diff --git a/impl.just b/impl.just
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..4e4901e315c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/impl.just
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env just --justfile
+
+set allow-duplicate-recipes
+set allow-duplicate-variables
+set unstable
+set quiet
+
+_install LANGUAGE:
+    bazel run //{{ trim_end_match(LANGUAGE, '/') }}:install
+
+_build LANGUAGE:
+    if [ -n ${SEMMLE_CODE:-} ]; then \
+      cd $SEMMLE_CODE; ./build target/intree/codeql-{{ LANGUAGE }}; \
+    else \
+      just install {{ LANGUAGE }}; \
+    fi
+
+build LANGUAGE: (_build LANGUAGE)
+install LANGUAGE: (_install LANGUAGE)
+
+[no-cd, script:'python3', positional-arguments, no-exit-message]
+test +ARGS:  # TODO: fuzzy test chooser when no arguments are provided!
+    import pathlib
+    import subprocess
+    import os
+    import sys
+    # avoid infinite recursion: this happens when test args are of different kinds
+    # or for different languages, or also if they are across the external/internal
+    # repository boundary
+    # TODO: allow some degree of mixing maybe?
+    if os.environ.get("CODEQL_JUSTFILE_TEST"):
+        print("No common test handler found", file=sys.stderr)
+        sys.exit(1)
+    os.environ["CODEQL_JUSTFILE_TEST"] = "true"
+
+    flags = [arg for arg in sys.argv[1:] if arg.startswith('-')]
+    args = [arg for arg in sys.argv[1:] if not arg.startswith('-')]
+    common_path = pathlib.Path(os.path.commonpath(args)).resolve()
+    if not common_path.is_dir():
+        common_path = common_path.parent
+    ret = subprocess.run(
+        ['{{ just_executable() }}', 'test'] + flags + [pathlib.Path(a).resolve().relative_to(common_path) for a in args],
+        cwd=common_path).returncode
+    sys.exit(ret)
+
+[no-cd]
+_run_language_tests LANGUAGE *ARGS: (_build LANGUAGE)
+    if [ -n ${SEMMLE_CODE:-} ]; then \
+      $SEMMLE_CODE/target/intree/codeql-{{ LANGUAGE }}/codeql test run $ARGS; \
+    else \
+      codeql --search-path={{ source_dir() }} test run $ARGS; \
+    fi
+
+[no-cd]
+_run_integration_tests *ARGS:
+    if [ -n ${SEMMLE_CODE:-} ]; then \
+      $SEMMLE_CODE/tools/pytest $ARGS; \
+    else \
+      echo "integration tests require running from an internal repository working copy" >&2; \
+      exit 1; \
+    fi
diff --git a/justfile b/justfile
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..e2c44720524d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/justfile
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+import 'impl.just'
+import? '../justfile'  # internal repo just file, if present
+
+@_default:
+    {{ just_executable() }} --list
diff --git a/rust/justfile b/rust/justfile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..1bbf38aef00f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/justfile
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+import '../justfile'
+
+install LANGUAGE='rust': (_install LANGUAGE)
+build LANGUAGE='rust': (_build LANGUAGE)
diff --git a/rust/ql/integration-tests/justfile b/rust/ql/integration-tests/justfile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..3e4a93107a2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/ql/integration-tests/justfile
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+import '../../justfile'
+
+test *ARGS=".": (_run_integration_tests ARGS)
diff --git a/rust/ql/test/justfile b/rust/ql/test/justfile
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..fa355af10764
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/ql/test/justfile
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env just --justfile
+
+import '../../justfile'
+
+test *ARGS=".": (_run_language_tests "rust" ARGS)