diff --git a/services/chat/.nvmrc b/services/chat/.nvmrc
index d87edbfc10..fae6e3d04b 100644
--- a/services/chat/.nvmrc
+++ b/services/chat/.nvmrc
@@ -1 +1 @@
-4.2.1
\ No newline at end of file
+4.2.1
diff --git a/services/chat/Jenkinsfile b/services/chat/Jenkinsfile
index 67b26694ab..c9f4a0840f 100644
--- a/services/chat/Jenkinsfile
+++ b/services/chat/Jenkinsfile
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
-pipeline {
+String cron_string = BRANCH_NAME == "master" ? "@daily" : ""
 
+pipeline {
   agent any
-  
+
   triggers {
     pollSCM('* * * * *')
-    cron('@daily')
+    cron(cron_string)
   }
 
   stages {
@@ -17,15 +18,17 @@ pipeline {
         }
       }
       steps {
-        // we need to disable logallrefupdates, else git clones during the npm install will require git to lookup the user id
-        // which does not exist in the container's /etc/passwd file, causing the clone to fail.
+        // we need to disable logallrefupdates, else git clones 
+        // during the npm install will require git to lookup the 
+        // user id which does not exist in the container's 
+        // /etc/passwd file, causing the clone to fail.
         sh 'git config --global core.logallrefupdates false'
-        sh 'rm -fr node_modules'
+        sh 'rm -rf node_modules'
         sh 'npm install && npm rebuild'
-        sh 'npm install --quiet grunt-cli'
       }
     }
-    stage('Compile and Test') {
+
+    stage('Compile') {
       agent {
         docker {
           image 'node:4.2.1'
@@ -33,28 +36,37 @@ pipeline {
         }
       }
       steps {
-        sh 'node_modules/.bin/grunt coffee'
-        sh 'node_modules/.bin/grunt compile:acceptance_tests'
-        sh 'NODE_ENV=development node_modules/.bin/grunt test:unit'
+        sh 'npm run compile:all'
       }
     }
+
+    stage('Unit Tests') {
+      steps {
+        sh 'DOCKER_COMPOSE_FLAGS="-f docker-compose.ci.yml" make test_unit'
+      }
+    }
+
     stage('Acceptance Tests') {
       steps {
-        sh 'docker pull sharelatex/acceptance-test-runner'
-        sh 'docker run --rm -v $(pwd):/app sharelatex/acceptance-test-runner'
+        sh 'DOCKER_COMPOSE_FLAGS="-f docker-compose.ci.yml" make test_acceptance'
       }
     }
-    stage('Package') {
+
+    stage('Package and publish build') {
       steps {
         sh 'echo ${BUILD_NUMBER} > build_number.txt'
         sh 'touch build.tar.gz' // Avoid tar warning about files changing during read
         sh 'tar -czf build.tar.gz --exclude=build.tar.gz --exclude-vcs .'
-      }
-    }
-    stage('Publish') {
-      steps {
         withAWS(credentials:'S3_CI_BUILDS_AWS_KEYS', region:"${S3_REGION_BUILD_ARTEFACTS}") {
             s3Upload(file:'build.tar.gz', bucket:"${S3_BUCKET_BUILD_ARTEFACTS}", path:"${JOB_NAME}/${BUILD_NUMBER}.tar.gz")
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    stage('Publish build number') {
+      steps {
+        sh 'echo ${BRANCH_NAME}-${BUILD_NUMBER} > build_number.txt'
+        withAWS(credentials:'S3_CI_BUILDS_AWS_KEYS', region:"${S3_REGION_BUILD_ARTEFACTS}") {
             // The deployment process uses this file to figure out the latest build
             s3Upload(file:'build_number.txt', bucket:"${S3_BUCKET_BUILD_ARTEFACTS}", path:"${JOB_NAME}/latest")
         }
@@ -63,6 +75,10 @@ pipeline {
   }
 
