diff --git a/contrib/.testr.conf b/contrib/.testr.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8396da3953
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/.testr.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+[DEFAULT]
+test_command=python -m subunit.run discover -s contrib $LISTOPT $IDOPTION
+test_id_option=--load-list $IDFILE
+test_list_option=--list
diff --git a/contrib/bin/run_tests.py b/contrib/bin/run_tests.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4b5290e5f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/bin/run_tests.py
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+#
+#    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+#    not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+#    a copy of the License at
+#
+#         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+#    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+#    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+#    WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+#    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+#    under the License.
+
+import os
+import sys
+
+from testrepository import commands
+
+CONTRIB_PATH = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__),
+                                            os.pardir))
+TESTR_PATH = os.path.join(CONTRIB_PATH, ".testrepository")
+
+
+def _run_testr(*args):
+    return commands.run_argv([sys.argv[0]] + list(args),
+                             sys.stdin, sys.stdout, sys.stderr)
+
+# initialize the contrib test repository if needed
+if not os.path.isdir(TESTR_PATH):
+    _run_testr('init', '-d', CONTRIB_PATH)
+if not _run_testr('run', '-d', CONTRIB_PATH, '--parallel'):
+    cur_dir = os.getcwd()
+    os.chdir(CONTRIB_PATH)
+    print("Slowest Contrib Tests")
+    _run_testr("slowest")
+    os.chdir(cur_dir)
+else:
+    sys.exit(1)
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 894f2a3952..80ab3224f1 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [tox]
-envlist = py26,py27,pep8,contrib
+envlist = py26,py27,pep8
 minversion = 1.6
 skipsdist = True
 
@@ -11,13 +11,7 @@ deps = -r{toxinidir}/requirements.txt
        -r{toxinidir}/test-requirements.txt
 commands =
   python setup.py testr --slowest --testr-args='{posargs}'
-
-[testenv:contrib]
-deps = -r{toxinidir}/requirements.txt
-       -r{toxinidir}/test-requirements.txt
-commands =
-  discover -s contrib/ {posargs}
-  flake8 contrib
+  python contrib/bin/run_tests.py
 
 [testenv:pep8]
 commands =