diff --git a/docs/check_sphinx.py b/docs/check_sphinx.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c4ce03177
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/check_sphinx.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import pytest
+import subprocess
+
+def test_linkcheck(tmpdir):
+    doctrees = tmpdir.join("doctrees")
+    htmldir = tmpdir.join("html")
+    subprocess.check_call(
+        ["sphinx-build", "-W", "-blinkcheck",
+          "-d", str(doctrees), ".", str(htmldir)])
+
+def test_build_docs(tmpdir):
+    doctrees = tmpdir.join("doctrees")
+    htmldir = tmpdir.join("html")
+    subprocess.check_call([
+        "sphinx-build", "-W", "-bhtml",
+          "-d", str(doctrees), ".", str(htmldir)])