diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ef69f3b..46294d6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -14,6 +14,15 @@ files like `makepkg.conf`.
 BUILDTOOLVER="${pkgver}-${pkgrel}-${arch}" make all
 ```
 
+## Development
+
+For local development testing, there is a convenience wrapper for `pkgctl` that
+will automatically build the project and proxy all calls to the local build directory:
+
+```sh
+./test/bin/pkgctl --help
+```
+
 ## Releasing
 
 1. bump the version in the Makefile
diff --git a/test/bin/pkgctl b/test/bin/pkgctl
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..9641af3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/bin/pkgctl
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#!/usr/bin/bash
+set -e
+
+root="$(dirname -- "$(readlink -f -- "$0")")/../.."
+
+# always build everything so we use an up-to-date state
+make -C "${root}" -j --no-print-directory --silent
+
+# run pkgctl from the build directory
+export PATH="${root}/build/bin:${PATH}"
+export _DEVTOOLS_LIBRARY_DIR="${root}/build"
+"${root}/build/bin/pkgctl" "$@"