   post {
+    always {
+      sh 'DOCKER_COMPOSE_FLAGS="-f docker-compose.ci.yml" make test_clean'
+    }
+
     failure {
       mail(from: "${EMAIL_ALERT_FROM}",
            to: "${EMAIL_ALERT_TO}",
diff --git a/services/chat/Makefile b/services/chat/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..865d63a9fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/chat/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# This file was auto-generated, do not edit it directly.
+# Instead run bin/update_build_scripts from
+# https://github.com/sharelatex/sharelatex-dev-environment
+# Version: 1.0.0
+
+BUILD_NUMBER ?= local
+BRANCH_NAME ?= $(shell git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
+PROJECT_NAME = chat
+DOCKER_COMPOSE_FLAGS ?= -f docker-compose.yml
+DOCKER_COMPOSE := docker-compose ${DOCKER_COMPOSE_FLAGS}
+
+clean:
+	rm -f app.js
+	rm -rf app/js
+	rm -rf test/unit/js
+	rm -rf test/acceptance/js
+
+test: test_unit test_acceptance
+
+test_unit:
+	@[ -d test/unit ] && $(DOCKER_COMPOSE) run --rm test_unit -- ${MOCHA_ARGS} || echo "chat has no unit tests"
+
+test_acceptance: test_clean # clear the database before each acceptance test run
+	@[ -d test/acceptance ] && $(DOCKER_COMPOSE) run --rm test_acceptance -- ${MOCHA_ARGS} || echo "chat has no acceptance tests"
+
+test_clean:
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) down
+
+.PHONY: clean test test_unit test_acceptance test_clean build publish
diff --git a/services/chat/app.coffee b/services/chat/app.coffee
index 8f5cc18dc0..3fad2e610e 100644
--- a/services/chat/app.coffee
+++ b/services/chat/app.coffee
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@ settings = require 'settings-sharelatex'
 
 Server = require "./app/js/server"
 
-port = settings.internal?.chat?.port or 3010
-host = settings.internal?.chat?.host or "localhost"
+if !module.parent # Called directly
+	port = settings.internal?.chat?.port or 3010
+	host = settings.internal?.chat?.host or "localhost"
+	Server.server.listen port, host, (error) ->
+		throw error if error?
+		logger.info "Chat starting up, listening on #{host}:#{port}"
 
