diff --git a/internal/testcontext/compile.go b/internal/testcontext/compile.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..70b552145
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/testcontext/compile.go
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2019 Storj Labs, Inc.
+// See LICENSE for copying information.
+
+package testcontext
+
+import (
+	"os/exec"
+	"path"
+)
+
+// Compile compiles the specified package and returns the executable name.
+func (ctx *Context) Compile(pkg string) string {
+	ctx.test.Helper()
+
+	exe := ctx.File("build", path.Base(pkg)+".exe")
+
+	var cmd *exec.Cmd
+	if raceEnabled {
+		cmd = exec.Command("go", "build", "-race", "-o", exe, pkg)
+	} else {
+		cmd = exec.Command("go", "build", "-o", exe, pkg)
+	}
+
+	out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
+	if err != nil {
+		ctx.test.Error(string(out))
+		ctx.test.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	return exe
+}
diff --git a/internal/testcontext/compile_norace.go b/internal/testcontext/compile_norace.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ca833f8d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/testcontext/compile_norace.go
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2019 Storj Labs, Inc.
+// See LICENSE for copying information.
+
+// +build !race
+
+package testcontext
+
+const raceEnabled = false
diff --git a/internal/testcontext/compile_race.go b/internal/testcontext/compile_race.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..97fea6f76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/testcontext/compile_race.go
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2019 Storj Labs, Inc.
+// See LICENSE for copying information.
+
+// +build race
+
+package testcontext
+
+const raceEnabled = true
diff --git a/internal/testcontext/compile_test.go b/internal/testcontext/compile_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6cd542284
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/testcontext/compile_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2019 Storj Labs, Inc.
+// See LICENSE for copying information.
+
+package testcontext_test
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+
+	"storj.io/storj/internal/testcontext"
+)
+
+func TestCompile(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := testcontext.New(t)
+	defer ctx.Cleanup()
+
+	exe := ctx.Compile("storj.io/storj/examples/pointerdb-client")
+	assert.NotEmpty(t, exe)
+}