diff --git a/testhelper/CMakeLists.txt b/testhelper/CMakeLists.txt
index 880d1a0..b0953f7 100644
--- a/testhelper/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/testhelper/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ set(META_APP_NAME "Syncthing Tray Test Helper")
 set(META_APP_DESCRIPTION "Helper for testing compontents of Syncthing Tray")
 set(META_PUBLIC_QT_MODULES Core)
 set(META_NO_INSTALL_TARGETS ON)
+set(META_NO_CPP_UNIT ON)
 
 # add project files
 set(HEADER_FILES
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ set(SRC_FILES
 set(TEST_HEADER_FILES
 )
 set(TEST_SRC_FILES
+    tests/manualtesting.cpp
 )
 
 set(TS_FILES
@@ -48,6 +50,7 @@ include(BasicConfig)
 include(QtConfig)
 include(WindowsResources)
 include(LibraryTarget)
+include(TestTarget)
 include(Doxygen)
 include(ConfigHeader)
 
diff --git a/testhelper/syncthingtestinstance.cpp b/testhelper/syncthingtestinstance.cpp
index 5661abd..277862b 100644
--- a/testhelper/syncthingtestinstance.cpp
+++ b/testhelper/syncthingtestinstance.cpp
@@ -93,8 +93,14 @@ void SyncthingTestInstance::stop()
     }
     if (m_syncthingProcess.isOpen()) {
         cerr << "\n - Syncthing terminated with exit code " << m_syncthingProcess.exitCode() << ".\n";
-        cerr << "\n - Syncthing stdout during the testrun:\n" << m_syncthingProcess.readAllStandardOutput().data();
-        cerr << "\n - Syncthing stderr during the testrun:\n" << m_syncthingProcess.readAllStandardError().data();
+        const auto stdOut(m_syncthingProcess.readAllStandardOutput());
+        if (!stdOut.isEmpty()) {
+            cerr << "\n - Syncthing stdout during the testrun:\n" << stdOut.data();
+        }
+        const auto stdErr(m_syncthingProcess.readAllStandardError());
+        if (!stdErr.isEmpty()) {
+            cerr << "\n - Syncthing stderr during the testrun:\n" << stdErr.data();
+        }
     }
 }
 } // namespace TestUtilities
diff --git a/testhelper/syncthingtestinstance.h b/testhelper/syncthingtestinstance.h
index 1a40d05..30a5c9b 100644
--- a/testhelper/syncthingtestinstance.h
+++ b/testhelper/syncthingtestinstance.h
@@ -24,15 +24,13 @@ public:
 
     const QString &apiKey() const;
     const QString &syncthingPort() const;
+    QCoreApplication &application();
+    QProcess &syncthingProcess();
 
 public Q_SLOTS:
     void start();
     void stop();
 
-protected:
-    QCoreApplication &application();
-    QProcess &syncthingProcess();
-
 private:
     QString m_apiKey;
     QString m_syncthingPort;
diff --git a/testhelper/testfiles/testconfig b/testhelper/testfiles/testconfig
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..fbe1030
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testhelper/testfiles/testconfig
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../../connector/testfiles/testconfig
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/testhelper/tests/manualtesting.cpp b/testhelper/tests/manualtesting.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c1f252
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testhelper/tests/manualtesting.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+#include "../syncthingtestinstance.h"
+
+#include <c++utilities/tests/testutils.h>
+
+#include <iostream>
+
+using namespace std;
+using namespace TestUtilities;
+
+/*!
+ * \brief Launches a Syncthing test instance for manual testing.
+ */
+int main(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+    TestApplication testApp(argc, argv);
+    if (!testApp) {
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    SyncthingTestInstance testInstance;
+    auto &syncthingProcess(testInstance.syncthingProcess());
+    syncthingProcess.setReadChannelMode(QProcess::ForwardedChannels);
+    QObject::connect(&syncthingProcess, static_cast<void (QProcess::*)(int)>(&QProcess::finished), &QCoreApplication::exit);
+    testInstance.start();
+
+    const int res = testInstance.application().exec();
+    testInstance.stop();
+    return res;
+}