diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 1bc6fa1..bad92ee 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v6
       - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
       - uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@v2
+      - uses: mlugg/setup-zig@v2
+        with:
+          version: "0.15.2"
       - run: cargo fmt --check
       - run: cargo build
       - run: cargo test
diff --git a/src/commands/build.rs b/src/commands/build.rs
index 4b6a6cf..43fd53d 100644
--- a/src/commands/build.rs
+++ b/src/commands/build.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use std::process::Command;
 pub fn run(input_path: &str, ast: &crate::parser::Program, opt_level: Option<&str>) {
     let (stem, zig_path) = emit_zig(input_path, ast);
 
+    std::fs::create_dir_all("zyre-out").unwrap();
     let exe_path = if cfg!(windows) {
         format!("zyre-out/{}.exe", stem)
     } else {
diff --git a/tests/examples.rs b/tests/examples.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dbfe5b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+use std::process::Command;
+
+fn run_example(path: &std::path::Path) {
+    let bin = env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_zyre");
+    let out = Command::new(bin)
+        .args(["run", &path.to_string_lossy()])
+        .stdout(std::process::Stdio::piped())
+        .stderr(std::process::Stdio::piped())
+        .output()
+        .unwrap_or_else(|e| panic!("failed to spawn zyre for {}: {}", path.display(), e));
+    assert!(
+        out.status.success(),
+        "{} exited with non-zero status",
+        path.display()
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_examples() {
+    let examples = std::fs::read_dir("examples")
+        .expect("examples/ directory not found")
+        .filter_map(|e| e.ok())
+        .filter(|e| e.path().extension().map(|x| x == "zy").unwrap_or(false))
+        .map(|e| e.path());
+
+    for path in examples {
+        run_example(&path);
+    }
+}