diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e.yaml b/.github/workflows/e2e.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9d42fcd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+name: E2E
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+  pull_request:
+
+jobs:
+  e2e-skopeo:
+    name: E2E using CNCF Distribution Registry
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    steps:
+    - name: Checkout repository
+      uses: actions/checkout@v3
+    - name: Install Skopeo
+      run: |
+        sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install skopeo
+        skopeo --version
+    - name: Set up Python
+      uses: actions/setup-python@v4
+      with:
+        python-version: '3.9' 
+    - name: Install Poetry
+      run: |
+        pipx install poetry
+    - name: Install dependencies
+      run: |
+        make install
+    - name: Run E2E tests
+      run: |
+        make test-e2e-skopeo
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 38c9953..8f1475f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ build: install
 test:
 	poetry run pytest -s -x -rA
 
+.PHONY: test-e2e-skopeo
+test-e2e-skopeo:
+	poetry run pytest --e2e-skopeo -s -x -rA
+
 .PHONY: lint
 lint: install
 	poetry run ruff check --fix
diff --git a/olot/backend/skopeo.py b/olot/backend/skopeo.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e55ac8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/olot/backend/skopeo.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import os
+import shutil
+import subprocess
+import typing
+
+def is_skopeo() -> bool :
+    return shutil.which("skopeo") is not None
+
+def skopeo_pull(base_image: str, dest: typing.Union[str, os.PathLike]):
+    if isinstance(dest, os.PathLike):
+        dest = str(dest)
+    return subprocess.run(["skopeo", "copy", "--multi-arch", "all", "docker://"+base_image, "oci:"+dest+":latest"], check=True)
diff --git a/olot/basics.py b/olot/basics.py
index 54386ff..aa28667 100644
--- a/olot/basics.py
+++ b/olot/basics.py
@@ -163,6 +163,8 @@ def check_ocilayout(ocilayout: Path):
         m = OCIImageLayout.model_validate_json(f.read())
         if not m.imageLayoutVersion == ImageLayoutVersion.field_1_0_0:
             raise ValueError(f"Unexpected ocilayout in {ocilayout}")
+        else:
+            return True
 
 
 def tar_into_ocilayout(ocilayout: Path, model: Path):
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 4e1a8d0..9ddc5a2 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ olot = "olot.cli:cli"
 [tool.poetry.group.test.dependencies]
 pytest = "^8.3.4"
 
+[tool.pytest.ini_options]
+markers = [
+    "e2e_skopeo: end-to-end testing with skopeo",
+]
 
 [tool.poetry.group.dev.dependencies]
 datamodel-code-generator = "^0.26.3"
diff --git a/tests/backend/test_skopeo.py b/tests/backend/test_skopeo.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4c79967
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/backend/test_skopeo.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+
+import pytest
+from olot.backend.skopeo import is_skopeo, skopeo_pull
+from olot.basics import check_ocilayout, read_ocilayout_root_index
+
+@pytest.mark.e2e_skopeo
+def test_is_skopeo():
+    assert is_skopeo()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.e2e_skopeo
+def test_skopeo_pull(tmp_path):
+    """Test skopeo to pull/dl a known base-image to an oci-layout
+    """
+    skopeo_pull("quay.io/mmortari/hello-world-wait", tmp_path)
+
+    assert check_ocilayout(tmp_path)
+
+    mut = read_ocilayout_root_index(tmp_path)
+    assert mut.schemaVersion == 2
+    assert len(mut.manifests) == 1
+    manifest0 = mut.manifests[0]
+    assert manifest0.mediaType == "application/vnd.oci.image.index.v1+json"
+    assert manifest0.digest == "sha256:d437889e826ecce2116ac711469bd09b1bb3c64d45055cbf23a6f8f3db223b8b"
+    assert manifest0.size == 491
+
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8eea23f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import pytest
+
+
+def pytest_collection_modifyitems(config, items):
+    for item in items:
+        skip_e2e_skopeo = pytest.mark.skip(
+            reason="this is an end-to-end test, requires explicit opt-in --e2e-skopeo option to run."
+        )
+        skip_not_e2e = pytest.mark.skip(
+            reason="skipping non-e2e tests; opt-out of --e2e -like options to run."
+        )
+        if "e2e_skopeo" in item.keywords:
+            if not config.getoption("--e2e-skopeo"):
+                item.add_marker(skip_e2e_skopeo)
+            continue
+        # elif "e2e_model_registry" in item.keywords:
+        #     if not config.getoption("--e2e-model-registry"):
+        #         item.add_marker(skip_e2e_model_registry)
+        #     continue
+
+        if config.getoption("--e2e-skopeo"): # or config.getoption("--e2e-model-registry"):
+            item.add_marker(skip_not_e2e)
+
+
+def pytest_addoption(parser):
+    parser.addoption(
+        "--e2e-skopeo",
+        action="store_true",
+        default=False,
+        help="opt-in to run tests marked with e2e_skopeo",
+    )