diff --git a/.autofonce b/.autofonce
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..61670563c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.autofonce
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+[project]
+# name to use to infer config
+name = "gnucobol"
+
+# files used to locate the project top directory
+#   and to set the AUTOFONCE_SOURCE_DIR
+source_anchors = [ "tests/testsuite.at", "!" ]
+
+# files used to locate the project build directory
+#   where the _autofonce/ directory will be created
+#   and to set the AUTOFONCE_BUILD_DIR
+#   use "!" to trigger an error if build dir is mandatory
+build_anchors = [ "cobc/cobc", "!" ]
+
+# paths in project sources that are good candidates to
+#   be tested as build dirs. Useful to run autofonce
+#   from outside the build directory
+build_dir_candidates = [ "_build" ]
+
+[testsuites]
+# alias = "path-from-topdir"
+[testsuites.testsuite]
+file = "tests/testsuite.at"
+path = [ "tests/testsuite.src"]
+env = "testsuite"
+[testsuites.nist]
+file = "tests/cobol85/nist.at"
+path = [ "tests/cobol85/nistrun.src"]
+env = "testsuite"
+
+[envs]
+# env_name = """..."""
+# env_name = "<local-path-to-env-file"
+testsuite = "<tests/autofonce.env.sh"
+
diff --git a/tests/autofonce.env.sh b/tests/autofonce.env.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..49c67479c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/autofonce.env.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# look at 'build_anchors' to see how the build dir is detected among upper dirs
+
+abs_builddir=${AUTOFONCE_BUILD_DIR}/tests
+
+# these files are generated during configure or first `make check`
+
+. ${abs_builddir}/atconfig
+. ${abs_builddir}/atlocal
+
+# the following flags are needed for the NIST testsuite
+
+if test "x$AUTOFONCE_TESTSUITE" = "xnist"; then
+  export COB_DISABLE_WARNINGS=Y
+  export COB_SWITCH_1=ON
+  export COB_SWITCH_2=OFF
+  export COMPILE85="$COMPILE -std=cobol85 -Wno-goto-different-section -Wno-goto-section -I copy"
+  export COMPILE_MODULE85="$COMPILE_MODULE -std=cobol85 -Wno-goto-different-section -Wno-goto-section -I copy"
+  export GREP="$GREP --text"
+fi