diff --git a/build.zig b/build.zig
index 4d71b0fb36..2b5863a2b9 100644
--- a/build.zig
+++ b/build.zig
@@ -126,7 +126,10 @@ pub fn build(b: *Builder) !void {
     test_step.dependOn(tests.addCompareOutputTests(b, test_filter, modes));
     test_step.dependOn(tests.addStandaloneTests(b, test_filter, modes));
     test_step.dependOn(tests.addStackTraceTests(b, test_filter, modes));
-    test_step.dependOn(tests.addCliTests(b, test_filter, modes));
+    const test_cli = tests.addCliTests(b, test_filter, modes);
+    const test_cli_step = b.step("test-cli", "Run zig cli tests");
+    test_cli_step.dependOn(test_cli);
+    test_step.dependOn(test_cli);
     test_step.dependOn(tests.addAssembleAndLinkTests(b, test_filter, modes));
     test_step.dependOn(tests.addRuntimeSafetyTests(b, test_filter, modes));
     test_step.dependOn(tests.addTranslateCTests(b, test_filter));
diff --git a/test/cli.zig b/test/cli.zig
index 3af78e1857..77d79ed98e 100644
--- a/test/cli.zig
+++ b/test/cli.zig
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ pub fn main() !void {
         testZigInitExe,
         testGodboltApi,
         testMissingOutputPath,
+        testZigFmt,
     };
     for (test_fns) |testFn| {
         try fs.cwd().deleteTree(dir_path);
@@ -143,3 +144,29 @@ fn testMissingOutputPath(zig_exe: []const u8, dir_path: []const u8) !void {
         zig_exe, "build-exe", source_path, "--output-dir", output_path,
     });
 }
+
+fn testZigFmt(zig_exe: []const u8, dir_path: []const u8) !void {
+    _ = try exec(dir_path, &[_][]const u8{ zig_exe, "init-exe" });
+
+    const unformatted_code = "    // no reason for indent";
+
+    const fmt1_zig_path = try fs.path.join(a, &[_][]const u8{ dir_path, "fmt1.zig" });
+    try fs.cwd().writeFile(fmt1_zig_path, unformatted_code);
+
+    const run_result1 = try exec(dir_path, &[_][]const u8{ zig_exe, "fmt", fmt1_zig_path });
+    // stderr should be file path + \n
+    testing.expect(std.mem.startsWith(u8, run_result1.stderr, fmt1_zig_path));
+    testing.expect(run_result1.stderr.len == fmt1_zig_path.len + 1 and run_result1.stderr[run_result1.stderr.len - 1] == '\n');
+
+    const fmt2_zig_path = try fs.path.join(a, &[_][]const u8{ dir_path, "fmt2.zig" });
+    try fs.cwd().writeFile(fmt2_zig_path, unformatted_code);
+
+    const run_result2 = try exec(dir_path, &[_][]const u8{ zig_exe, "fmt", dir_path });
+    // running it on the dir, only the new file should be changed
+    testing.expect(std.mem.startsWith(u8, run_result2.stderr, fmt2_zig_path));
+    testing.expect(run_result2.stderr.len == fmt2_zig_path.len + 1 and run_result2.stderr[run_result2.stderr.len - 1] == '\n');
+
+    const run_result3 = try exec(dir_path, &[_][]const u8{ zig_exe, "fmt", dir_path });
+    // both files have been formatted, nothing should change now
+    testing.expect(run_result3.stderr.len == 0);
+}