-Server.server.listen port, host, (error) ->
-	throw error if error?
-	logger.info "Chat starting up, listening on #{host}:#{port}"
+module.exports = Server.server
diff --git a/services/chat/docker-compose.ci.yml b/services/chat/docker-compose.ci.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0ba28ed4e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/chat/docker-compose.ci.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# This file was auto-generated, do not edit it directly.
+# Instead run bin/update_build_scripts from
+# https://github.com/sharelatex/sharelatex-dev-environment
+# Version: 1.0.0
+
+version: "2"
+
+services:
+  test_unit:
+    image: node:4.2.1
+    volumes:
+      - .:/app
+    working_dir: /app
+    entrypoint: npm run test:unit:_run
+
+  test_acceptance:
+    image: node:4.2.1
+    volumes:
+      - .:/app
+    working_dir: /app
+    environment:
+      REDIS_HOST: redis
+      MONGO_HOST: mongo
+    depends_on:
+      - redis
+      - mongo
+    entrypoint: npm run test:acceptance:_run
+
+  redis:
+    image: redis
+
+  mongo:
+    image: mongo:3.4
diff --git a/services/chat/docker-compose.yml b/services/chat/docker-compose.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4a76b6d3d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/chat/docker-compose.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# This file was auto-generated, do not edit it directly.
+# Instead run bin/update_build_scripts from
+# https://github.com/sharelatex/sharelatex-dev-environment
+# Version: 1.0.0
+
+version: "2"
+
+services:
+  test_unit:
+    image: node:4.2.1
+    volumes:
+      - .:/app
+    working_dir: /app
+    entrypoint: npm run test:unit
+
+  test_acceptance:
+    image: node:4.2.1
+    volumes:
+      - .:/app
+    environment:
+      REDIS_HOST: redis
+      MONGO_HOST: mongo
+    depends_on:
+      - redis
+      - mongo
+    working_dir: /app
+    entrypoint: npm run test:acceptance
+
+  redis:
+    image: redis
+
+  mongo:
+    image: mongo:3.4
diff --git a/services/chat/nodemon.json b/services/chat/nodemon.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9044f921c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/chat/nodemon.json
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{
+  "ignore": [
+    ".git",
+    "node_modules/"
+  ],
+  "verbose": true,
+  "execMap": {
+    "js": "npm run start"
+  },
+  "watch": [
+    "app/coffee/",
+    "app.coffee"
+  ],
+  "ext": "coffee"
+}
diff --git a/services/chat/package.json b/services/chat/package.json
index 16ea704bee..2f0eac6f9f 100644
--- a/services/chat/package.json
+++ b/services/chat/package.json
@@ -8,7 +8,15 @@
   },
   "scripts": {
     "compile:app": "coffee -o app/js -c app/coffee && coffee -c app.coffee",
-    "start": "npm run compile:app && node app.js"
+    "start": "npm run compile:app && node app.js",
+    "test:acceptance": "npm run compile:app && npm run compile:acceptance_tests && npm run test:acceptance:_run -- $@",
+    "test:unit": "npm run compile:app && npm run compile:unit_tests && npm run test:unit:_run -- $@",
+    "compile:unit_tests": "[ -e test/unit ] && coffee -o test/unit/js -c test/unit/coffee || echo 'No unit tests to compile'",
+    "compile:acceptance_tests": "[ -e test/acceptance ] && coffee -o test/acceptance/js -c test/acceptance/coffee || echo 'No acceptance tests to compile'",
+    "compile:all": "npm run compile:app && npm run compile:unit_tests && npm run compile:acceptance_tests",
+    "nodemon": "nodemon --config nodemon.json",
+    "test:acceptance:_run": "mocha --recursive --reporter spec --timeout 15000 --exit $@ test/acceptance/js",
+    "test:unit:_run": "mocha --recursive --reporter spec $@ test/unit/js"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "async": "0.2.9",
@@ -37,6 +45,8 @@
     "grunt-nodemon": "~0.1.2",
     "grunt-notify": "~0.2.16",
     "grunt-plato": "~0.2.1",
+    "mocha": "^4.1.0",
+    "nodemon": "^1.14.11",
     "sandboxed-module": "",
     "sinon": "",
     "timekeeper": ""
diff --git a/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/DeletingAMessageTests.coffee b/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/DeletingAMessageTests.coffee
index 65c183d0f0..7d6ca8b00b 100644
--- a/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/DeletingAMessageTests.coffee
+++ b/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/DeletingAMessageTests.coffee
@@ -2,12 +2,14 @@
 expect = require("chai").expect
 
 ChatClient = require "./helpers/ChatClient"
+ChatApp = require "./helpers/ChatApp"
 
 describe "Deleting a message", ->
-	before ->
+	before (done) ->
 		@project_id = ObjectId().toString()
 		@user_id = ObjectId().toString()
 		@thread_id = ObjectId().toString()
+		ChatApp.ensureRunning done
 
 	describe "in a thread", ->
 		before (done) ->
diff --git a/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/DeletingAThreadTests.coffee b/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/DeletingAThreadTests.coffee
index 850bcf0ef0..a803e730c7 100644
--- a/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/DeletingAThreadTests.coffee
+++ b/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/DeletingAThreadTests.coffee
@@ -3,11 +3,13 @@ expect = require("chai").expect
 crypto = require "crypto"
 
 ChatClient = require "./helpers/ChatClient"
+ChatApp = require "./helpers/ChatApp"
 
 describe "Deleting a thread", ->
-	before ->
+	before (done) ->
 		@project_id = ObjectId().toString()
 		@user_id = ObjectId().toString()
+		ChatApp.ensureRunning done
 
 	describe "with a thread that is deleted", ->
 		before (done) ->
diff --git a/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/EditingAMessageTests.coffee b/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/EditingAMessageTests.coffee
index 51e14cfedd..f507e4b205 100644
--- a/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/EditingAMessageTests.coffee
+++ b/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/EditingAMessageTests.coffee
@@ -2,12 +2,14 @@
 expect = require("chai").expect
 
