diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 806a0a18..22a79304 100755
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -71,9 +71,11 @@ test:
 		exit 1; \
 	    else \
 		rm test-syntax; \
+		echo "OK (Syntax checked)"; \
 		exit 0; \
 	   fi
-
+	# run phpunit tests
+	phpunit testing/phpunit
 
 
 .PHONY: clean
diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index 882efbde..1253f68d 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ Build-Depends: debhelper-compat (= 13),
  libawl-php (>= 0.64-1~), libawl-php (<< 0.65),
  gettext,
  doxygen,
- php-cli | php5-cli
+ php-cli | php5-cli,
+ phpunit
 Vcs-Git: https://gitlab.com/davical-project/davical.git
 Vcs-Browser: https://gitlab.com/davical-project/davical
 Homepage: https://www.davical.org/
diff --git a/testing/phpunit/ExpansionTest.php b/testing/phpunit/ExpansionTest.php
index d615c261..5a713186 100644
--- a/testing/phpunit/ExpansionTest.php
+++ b/testing/phpunit/ExpansionTest.php
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ require_once('vCalendar.php');
 
 use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
 
+$c = (object) array();
+$c->rrule_loop_limit = 100;
+
 // 1PM-2PM Monday-Thursday (only for one week), NZ time
 $base_cal = new vCalendar("BEGIN:VCALENDAR
 PRODID:-//Mozilla.org/NONSGML Mozilla Calendar V1.1//EN
diff --git a/testing/phpunit/RangeTest.php b/testing/phpunit/RangeTest.php
index ac6d589c..5b865d5a 100644
--- a/testing/phpunit/RangeTest.php
+++ b/testing/phpunit/RangeTest.php
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ require_once('vCalendar.php');
 
 use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
 
+$c = (object) array();
+$c->rrule_loop_limit = 100;
+
 final class RangeTest extends TestCase
 {
   public function testGetVCalendarRange() {