME/calamari/rest-api need to be searchable by all users of
+        # the package, which will include the WSGI/Django app, running
+        # as the Apache user.  So make them all world-read-and-execute.
+        args = 'sudo chmod a+x'.split() + \
+            ['.', './calamari', './calamari/rest-api']
+        client.run(args=args)
+
+        # make one dummy request just to get the WSGI app to do
+        # all its log creation here, before the chmod below (I'm
+        # looking at you, graphite -- /var/log/calamari/info.log and
+        # /var/log/calamari/exception.log)
+        client.run(args='wget -q -O /dev/null http://localhost')
+
+        # /var/log/calamari/* is root-or-apache write-only
+        client.run(args='sudo chmod a+w /var/log/calamari/*')
+
+        yield
+
+    finally:
+        args = 'cd calamari/rest-api'.split() + [run.Raw(';')] + \
+               'sudo /opt/calamari/venv/bin/python setup.py develop -u'.split()
+        client.run(args=args)
+        for pkg in ('nose', 'requests'):
+            pip(client, pkg, venv='/opt/calamari/venv', uninstall=True)
+        for package in EXTRA_NOSETEST_PKGS:
+            packaging.remove_package(package, client)
+
+
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def run_nosetests(client):
+    ''' Actually run the tests '''
+    args = [
+        'cd',
+        'calamari',
+        run.Raw(';'),
+        'CALAMARI_CONFIG=/etc/calamari/calamari.conf',
+        '/opt/calamari/venv/bin/nosetests',
+        '-v',
+        'tests/',
+    ]
+    client.run(args=args)
+    yield
+
+
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def task(ctx, config):
+    """
+    Run Calamari tests against an instance set up by 'calamari_server'.
+
+    -- clone the Calamari source into $HOME (see options)
+    -- write calamari/info.yaml describing the cluster
+    -- write calamari/tests/test.conf containing
+        'external' for calamari_control and ceph_control
+        'bootstrap = False' to disable test bootstrapping (installing minions)
+        no api_url necessary (inferred from client.0)
+        'external_cluster_path = info.yaml'
+    -- modify the production Calamari install to allow test runs:
+        install nose in the venv
+        install EXTRA_NOSETEST_PKGS
+        link in, with setup.py develop, calamari_rest (for ApiIntrospection)
+    -- set CALAMARI_CONFIG to point to /etc/calamari/calamari.conf
+    -- nosetests -v tests/
+
+    Options are:
+        calamari_giturl: url from which to git clone calamari
+                         (default: git://github.com/ceph/calamari)
+        calamari_branch: git branch of calamari to check out
+                         (default: master)
+
+    Note: the tests must find a clean cluster, so don't forget to
+    set the crush default type appropriately, or install min_size OSD hosts
+    """
+    client0 = find_client0(ctx.cluster)
+    if client0 is None:
+        raise RuntimeError("must have client.0 role")
+
+    with contextutil.nested(
+        lambda: install_epel(client0),
+        lambda: install_extra_pkgs(client0),
+        lambda: clone_calamari(config, client0),
+        lambda: write_info_yaml(ctx.cluster, client0),
+        lambda: write_test_conf(client0),
+        lambda: prepare_nosetest_env(client0),
+        lambda: run_nosetests(client0),
+    ):
+        yield