diff --git a/test/compile_tests.sh b/test/compile_tests.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..b9b8cd0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/compile_tests.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -e
+
+trap 'last_command=$current_command; current_command=$BASH_COMMAND' DEBUG
+trap 'echo "$0: \"${last_command}\" command failed with exit code $?"' ERR
+
+# build the package
+catkin build -DMRS_ENABLE_TESTING=1 # it has to be fully built normally before building with --catkin-make-args tests
+catkin build -DMRS_ENABLE_TESTING=1 --catkin-make-args tests
diff --git a/test/run_tests.sh b/test/run_tests.sh
index 2250961..5b7903f 100755
--- a/test/run_tests.sh
+++ b/test/run_tests.sh
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ trap 'last_command=$current_command; current_command=$BASH_COMMAND' DEBUG
 trap 'echo "$0: \"${last_command}\" command failed with exit code $?"' ERR
 
 # build the packages
-catkin build # it has to be fully built normally before building with --catkin-make-args tests
+catkin build -DMRS_ENABLE_TESTING=1 # it has to be fully built normally before building with --catkin-make-args tests
 catkin build -DMRS_ENABLE_TESTING=1 --catkin-make-args tests
 
-catkin test -i -p 1 -s
+catkin test -i -p 1 -s -c