diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0179967de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+name: Forge CI
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [main]
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [main]
+
+concurrency:
+  group: forge-ci-${{ gitea.ref }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
+jobs:
+  smoke-and-build:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Install uv
+        uses: astral-sh/setup-uv@v5
+
+      - name: Set up Python 3.11
+        run: uv python install 3.11
+
+      - name: Install package
+        run: |
+          uv venv .venv --python 3.11
+          source .venv/bin/activate
+          uv pip install -e ".[all,dev]"
+
+      - name: Smoke tests
+        run: |
+          source .venv/bin/activate
+          python scripts/smoke_test.py
+        env:
+          OPENROUTER_API_KEY: ""
+          OPENAI_API_KEY: ""
+          NOUS_API_KEY: ""
+
+      - name: Green-path E2E
+        run: |
+          source .venv/bin/activate
+          python -m pytest tests/test_green_path_e2e.py -q --tb=short
+        env:
+          OPENROUTER_API_KEY: ""
+          OPENAI_API_KEY: ""
+          NOUS_API_KEY: ""
diff --git a/scripts/smoke_test.py b/scripts/smoke_test.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..231c0081c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/smoke_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Forge smoke tests — fast checks that core imports resolve and entrypoints load.
+
+Total runtime target: < 30 seconds.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import importlib
+import subprocess
+import sys
+
+CORE_MODULES = [
+    "hermes_cli.config",
+    "hermes_state",
+    "model_tools",
+    "toolsets",
+    "utils",
+]
+
+CLI_ENTRYPOINTS = [
+    ["python", "cli.py", "--help"],
+]
+
+
+def test_imports() -> None:
+    for mod in CORE_MODULES:
+        try:
+            importlib.import_module(mod)
+        except Exception as exc:
+            print(f"FAIL: import {mod} -> {exc}")
+            sys.exit(1)
+    print(f"OK: {len(CORE_MODULES)} core imports")
+
+
+def test_cli_help() -> None:
+    for cmd in CLI_ENTRYPOINTS:
+        result = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, timeout=30)
+        if result.returncode != 0:
+            stderr = result.stderr.decode()[:200]
+            print(f"FAIL: {' '.join(cmd)} -> {stderr}")
+            sys.exit(1)
+    print(f"OK: {len(CLI_ENTRYPOINTS)} CLI entrypoints")
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    test_imports()
+    test_cli_help()
+    print("Smoke tests passed.")
+    return 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main())
diff --git a/tests/test_green_path_e2e.py b/tests/test_green_path_e2e.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..95898a649
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_green_path_e2e.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+"""Bare green-path E2E — one happy-path tool call cycle.
+
+Exercises the terminal tool directly and verifies the response structure.
+No API keys required. Runtime target: < 10 seconds.
+"""
+
+import json
+
+from tools.terminal_tool import terminal_tool
+
+
+def test_terminal_echo_green_path() -> None:
+    """terminal('echo hello') -> verify response contains 'hello' and exit_code 0."""
+    result = terminal_tool(command="echo hello", timeout=10)
+    data = json.loads(result)
+
+    assert data["exit_code"] == 0, f"Expected exit_code 0, got {data['exit_code']}"
+    assert "hello" in data["output"], f"Expected 'hello' in output, got: {data['output']}"