diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3385ca5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+name: Test
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+  pull_request:
+jobs:
+  test-build-args:
+    name: Test
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - name: build the container and run it
+        id: run
+        uses: ./
+        with:
+          repository: ${{ github.repository }}
+          ref: ${{ github.sha }}
+          dockerfile: tests/Dockerfile.test-build-args
+          build-args: |
+            ARG_1:hello
+            ARG_2:foo
+            ARG_3:world
+      - name: check the output
+        env:
+          OUTPUTS: ${{steps.run.outputs.outputs }}
+          ARG_1: ${{ fromJSON(steps.run.outputs.outputs).arg-1 }}
+          ARG_2: ${{ fromJSON(steps.run.outputs.outputs).arg-2 }}
+          ARG_3: ${{ fromJSON(steps.run.outputs.outputs).arg-3 }}
+        run: |
+          echo ${OUTPUTS}
+
+          if [[ "$ARG_1" != "hello" ]]; then
+            echo "ARG_1 is not hello"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          if [[ "$ARG_2" != "foo" ]]; then
+            echo "ARG_2 is not foo"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          if [[ "$ARG_3" != "world" ]]; then
+            echo "ARG_3 is not world"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          echo "all good"
diff --git a/tests/Dockerfile.test-build-args b/tests/Dockerfile.test-build-args
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b067290
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Dockerfile.test-build-args
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# a simple container that takes 3 args and generate a shell script that prints them
+FROM alpine:3.12.0
+
+ARG ARG_1=default_1
+ARG ARG_2=default_2
+ARG ARG_3=default_3
+
+RUN echo "#!/bin/sh" > /script.sh
+RUN echo 'GITHUB_FILE_COMMANDS="$(dirname "$GITHUB_OUTPUT")"' >> /script.sh
+RUN echo 'OUTPUT="${GITHUB_OUTPUT/"$GITHUB_FILE_COMMANDS"/"/github/file_commands"}"' >> /script.sh
+RUN echo "echo \"arg-1=$ARG_1\" | tee -a \$OUTPUT" >> /script.sh
+RUN echo "echo \"arg-2=$ARG_2\" | tee -a \$OUTPUT" >> /script.sh
+RUN echo "echo \"arg-3=$ARG_3\" | tee -a \$OUTPUT" >> /script.sh
+
+RUN chmod +x /script.sh
+
+ENTRYPOINT ["/script.sh"]