diff --git a/.github/workflows/buiild.yml b/.github/workflows/buiild.yml
index a351a5f..bb54f21 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/buiild.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/buiild.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: Build and publish image to ghcr.io/epics-containers
+name: Check that ibek-support support modules will build in a container
 
 on:
   push:
@@ -45,6 +45,11 @@ jobs:
         if: runner.os == 'macos'
         uses: docker-practice/actions-setup-docker@fd7ecdac7caf8e2c541a48c9bcc280aae59a8461
 
+      # Dockerfiles expect the repo to be in a subdirectory as its normally a submodule
+      # and it gets IOC the scripts from that super-module
+      - name: Move IOC
+        run: mv _test_ioc ../ioc
+
       - name: Log in to GitHub Docker Registry
         uses: docker/login-action@v1
         with:
@@ -57,4 +62,4 @@ jobs:
           ARCH: ${{ matrix.architecture }}
           PLATFORM: ${{ matrix.platform }}
           CACHE: ${{ env.CACHE }}
-        run: tests/_test_support_build.sh
+        run: .submodule/tests/_test_support_build.sh
diff --git a/_test_ioc/config/st.cmd b/_test_ioc/config/st.cmd
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..2c79bc1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_test_ioc/config/st.cmd
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# EXAMPLE IOC Instance to demonstrate the ADSimDetector Generic IOC
+
+cd "$(TOP)"
+
+dbLoadDatabase "dbd/ioc.dbd"
+ioc_registerRecordDeviceDriver(pdbbase)
+
+# simDetectorConfig(portName, maxSizeX, maxSizeY, dataType, maxBuffers, maxMemory)
+simDetectorConfig("EXAMPLE.CAM", 2560, 2160, 1, 50, 0)
+
+# NDPvaConfigure(portName, queueSize, blockingCallbacks, NDArrayPort, NDArrayAddr, pvName, maxMemory, priority, stackSize)
+NDPvaConfigure("EXAMPLE.PVA", 2, 0, "EXAMPLE.CAM", 0, "EXAMPLE:IMAGE", 0, 0, 0)
+
+# NDFileHDF5Configure(portName, queueSize, blockingCallbacks, NDArrayPort, NDArrayAddr)
+NDFileHDF5Configure("EXAMPLE.HDF", 2, 0, "EXAMPLE.CAM", 0)
+
+startPVAServer
+
+# instantiate Database records for Sim Detector
+dbLoadRecords (simDetector.template, "P=EXAMPLE, R=:CAM:, PORT=EXAMPLE.CAM, TIMEOUT=1, ADDR=0")
+dbLoadRecords (NDPva.template, "P=EXAMPLE, R=:PVA:, PORT=EXAMPLE.PVA, ADDR=0, TIMEOUT=1, NDARRAY_PORT=EXAMPLE.CAM, NDARRAY_ADR=0, ENABLED=1")
+dbLoadRecords (NDFileHDF5.template, "P=EXAMPLE, R=:HDF:, PORT=EXAMPLE.HDF, ADDR=0, TIMEOUT=1, XMLSIZE=2048, NDARRAY_PORT=EXAMPLE.CAM, NDARRAY_ADDR=0, ENABLED=1, SCANRATE=I/O Intr")
+
+# also make Database records for DEVIOCSTATS
+dbLoadRecords(iocAdminSoft.db, "IOC=EXAMPLE")
+dbLoadRecords(iocAdminScanMon.db, "IOC=EXAMPLE")
+
+# start IOC shell
+iocInit
+
+# poke some records
+dbpf "EXAMPLE:CAM:AcquirePeriod", "0.1"
diff --git a/_test_ioc/liveness.sh b/_test_ioc/liveness.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..861e5c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_test_ioc/liveness.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+TOP=/repos/epics/ioc
+cd ${TOP}
+CONFIG_DIR=${TOP}/config
+
+set -ex
+
+CONFIG_DIR=/repos/epics/ioc/config
+THIS_SCRIPT=$(realpath ${0})
+override=${CONFIG_DIR}/liveness.sh
+
+if [[ -f ${override} && ${override} != ${THIS_SCRIPT} ]]; then
+    exec bash ${override}
+fi
+
+if [[ ${K8S_IOC_LIVENESS_ENABLED} != 'true' ]]; then
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+# use devIOCStats UPTIME as the default liveness PV
+# but allow override from the environment
+K8S_IOC_PV=${K8S_IOC_PV:-"${IOC_PREFIX}:UPTIME"}
+
+# use default CA PORT or override from the environment
+K8S_IOC_PORT=${K8S_IOC_PORT:-5064}
+
+export EPICS_CA_ADDR_LIST=${K8S_IOC_ADDRESS}
+export EPICS_CA_SERVER_PORT=${K8S_IOC_PORT}
+
+# verify that the IOC is running
+if caget ${K8S_IOC_PV} ; then
+    exit 0
+else
+    # send the error message to the container's main process stdout
+    echo "Liveness check failed for ${IOC_NAME}" > /proc/1/fd/1
+    echo "Failing PV: ${K8S_IOC_PV}" > /proc/1/fd/2
+    echo "Address list: ${EPICS_CA_ADDR_LIST}" > /proc/1/fd/2
+    echo "CA Port: ${EPICS_CA_SERVER_PORT}" > /proc/1/fd/2
+    exit 1
+fi
diff --git a/_test_ioc/start.sh b/_test_ioc/start.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..43bba74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_test_ioc/start.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+#
+# The epics-containers IOC startup script.
+#
+# This script is used to start an EPICS IOC in a Kubernetes pod. Implementers
+# of generic IOCs are free to replace this script with their own. But
+# this script as is should work for most IOCs.
+#
+# When a generic IOC runs in a kubernetes pod it is expected to have
+# a config folder that defines the IOC instance.
+# The helm chart for the generic IOC will mount the config folder
+# as a configMap and this turns a generic IOC into aspecific IOC instance.
+#
+# Here we support the following set of options for the contents of
+# the config folder:
+#
+# 1. start.sh ******************************************************************
