diff --git a/Taskfile.yml b/Taskfile.yml
index 04c4c2f9ac2..605041cd535 100755
--- a/Taskfile.yml
+++ b/Taskfile.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ tasks:
   protoc:
     desc: Compile protobuf definitions
     cmds:
-      - protoc --proto_path=rpc --go_out=plugins=grpc,paths=source_relative:rpc ./rpc/commands/*.proto
+      - '{{ default "protoc" .PROTOC_BINARY }} --proto_path=rpc --go_out=plugins=grpc,paths=source_relative:rpc ./rpc/commands/*.proto'
 
   build:
     desc: Build the project
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ tasks:
     desc: Run integration tests only
     cmds:
       - go test -run Integration {{ default "-v" .GOFLAGS }} -coverprofile=coverage_integ.txt {{ default .DEFAULT_TARGETS .TARGETS }} {{.TEST_LDFLAGS}}
-      - pytest test/
+      - pytest test
 
   test-legacy:
     desc: Run tests for the `legacy` package
diff --git a/appveyor.yml b/appveyor.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..966d3076697
--- /dev/null
+++ b/appveyor.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+build: off
+deploy: off
+
+clone_folder: C:\arduino-cli
+shallow_clone: true
+
+skip_tags: true
+skip_branch_with_pr: true
+
+environment:
+  GOPATH: c:\gopath
+  PROTOC_PATH: c:\protoc
+  PROTOC_BINARY: protoc.exe
+  # add protoc, gopath and override default Python 2.7
+  PATH: $(PROTOC_PATH);$(PROTOC_PATH)\bin;$(GOPATH)\bin;C:\Python37;C:\Python37\Scripts;$(PATH)
+
+stack: go 1.12
+
+install:
+  # install the task executor
+  - curl -o task.zip -LO https://github.com/go-task/task/releases/download/v2.6.0/task_windows_amd64.zip
+  - 7z e task.zip -o%GOPATH%\bin
+  # golang dependencies needed at test time
+  - go get github.com/golangci/govet
+  - go get golang.org/x/lint/golint
+  # Python dependencies needed at test time
+  - python -V
+  - pip install -r test\requirements.txt
+  # protobuf tooling needed at test time. We use a very old version of the compiler
+  # because of this: https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/issues/3957
+  - go get github.com/golang/protobuf/protoc-gen-go
+  - curl -o protoc.zip -LO https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/releases/download/v3.4.0/protoc-3.4.0-win32.zip
+  - 7z e protoc.zip -o%PROTOC_PATH%
+
+test_script:
+  # Check if the Go code is properly formatted and run the linter
+  - task.exe check
+  # Ensure protobufs compile
+  - task.exe protoc
+  # re-enable after fixing go tests
+  # - task.exe test-integration
+  # build the binary
+  - task.exe build
+  # run e2e tests
+  - pytest test
+
+# uncomment to debug builds
+# on_finish:
+#  - ps: $blockRdp = $true; iex ((new-object net.webclient).DownloadString('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/appveyor/ci/master/scripts/enable-rdp.ps1'))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/conftest.py b/test/conftest.py
index afc1d5e2695..d8cd4a51534 100644
--- a/test/conftest.py
+++ b/test/conftest.py
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@ def data_dir(tmpdir_factory):
     A tmp folder will be created before running
     the tests and deleted at the end.
     """
-    fn = tmpdir_factory.mktemp('ArduinoTest')
-    return fn
+    return str(tmpdir_factory.mktemp('ArduinoTest'))
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session")
diff --git a/test/test_main.py b/test/test_main.py
index aa3a1cb5115..228a5071514 100644
--- a/test/test_main.py
+++ b/test/test_main.py
@@ -62,7 +62,10 @@ def test_command_lib_search(run_command):
     assert number_of_libs == number_of_libs_from_json
 
 
+@pytest.mark.skipif(os.getenv('APPVEYOR'), reason="Appveyor VMs have no serial ports")
 def test_command_board_list(run_command):
+    result = run_command('core update-index')
+    assert result.ok
     result = run_command('board list --format json')
     assert result.ok
     # check is a valid json and contains a list of ports
@@ -73,6 +76,7 @@ def test_command_board_list(run_command):
         assert 'protocol_label' in port
 
 
+@pytest.mark.skipif(os.getenv('APPVEYOR'), reason="Appveyor VMs have no serial ports")
 def test_command_board_listall(run_command):
     result = run_command('board listall')
     assert result.ok