diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 3c87572cf..af7b66e0a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -260,6 +260,83 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: jar-${{ matrix.artifact-name }}
           path: photon-server/build/libs
+
+  run-smoketest-native:
+    needs: [build-package]
+
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        include:
+          - os: ubuntu-latest
+            artifact-name: jar-Linux
+            extraOpts: -Djdk.lang.Process.launchMechanism=vfork
+          - os: windows-latest
+            artifact-name: jar-Win64
+            extraOpts: ""
+          - os: macos-latest
+            artifact-name: jar-macOS
+            architecture: x64
+
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Install Java 17
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
+        with:
+          java-version: 17
+          distribution: temurin
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: ${{ matrix.artifact-name }}
+      # On linux, install mrcal packages
+      - run: |
+          sudo apt-get update
+          sudo apt-get install --yes libcholmod3 liblapack3 libsuitesparseconfig5
+        if: ${{ (matrix.os) == 'ubuntu-latest' }}
+      # and actually run the jar
+      - run: java -jar ${{ matrix.extraOpts }} *.jar --smoketest
+        if: ${{ (matrix.os) != 'windows-latest' }}
+      - run: ls *.jar | %{ Write-Host "Running $($_.Name)"; Start-Process "java" -ArgumentList "-jar `"$($_.FullName)`" --smoketest" -NoNewWindow -Wait; break }
+        if: ${{ (matrix.os) == 'windows-latest' }}
+
+  run-smoketest-chroot:
+    needs: [build-package]
+
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        include:
+          - os: ubuntu-latest
+            artifact-name: LinuxArm64
+            image_suffix: RaspberryPi
+            image_url: https://github.com/PhotonVision/photon-image-modifier/releases/download/v2024.0.4/photonvision_raspi.img.xz
+            cpu: cortex-a7
+            image_additional_mb: 0
+            extraOpts: -Djdk.lang.Process.launchMechanism=vfork
+
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+    name: smoketest-${{ matrix.image_suffix }}
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: jar-${{ matrix.artifact-name }}
+
+      - uses: pguyot/arm-runner-action@v2
+        name: Run photon smoketest
+        id: generate_image
+        with:
+          base_image: ${{ matrix.image_url }}
+          image_additional_mb: ${{ matrix.image_additional_mb }}
+          optimize_image: yes
+          cpu: ${{ matrix.cpu }}
+          # We do _not_ wanna copy photon into the image. Bind mount instead
+          bind_mount_repository: true
+          # our image better have java installed already
+          commands: |
+            java -jar ${{ matrix.extraOpts }} *.jar --smoketest
+
   build-image:
     needs: [build-package]
 
diff --git a/photon-server/src/main/java/org/photonvision/Main.java b/photon-server/src/main/java/org/photonvision/Main.java
index 8ae7c8fd9..a78c0a79f 100644
--- a/photon-server/src/main/java/org/photonvision/Main.java
+++ b/photon-server/src/main/java/org/photonvision/Main.java
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ public class Main {
     private static final boolean isRelease = PhotonVersion.isRelease;
 
     private static boolean isTestMode = false;
+    private static boolean isSmoketest = false;
     private static Path testModeFolder = null;
     private static boolean printDebugLogs;
 
@@ -90,6 +91,11 @@ public class Main {
                 "clear-config",
                 false,
                 "Clears PhotonVision pipeline and networking settings. Preserves log files");
+        options.addOption(
+                "s",
+                "smoketest",
+                false,
+                "Exit Photon after loading native libraries and camera configs, but before starting up camera runners");
 
         CommandLineParser parser = new DefaultParser();
         CommandLine cmd = parser.parse(options, args);
@@ -127,6 +133,10 @@ public class Main {
             if (cmd.hasOption("clear-config")) {
                 ConfigManager.getInstance().clearConfig();
             }
+
+            if (cmd.hasOption("smoketest")) {
+                isSmoketest = true;
+            }
         }
         return true;
     }
@@ -337,11 +347,17 @@ public class Main {
 
     public static void main(String[] args) {
         try {
-            TestUtils.loadLibraries();
-            logger.info("Native libraries loaded.");
+            boolean success = TestUtils.loadLibraries();
+
+            if (!success) {
+                logger.error("Failed to load native libraries! Giving up :(");
+                System.exit(1);
+            }
         } catch (Exception e) {
             logger.error("Failed to load native libraries!", e);
+            System.exit(1);
         }
+        logger.info("Native libraries loaded.");
 
         try {
             if (Platform.isRaspberryPi()) {
@@ -412,6 +428,11 @@ public class Main {
         NeuralNetworkModelManager.getInstance()
                 .initialize(ConfigManager.getInstance().getModelsDirectory());
 
+        if (isSmoketest) {
+            logger.info("PhotonVision base functionality loaded -- smoketest complete");
+            System.exit(0);
+        }
+
         if (!isTestMode) {
             logger.debug("Loading VisionSourceManager...");
             VisionSourceManager.getInstance()