diff --git a/.github/workflows/lint.yaml b/.github/workflows/lint.yaml
index 8ca6378a151..211ad869473 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/lint.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/lint.yaml
@@ -21,3 +21,5 @@ jobs:
       run: pip install tox
     - name: run tests
       run: tox -e lint
+    - name: run mypy checks
+      run: tox -e mypy
diff --git a/lib/galaxy_test/api/_framework.py b/lib/galaxy_test/api/_framework.py
index aeda014fdf1..f76fee71ead 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy_test/api/_framework.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy_test/api/_framework.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     # Galaxy libraries and galaxy test driver not available, just assume we're
     # targetting a remote Galaxy.
-    GalaxyTestDriver = None
+    GalaxyTestDriver = None  # type: ignore
 
 
 class ApiTestCase(FunctionalTestCase, UsesApiTestCaseMixin, TestCase):
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index a21920be2b8..29200c5b5bb 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -16,3 +16,6 @@ exclude = lib/galaxy/util/jstree.py
 # https://github.com/PyCQA/flake8-import-order/blob/master/tests/test_cases/complete_smarkets.py
 import-order-style = smarkets
 application-import-names = galaxy,galaxy_test,tool_shed
+
+[mypy]
+ignore_missing_imports = True
diff --git a/test/integration/objectstore/test_objectstore_datatype_upload.py b/test/integration/objectstore/test_objectstore_datatype_upload.py
index 095fd779722..52178898be8 100644
--- a/test/integration/objectstore/test_objectstore_datatype_upload.py
+++ b/test/integration/objectstore/test_objectstore_datatype_upload.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import os
 import string
 import subprocess
 import time
+from typing import Optional
 
 import pytest
 
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ def stop_irods(container_name):
 
 class BaseObjectstoreUploadTest(UploadTestDatatypeDataTestCase):
 
-    object_store_template = None
+    object_store_template: Optional[string.Template] = None
 
     @classmethod
     def handle_galaxy_config_kwds(cls, config):
diff --git a/test/integration/resubmission_runners.py b/test/integration/resubmission_runners.py
index 7787cbef4ae..ece06942a44 100644
--- a/test/integration/resubmission_runners.py
+++ b/test/integration/resubmission_runners.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import time
+from typing import List
 
 from galaxy import model
 from galaxy.jobs.runners import (
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ class AssertionJobRunner(LocalJobRunner):
 class FailOnlyFirstJobRunner(LocalJobRunner):
     """Job runner that knows about test cases and checks final state assumptions."""
 
-    tests_seen = []
+    tests_seen: List[str] = []
 
     def queue_job(self, job_wrapper):
         resource_parameters = job_wrapper.get_resource_parameters()
diff --git a/test/integration/test_repository_operations.py b/test/integration/test_repository_operations.py
index 73c5476c18b..de17c8a9b56 100644
--- a/test/integration/test_repository_operations.py
+++ b/test/integration/test_repository_operations.py
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ from galaxy_test.driver import integration_util
 from tool_shed.util import hg_util
 from .uses_shed import UsesShed
 
-REPO = namedtuple('Repository', 'name owner changeset')(
+REPO_TYPE = namedtuple('Repository', 'name owner changeset')
+REPO = REPO_TYPE(
     'collection_column_join',
     'iuc',
     'dfde09461b1e',  # revision 2, a known installable revision
diff --git a/test/unit/tools/test_toolbox.py b/test/unit/tools/test_toolbox.py
index 5a664b53e6b..f3185da9d81 100644
--- a/test/unit/tools/test_toolbox.py
+++ b/test/unit/tools/test_toolbox.py
@@ -35,10 +35,11 @@ CONFIG_TEST_TOOL_VERSION_TEMPLATE = string.Template(
 CONFIG_TEST_TOOL_VERSION_1 = CONFIG_TEST_TOOL_VERSION_TEMPLATE.safe_substitute(dict(version="1"))
 CONFIG_TEST_TOOL_VERSION_2 = CONFIG_TEST_TOOL_VERSION_TEMPLATE.safe_substitute(dict(version="2"))
 
-DEFAULT_TEST_REPO = collections.namedtuple(
+REPO_TYPE = collections.namedtuple(
     'DEFAULT_TEST_REPO',
     'tool_shed owner name changeset_revision installed_changeset_revision description status',
-)('github.com', 'galaxyproject', 'example', '1', '1', 'description', 'OK')
+)
+DEFAULT_TEST_REPO = REPO_TYPE('github.com', 'galaxyproject', 'example', '1', '1', 'description', 'OK')
 
 
 class BaseToolBoxTestCase(unittest.TestCase, UsesApp, UsesTools):
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index de8922ed99b..29a1a772291 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ commands =
     lint_docstring_include_list: bash .ci/flake8_wrapper_docstrings.sh --include
 
     unit: bash run_tests.sh -u
+    # start with test here but obviously someday all of it...
+    mypy: mypy test
 whitelist_externals = bash
 passenv = 
     CI CONDA_EXE
@@ -28,6 +30,7 @@ setenv =
 deps =
     lint,lint_docstring,lint_docstring_include_list: -rlib/galaxy/dependencies/pipfiles/flake8/pinned-requirements.txt
     unit: mock-ssh-server
+    mypy: mypy
 
 [testenv:mulled]
 commands =  bash run_tests.sh --skip-venv -u test/unit/tool_util/mulled