diff --git a/tests/fixtures/test_project/README.md b/tests/fixtures/test_project/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fe82975
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/test_project/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+# mypackage
+
+Minimal test project for manual validation of `reqstool-java-gradle-plugin`.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+- Java 21+
+- Gradle 8+ (or use the repo's `gradlew` wrapper if available)
+- `reqstool` CLI: `pip install reqstool`
+
+## Validation
+
+Run all commands from `tests/fixtures/test_project/`.
+
+### 1 — Build
+
+```bash
+gradle build
+```
+
+This runs compilation (triggering the APT annotation processor), tests, and
+`assembleRequirements` in one step.
+
+Expected output:
+```
+> Task :compileJava
+Note: Processing annotations: [io.github.reqstool.annotations.Requirements]
+Note: Writing Requirements Annotations data to: build/.../annotations.yml
+
+> Task :compileTestJava
+Note: Processing annotations: [io.github.reqstool.annotations.SVCs]
+Note: Writing Requirements Annotations data to: build/.../annotations.yml
+
+> Task :test
+> Task :assembleRequirements
+BUILD SUCCESSFUL
+```
+
+### 2 — Check artefacts
+
+```bash
+# zip must exist
+ls build/reqstool/mypackage-0.1.0-reqstool.zip
+
+# zip must contain all reqstool files + test results
+unzip -l build/reqstool/mypackage-0.1.0-reqstool.zip
+```
+
+Expected entries in the zip:
+- `mypackage-0.1.0-reqstool/requirements.yml`
+- `mypackage-0.1.0-reqstool/software_verification_cases.yml`
+- `mypackage-0.1.0-reqstool/annotations.yml`
+- `mypackage-0.1.0-reqstool/test_results/TEST-io.github.reqstool.example.HelloTest.xml`
+- `mypackage-0.1.0-reqstool/reqstool_config.yml`
+
+### 3 — Run reqstool status
+
+The zip is self-contained (test results included), so just extract and run:
+
+```bash
+unzip -o build/reqstool/mypackage-0.1.0-reqstool.zip -d /tmp/mypackage-reqstool
+reqstool status local -p /tmp/mypackage-reqstool/mypackage-0.1.0-reqstool
+```
+
+Expected: all green — `REQ_001` implemented, `T1 P1`, no missing tests or SVCs.
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/test_project/build.gradle b/tests/fixtures/test_project/build.gradle
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c56e99b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/test_project/build.gradle
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+plugins {
+    id 'java'
+    id 'io.github.reqstool.gradle-plugin' version '0.1.0'
+}
+
+group = 'io.github.reqstool.example'
+version = '0.1.0'
+
+java {
+    sourceCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_21
+    targetCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_21
+}
+
+repositories {
+    mavenCentral()
+}
+
+dependencies {
+    implementation 'io.github.reqstool:reqstool-java-annotations:1.0.0'
+    annotationProcessor 'io.github.reqstool:reqstool-java-annotations:1.0.0'
+
+    testImplementation platform('org.junit:junit-bom:6.0.3')
+    testImplementation 'org.junit.jupiter:junit-jupiter-api'
+    testAnnotationProcessor 'io.github.reqstool:reqstool-java-annotations:1.0.0'
+    testRuntimeOnly 'org.junit.jupiter:junit-jupiter-engine'
+    testRuntimeOnly 'org.junit.platform:junit-platform-launcher'
+}
+
+test {
+    useJUnitPlatform()
+}
+
+requirementsTool {
+    datasetPath = file('docs/reqstool')
+    testResults = ['build/test-results/**/*.xml']
+}
+
+tasks.named('build') {
+    finalizedBy tasks.named('assembleRequirements')
+}
+
+tasks.named('assembleRequirements') {
+    dependsOn tasks.named('test')
+}
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/test_project/docs/reqstool/requirements.yml b/tests/fixtures/test_project/docs/reqstool/requirements.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d543b61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/test_project/docs/reqstool/requirements.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# yaml-language-server: $schema=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/reqstool/reqstool-client/main/src/reqstool/resources/schemas/v1/requirements.schema.json
+
+metadata:
+  urn: mypackage
+  variant: microservice
+  title: Mypackage Requirements
+  url: https://github.com/reqstool/reqstool-java-gradle-plugin
+
+requirements:
+  - id: REQ_001
+    title: Hello function
+    significance: shall
+    description: The hello method shall return "hello".
+    categories: ["functional-suitability"]
+    revision: "0.1.0"
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/test_project/docs/reqstool/software_verification_cases.yml b/tests/fixtures/test_project/docs/reqstool/software_verification_cases.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c2da77f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/test_project/docs/reqstool/software_verification_cases.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# yaml-language-server: $schema=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/reqstool/reqstool-client/main/src/reqstool/resources/schemas/v1/software_verification_cases.schema.json
+
+cases:
+  - id: SVC_001
+    requirement_ids: ["REQ_001"]
+    title: "Hello method returns hello"
+    verification: automated-test
+    revision: "0.1.0"
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/test_project/settings.gradle b/tests/fixtures/test_project/settings.gradle
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..93c2cdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/test_project/settings.gradle
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+rootProject.name = 'mypackage'
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/test_project/src/main/java/io/github/reqstool/example/Hello.java b/tests/fixtures/test_project/src/main/java/io/github/reqstool/example/Hello.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c22a0c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/test_project/src/main/java/io/github/reqstool/example/Hello.java
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+package io.github.reqstool.example;
+
+import io.github.reqstool.annotations.Requirements;
+
+public class Hello {
+
+    @Requirements("REQ_001")
+    public String hello() {
+        return "hello";
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/test_project/src/test/java/io/github/reqstool/example/HelloTest.java b/tests/fixtures/test_project/src/test/java/io/github/reqstool/example/HelloTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2bb7fcc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/test_project/src/test/java/io/github/reqstool/example/HelloTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+package io.github.reqstool.example;
+
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+
+import io.github.reqstool.annotations.SVCs;
+
+class HelloTest {
+
+    @Test
+    @SVCs("SVC_001")
+    void testHello() {
+        assertEquals("hello", new Hello().hello());
+    }
+}