diff --git a/requirements-test.txt b/requirements-test.txt
index 2416744..d8d5d62 100644
--- a/requirements-test.txt
+++ b/requirements-test.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 hypothesis
 pytest
+pytest-postgresql
 celery >= 4
diff --git a/swh/scheduler/tests/conftest.py b/swh/scheduler/tests/conftest.py
index 4facd4b..8b2dbce 100644
--- a/swh/scheduler/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/swh/scheduler/tests/conftest.py
@@ -1,30 +1,84 @@
+import os
 import pytest
+import glob
+from datetime import timedelta
+
+from swh.core.utils import numfile_sortkey as sortkey
+from swh.scheduler import get_scheduler
+from swh.scheduler.tests import SQL_DIR
+
+DUMP_FILES = os.path.join(SQL_DIR, '*.sql')
+
+# celery tasks for testing purpose; tasks themselves should be
+# in swh/scheduler/tests/celery_tasks.py
+TASK_NAMES = ['ping', 'multiping']
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope='session')
 def celery_enable_logging():
     return True
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope='session')
 def celery_includes():
     return [
         'swh.scheduler.tests.tasks',
     ]
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope='session')
 def celery_parameters():
     return {
-        'task_cls':  'swh.scheduler.task:SWHTask',
+        'task_cls': 'swh.scheduler.task:SWHTask',
+        }
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope='session')
+def celery_config():
+    return {
+        'accept_content': ['application/x-msgpack', 'application/json'],
+        'task_serializer': 'msgpack',
+        'result_serializer': 'msgpack',
         }
 
 
 # override the celery_session_app fixture to monkeypatch the 'main'
 # swh.scheduler.celery_backend.config.app Celery application
 # with the test application.
 @pytest.fixture(scope='session')
 def swh_app(celery_session_app):
     import swh.scheduler.celery_backend.config
     swh.scheduler.celery_backend.config.app = celery_session_app
     yield celery_session_app
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def swh_scheduler(request, postgresql_proc, postgresql):
+    scheduler_config = {
+        'scheduling_db': 'postgresql://{user}@{host}:{port}/{dbname}'.format(
+            host=postgresql_proc.host,
+            port=postgresql_proc.port,
+            user='postgres',
+            dbname='tests')
+    }
+
+    all_dump_files = sorted(glob.glob(DUMP_FILES), key=sortkey)
+
+    cursor = postgresql.cursor()
+    for fname in all_dump_files:
+        with open(fname) as fobj:
+            cursor.execute(fobj.read())
+    postgresql.commit()
+
+    scheduler = get_scheduler('local', scheduler_config)
+    for taskname in TASK_NAMES:
+        scheduler.create_task_type({
+            'type': 'swh-test-{}'.format(taskname),
+            'description': 'The {} testing task'.format(taskname),
+            'backend_name': 'swh.scheduler.tests.tasks.{}'.format(taskname),
+            'default_interval': timedelta(days=1),
+            'min_interval': timedelta(hours=6),
+            'max_interval': timedelta(days=12),
+        })
+
+    return scheduler
diff --git a/swh/scheduler/tests/test_celery_tasks.py b/swh/scheduler/tests/test_celery_tasks.py
index 8811bb3..8c53c38 100644
--- a/swh/scheduler/tests/test_celery_tasks.py
+++ b/swh/scheduler/tests/test_celery_tasks.py
@@ -1,35 +1,55 @@
 from time import sleep
 from celery.result import GroupResult
+from celery.result import AsyncResult
+
+from swh.scheduler.utils import create_task_dict
+from swh.scheduler.celery_backend.runner import run_ready_tasks
 
 
 def test_ping(swh_app, celery_session_worker):
     res = swh_app.send_task(
         'swh.scheduler.tests.tasks.ping')
     assert res
     res.wait()
     assert res.successful()
     assert res.result == 'OK'
 
 
 def test_multiping(swh_app, celery_session_worker):
     "Test that a task that spawns subtasks (group) works"
     res = swh_app.send_task(
         'swh.scheduler.tests.tasks.multiping', n=5)
     assert res
 
     res.wait()
     assert res.successful()
 
     # retrieve the GroupResult for this task and wait for all the subtasks
     # to complete
     promise_id = res.result
     assert promise_id
     promise = GroupResult.restore(promise_id, app=swh_app)
     for i in range(5):
         if promise.ready():
             break
         sleep(1)
 
     results = [x.get() for x in promise.results]
     for i in range(5):
         assert ("OK (kw={'i': %s})" % i) in results
+
+
+def test_scheduler_fixture(swh_app, celery_session_worker, swh_scheduler):
+    "Test that the scheduler fixture works properly"
+    task_type = swh_scheduler.get_task_type('swh-test-ping')
+    assert task_type
+    assert task_type['backend_name'] == 'swh.scheduler.tests.tasks.ping'
+
+    swh_scheduler.create_tasks([create_task_dict(
+        'swh-test-ping', 'oneshot')])
+
+    backend_tasks = run_ready_tasks(swh_scheduler, swh_app)
+    assert backend_tasks
+    for task in backend_tasks:
+        # Make sure the task completed
+        AsyncResult(id=task['backend_id']).get()