@@ -497,6 +497,33 @@ gulp.task('test.unit.cjs', ['build/clean.js', 'build.tools'], function (neverDon
 });
 
 
+gulp.task('test.unit.dartvm', function (done) {
+  runSequence(
+    'build/tree.dart',
+    'build/pubspec.dart',
+    '!build/change_detect.dart',
+    '!test.unit.dartvm/run',
+    function(error) {
+      // if initial build failed (likely due to build or formatting step) then exit
+      // otherwise karma server doesn't start and we can't continue running properly
+      if (error) {
+        done(error);
+        return;
+      }
+
+      watch('modules/angular2/**', { ignoreInitial: true }, [
+        '!build/tree.dart',
+        '!test.unit.dartvm/run'
+      ]);
+    }
+  );
+});
+
+gulp.task('!test.unit.dartvm/run', runServerDartTests(gulp, gulpPlugins, {
+  dir: 'dist/dart/angular2'
+}));
+
+
 gulp.task('test.unit.tools/ci', function(done) {
   runJasmineTests(['dist/tools/**/*.spec.js', 'tools/**/*.spec.js'], done);
 });
 
@@ -8,41 +8,47 @@ var util = require('./util');
 
 module.exports = function(gulp, plugins, config) {
   return function() {
-    return util.forEachSubDirSequential(
-      config.dest,
-      function(dir) {
-        var testDir = path.join(dir, 'test');
-        var relativeMasterTestFile = 'test/_all_tests.dart';
-        var testFiles = [].slice.call(glob.sync('**/*.server.spec.dart', {
-          cwd: testDir
-        }));
-        if (testFiles.length == 0) {
-          // No test files found
-          return Q.resolve();
-        }
-        var header = ['library _all_tests;', ''];
-        var main = ['main() {'];
-        testFiles.forEach(function(fileName, index) {
-          header.push('import "' + fileName + '" as test_' + index + ';');
-          main.push('  test_' + index + '.main();');
-        });
-        header.push('');
-        main.push('}');
+    if (config.dir) {
+      return run(config.dir);
+    } else {
+      return util.forEachSubDirSequential(config.dest, run);
+    }
+  };
+
+  function run(dir) {
+    var testDir = path.join(dir, 'test');
+    var relativeMasterTestFile = 'test/_all_tests.dart';
+    var testFiles = [].slice.call(glob.sync('**/*.server.spec.dart', {
+      cwd: testDir
+    }));
+    if (testFiles.length == 0) {
+      // No test files found
+      return Q.resolve();
+    }
+    var header = ['library _all_tests;', ''];
+    var main = ['main() {'];
+    testFiles.forEach(function(fileName, index) {
+      header.push('import "' + fileName + '" as test_' + index + ';');
+      main.push('  test_' + index + '.main();');
+    });
+    header.push('');
+    main.push('}');
 
-        var absMasterTestFile = path.join(dir, relativeMasterTestFile);
-        fs.writeFileSync(absMasterTestFile, header.concat(main).join('\n'));
+    var absMasterTestFile = path.join(dir, relativeMasterTestFile);
+    fs.writeFileSync(absMasterTestFile, header.concat(main).join('\n'));
 
-        var defer = Q.defer();
-        var done = defer.makeNodeResolver();
-        util.processToPromise(spawn('dart', ['-c', relativeMasterTestFile], {
-          stdio: 'inherit',
-          cwd: dir
-        })).then(
-          function() { done(); },
-          function(error) { done(error); }
-        );
-        return defer.promise;
-      }
+    var defer = Q.defer();
+    var done = defer.makeNodeResolver();
+    console.log('start tests');
+    util.processToPromise(spawn('dart', ['-c', relativeMasterTestFile], {
+      stdio: 'inherit',
+      cwd: dir
+    })).then(
+      function() { done(); },
+      function(error) { done(error); }
     );
-  };
+    return defer.promise.then(function() {
+      console.log('end tests');
+    });
+  }
 };