diff --git a/build/script/runtests.sh b/build/script/runtests.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..f541cda49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/script/runtests.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+#! /bin/sh
+#
+# $Id$
+#
+# A script for running the POCO testsuites.
+#
+# usage: runtests
+#
+# If the environment variable EXCLUDE_TESTS is set, containing
+# a space-separated list of project names (as found in the
+# components file), these tests will be skipped.
+#
+
+TESTRUNNER=./testrunner
+TESTRUNNERARGS=-all
+
+components=`cat $POCO_BASE/components`
+
+if [ "$OSNAME" = "" ] ; then
+	OSNAME=`uname`
+fi
+if [ "$OSARCH" = "" ] ; then
+	OSARCH=`uname -m | tr ' /' _-`
+fi
+BINDIR="bin/$OSNAME/$OSARCH/"
+
+runs=0
+failures=0
+failedTests=""
+status=0
+
+for comp in $components ;
+do
+	excluded=0
+	for excl in $EXCLUDE_TESTS ;
+	do
+		if [ "$excl" = "$comp" ] ; then
+			excluded=1
+		fi
+	done
+	if [ $excluded -eq 0 ] ; then
+		if [ -d "$POCO_BASE/$comp/testsuite/$BINDIR" ] ; then
+			if [ -x "$POCO_BASE/$comp/testsuite/$BINDIR/$TESTRUNNER" ] ; then
+				echo ""
+				echo ""
+				echo "****************************************" 
+				echo "*** $comp"                                
+				echo "****************************************" 
+				echo ""
+
+				runs=`expr $runs + 1`
+				sh -c "cd $POCO_BASE/$comp/testsuite/$BINDIR && $TESTRUNNER $TESTRUNNERARGS"
+				if [ $? -ne 0 ] ; then
+					failues=`expr $failures + 1`
+					failedTests="$failedTests $comp"
+					status=1
+				fi
+			fi
+		fi
+	fi
+done
+
+echo ""
+echo ""
+echo "$runs runs, $failures failed."
+echo ""
+for test in $failedTests ;
+do
+	echo "Failed: $test"
+done
+echo ""
+
+exit $status