+#    If the config folder contains a start.sh script it will be executed.
+#    This allows the instance implementer to provide a conmpletely custom
+#    startup script.
+#
+# 2. ioc.yaml *************************************************************
+#    If the config folder contains an ioc.yaml file we invoke the ibek tool to
+#    generate the startup script and database. Then launch with the generated
+#    startup script.
+#
+# 3. st.cmd + ioc.subst *********************************************************
+#    If the config folder contains a st.cmd script and a ioc.subst file then
+#    optionally generate ioc.db from the ioc.subst file and use the st.cmd script
+#    as the IOC startup script. Note that the expanded database file will
+#    be generated in /tmp/ioc.db
+#
+# 4. empty config folder *******************************************************
+#    If the config folder is empty then this IOC will launch the example in
+#    ./example folder
+#
+# RTEMS IOCS - RTEMS IOC startup files can be generated using 2,3,4 above. For
+# RTEMS we do not execute the ioc inside of the pod. Instead we:
+#  - copy the IOC directory to the RTEMS mount point
+#  - send a reboot command to the RTEMS crate
+#  - start a telnet session to the RTEMS IOC console
+#
+
+set -x -e
+
+# environment setup ************************************************************
+
+TOP=$(realpath $(dirname $0))
+cd ${TOP}
+CONFIG_DIR=${TOP}/config
+
+# add module paths to environment for use in ioc startup script
+source ${SUPPORT}/configure/RELEASE.shell
+
+# override startup script
+override=${CONFIG_DIR}/start.sh
+# source YAML for IOC Builder for EPICS on Kubernetes (ibek)
+ibek_src=${CONFIG_DIR}/ioc.yaml
+# Startup script for EPICS IOC generated by ibek
+ioc_startup=${CONFIG_DIR}/st.cmd
+# expanded database file
+epics_db=/tmp/ioc.db
+
+
+# 1. start.sh ******************************************************************
+
+if [ -f ${override} ]; then
+    exec ${override}
+
+# 2. ioc.yaml ******************************************************************
+
+elif [ -f ${ibek_src} ]; then
+    # Database generation script generated by ibek
+    db_src=/tmp/make_db.sh
+    final_ioc_startup=/tmp/st.cmd
+
+    # get ibek the support yaml files this ioc's support modules
+    defs=/ctools/*/*.ibek.support.yaml
+    ibek build-startup ${ibek_src} ${defs} --out ${final_ioc_startup} --db-out ${db_src}
+
+    # build expanded database using the db_src shell script
+    if [ -f ${db_src} ]; then
+        bash ${db_src} > ${epics_db}
+    fi
+
+# 3. st.cmd + ioc.substitutions ************************************************
+
+elif [ -f ${ioc_startup} ] ; then
+    if [ -f ${CONFIG_DIR}/ioc.substitutions ]; then
+        # generate ioc.db from ioc.substitutions, including all templates from SUPPORT
+        includes=$(for i in ${SUPPORT}/*/db; do echo -n "-I $i "; done)
+        msi ${includes} -S ${CONFIG_DIR}/ioc.substitutions -o ${epics_db}
+    fi
+    final_ioc_startup=${ioc_startup}
+
+# 4. empty config folder *******************************************************
+
+else
+    final_ioc_startup=${TOP}/example/st.cmd
+fi
+
+# Launch the IOC ***************************************************************
+
+if [[ ${TARGET_ARCHITECTURE} == "rtems" ]] ; then
+    echo "RTEMS IOC startup - copying IOC to RTEMS mount point ..."
+    cp -r ${IOC} ${K8S_IOC_ROOT}
+    sleep 100
+else
+    # Execute the IOC binary and pass the startup script as an argument
+    exec ${IOC}/bin/linux-x86_64/ioc ${final_ioc_startup}
+fi
diff --git a/_test_ioc/stop.sh b/_test_ioc/stop.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9d92a1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_test_ioc/stop.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+TOP=/repos/epics/ioc
+cd ${TOP}
+CONFIG_DIR=${TOP}/config
+
+override=${CONFIG_DIR}/stop.sh
+
+if [[ -f ${override} ]]; then
+    exec bash ${override}
+elif [[ ${RTEMS_VME_AUTO_REBOOT} == 'true' ]] ; then
+    # This is a placeholder for a script that is called when the pod is stopped.
+    # Placing your own stop.sh in the config directory will override this script.
+fi
+
+
diff --git a/tests/Verify.asyn.sh b/tests/Verify.asyn.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ce1ae74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Verify.asyn.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+echo "HELLO WORLD"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/Verify.busy.sh b/tests/Verify.busy.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8ce1569
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Verify.busy.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+echo TODO add tests for busy support module
diff --git a/tests/_test_support_build.sh b/tests/_test_support_build.sh
index fd8b061..1597b4b 100755
--- a/tests/_test_support_build.sh
+++ b/tests/_test_support_build.sh
@@ -14,13 +14,13 @@
 #   CACHE: the directory to use for caching
 #   PLATFORM: the platform to build for (linux/amd64 or linux/arm64)
 
