diff --git a/.github/workflows/backend-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/backend-tests.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e8047c8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/backend-tests.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+name: backend-tests
+
+# Backend test suite for pull requests. Testcontainers-based tests need a
+# Docker daemon, which the GitHub-hosted runners provide.
+on:
+  pull_request:
+  push:
+    branches: ["feat/authoring-*"]
+
+jobs:
+  test:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 90
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - uses: actions/setup-java@v4
+        with:
+          distribution: temurin
+          java-version: 21
+          cache: maven
+
+      - name: Backend tests
+        run: cd server && ./mvnw -B test