diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7c484cfc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+tests:
+	docker-compose -f docker-compose.tests.yml up test-runner
+	docker-compose -f docker-compose.tests.yml down
+
+build:
+	docker-compose -f docker-compose.tests.yml build
+
+coverage:
+	docker-compose -f docker-compose.tests.yml up test-runner-coverage
+	docker-compose -f docker-compose.tests.yml down
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a8478ffc4..962f33606 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -183,6 +183,43 @@ You can also raise issues here:
 * <https://github.com/RDFLib/rdflib/issues>
 
 
+## Running tests
+
+### Running the tests on the host
+
+Run the test suite with `nose`.
+```shell
+nosetests
+```
+
+### Running test coverage on the host with coverage report
+
+Run the test suite and generate a HTML coverage report with `nose` and `coverage`.
+```shell
+nosetests --with-timer --timer-top-n 42 --with-coverage --cover-tests --cover-package=rdflib
+```
+
+### Running the tests in a Docker container
+
+Run the test suite inside a Docker container for cross-platform support. This resolves issues such as installing BerkeleyDB on Windows and avoids the host and port issues on macOS.
+```shell
+make tests
+```
+
+Tip: If the underlying Dockerfile for the test runner changes, use `make build`.
+
+### Running the tests in a Docker container with coverage report
+
+Run the test suite inside a Docker container with HTML coverage report.
+
+### Viewing test coverage
+
+Once tests have produced HTML output of the coverage report, view it by running:
+```shell
+python -m http.server --directory=cover
+```
+
+
 ## Contacts
 If you want to contact the rdflib maintainers, please do so via the rdflib-dev mailing list:
 
diff --git a/docker-compose.tests.yml b/docker-compose.tests.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c71e3143f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker-compose.tests.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+services:
+  test-runner:
+    build:
+      context: .
+      dockerfile: test/Dockerfile
+    volumes:
+      - .:/rdflib
+    command: ["/rdflib/run_tests.sh"]
+
+  test-runner-coverage:
+    build:
+      context: .
+      dockerfile: test/Dockerfile
+    volumes:
+      - .:/rdflib
+    command: ["/rdflib/run_tests_with_coverage_report.sh"]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/run_tests.sh b/run_tests.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..ddf2f7b44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/run_tests.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+cd /rdflib
+pip install -e .
+
+test_command="nosetests --with-timer --timer-top-n 42 --with-coverage --cover-tests --cover-package=rdflib"
+echo "Running tests..."
+echo "Test command: $test_command"
+$test_command
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/run_tests_with_coverage_report.sh b/run_tests_with_coverage_report.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..a5383aaf6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/run_tests_with_coverage_report.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+cd /rdflib
+pip install -e .
+
+test_command="nosetests --with-timer --timer-top-n 42 --with-coverage --cover-tests --cover-package=rdflib --cover-html"
+echo "Running tests..."
+echo "Test command: $test_command"
+$test_command
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/Dockerfile b/test/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..462f55a2b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# Docker image for the rdflib test-runner.
+
+# Use the lowest supported Python version to run tests.
+FROM python:3.6
+
+COPY requirements.dev.txt .
+COPY requirements.txt .
+
+RUN pip install --no-cache -r requirements.dev.txt
+RUN pip install --no-cache -r requirements.txt
+
+RUN mkdir -p /rdflib
+VOLUME /rdflib
+WORKDIR /rdflib