-THIS_FOLDER=$(dirname $(readlink -f $0))
+set -xe
+
+THIS_FOLDER=$(dirname ${0})
 # ibek-support is normally a submodule of the Docker Context so we need to
 # pass the container context as the folder above the ibek-support folder
 CONTEXT=$(realpath ${THIS_FOLDER}/../..)
 
-set -xe
-
 BASE_VERSION="23.9.2"
 
 ARCH=${ARCH:-linux}
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ do_build() {
         --build-arg BASE=${BASE_VERSION}
         --build-arg REGISTRY=ghcr.io/epics-containers
         --target ${TARGET}
-        --layers
+        --load
         -t test_image_only
         -f ${DOCKERFILE}
     "
@@ -100,8 +100,12 @@ for dockerfile in ${THIS_FOLDER}/Dockerfile*; do
     # The above check is sufficient to show that the generic IOC will load and
     # run and that all the necessary runtime libraries are in place.
     #
-    # for more detailed testing add a Verify.xxx script where xxx is the
+    # for more detailed testing add a Verify.xxx.sh script where xxx is the
     # the same as the suffix on the Dockerfile. See Verify.asyn for an example.
+    VERIFY=Verify."${dockerfile#*.}"
+    if [[ -f ${THIS_FOLDER}/${VERIFY} ]] ; then
+        $THIS_FOLDER/${VERIFY} test_me
+    fi
 
     $docker stop -t0 test_me