 ChatClient = require "./helpers/ChatClient"
+ChatApp = require "./helpers/ChatApp"
 
 describe "Editing a message", ->
-	before ->
+	before (done) ->
 		@project_id = ObjectId().toString()
 		@user_id = ObjectId().toString()
 		@thread_id = ObjectId().toString()
+		ChatApp.ensureRunning done
 
 	describe "in a thread", ->
 		before (done) ->
diff --git a/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/GettingMessagesTests.coffee b/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/GettingMessagesTests.coffee
index 6d622b409a..b0c872e5cd 100644
--- a/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/GettingMessagesTests.coffee
+++ b/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/GettingMessagesTests.coffee
@@ -4,13 +4,15 @@ async = require "async"
 crypto = require "crypto"
 
 ChatClient = require "./helpers/ChatClient"
+ChatApp = require "./helpers/ChatApp"
 
 describe "Getting messages", ->
-	before ->
+	before (done) ->
 		@user_id1 = ObjectId().toString()
 		@user_id2 = ObjectId().toString()
 		@content1 = "foo bar"
 		@content2 = "hello world"
+		ChatApp.ensureRunning done
 
 	describe "globally", ->
 		before (done) ->
diff --git a/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/ResolvingAThreadTests.coffee b/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/ResolvingAThreadTests.coffee
index 4f666666ac..d162f881f6 100644
--- a/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/ResolvingAThreadTests.coffee
+++ b/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/ResolvingAThreadTests.coffee
@@ -3,11 +3,14 @@ expect = require("chai").expect
 crypto = require "crypto"
 
 ChatClient = require "./helpers/ChatClient"
+ChatApp = require "./helpers/ChatApp"
 
 describe "Resolving a thread", ->
-	before ->
+	before (done) ->
 		@project_id = ObjectId().toString()
 		@user_id = ObjectId().toString()
+		ChatApp.ensureRunning done
+
 	describe "with a resolved thread", ->
 		before (done) ->
 			@thread_id = ObjectId().toString()
diff --git a/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/SendingAMessageTests.coffee b/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/SendingAMessageTests.coffee
index 77af23bda7..64a2d5dbe5 100644
--- a/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/SendingAMessageTests.coffee
+++ b/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/SendingAMessageTests.coffee
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@
 expect = require("chai").expect
 
 ChatClient = require "./helpers/ChatClient"
+ChatApp = require "./helpers/ChatApp"
 
 describe "Sending a message", ->
-	before ->
+	before (done) ->
+		ChatApp.ensureRunning done
 
 	describe "globally", ->
 		before (done) ->
diff --git a/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/helpers/ChatApp.coffee b/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/helpers/ChatApp.coffee
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8973541003
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/chat/test/acceptance/coffee/helpers/ChatApp.coffee
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+app = require('../../../../app')
+require("logger-sharelatex").logger.level("error")
+
+module.exports =
+	running: false
+	initing: false
+	callbacks: []
+	ensureRunning: (callback = (error) ->) ->
+		if @running
+			return callback()
+		else if @initing
+			@callbacks.push callback
+		else
+			@initing = true
+			@callbacks.push callback
+			app.listen 3010, "localhost", (error) => 
+				throw error if error?
+				@running = true
+				for callback in @callbacks
+					callback()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/services/chat/test/acceptance/scripts/full-test.sh b/services/chat/test/acceptance/scripts/full-test.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 13620ba41e..0000000000
--- a/services/chat/test/acceptance/scripts/full-test.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-#! /usr/bin/env bash
-
-# npm rebuild
-
-sleep 60
-
-echo ">> Starting server..."
-
-grunt --no-color forever:app:start
-
-echo ">> Server started"
-
-sleep 5
-
-echo ">> Running acceptance tests..."
-grunt --no-color mochaTest:acceptance
-_test_exit_code=$?
-
-echo ">> Killing server"
-
-grunt --no-color forever:app:stop
-
-echo ">> Done"
-
-exit $_test_exit_code