diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 50130ca0e..78c42a34b 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ commands =
     # them into Lib/fontTools.
     cov: coverage run --parallel-mode -m pytest {posargs}
     nocov: pytest {posargs}
+    # run the embedded doctests
+    pytest -q --pyargs fontTools
 
 [testenv:htmlcov]
 basepython = {env:TOXPYTHON:python3.5}