diff --git a/.ci/after_success.sh b/.ci/after_success.sh
index 7aaae203c..50376677c 100755
--- a/.ci/after_success.sh
+++ b/.ci/after_success.sh
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ source "${CI_DIR}/common.sh"
 
 set +e
 
-if [ "${TRAVIS_PULL_REQUEST}" = false ] && [ "${TRAVIS_BRANCH}" = 'master' ]; then
+# if [ "${TRAVIS_PULL_REQUEST}" = false ] && [ "${TRAVIS_BRANCH}" = 'master' ]; then
+if [ -z "${CIRCLE_PULL_REQUEST}" ] && [ "${CIRCLE_BRANCH}" = 'master' ]; then
     travis_retry luarocks --local install ldoc
     # get deploy key for doc repo
     openssl aes-256-cbc -k "${doc_build_secret:?}" -in .ci/koreader_doc.enc -out ~/.ssh/koreader_doc -d
diff --git a/.ci/before_install.sh b/.ci/before_install.sh
index ba9ee7671..f302b7168 100755
--- a/.ci/before_install.sh
+++ b/.ci/before_install.sh
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@ fi
 mkdir bin
 ln -s "$(which gcc-4.8)" bin/cc
 ln -s "$(which gcc-4.8)" bin/gcc
-ln -s "$(which c++-4.8)" bin/c++
+ln -s "$(which c++)" bin/c++
 ln -s "$(which g++-4.8)" bin/g++
 
 # Travis only makes a shallow clone of --depth=50. KOReader is small enough that
 # we can just grab it all. This is necessary to generate the version number,
 # without which some tests will fail.
-git fetch --unshallow
+# git fetch --unshallow
diff --git a/.ci/build.sh b/.ci/build.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..04e486302
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.ci/build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+CI_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+# shellcheck source=/dev/null
+source "${CI_DIR}/common.sh"
+
+make all
diff --git a/.ci/check.sh b/.ci/check.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..cc5d6fcb4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.ci/check.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+CI_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+# shellcheck source=/dev/null
+source "${CI_DIR}/common.sh"
+
+echo -e "\n${ANSI_GREEN}shellcheck results"
+"${CI_DIR}/helper_shellchecks.sh"
+
+echo -e "\\n${ANSI_GREEN}Checking for unscaled sizes"
+# stick `|| true` at the end to prevent Travis exit on failed command
+unscaled_size_check=$(grep -nr --include=*.lua --exclude=koptoptions.lua --exclude-dir=base --exclude-dir=install --exclude-dir=keyboardlayouts --exclude-dir=*arm* "\\(padding\\|margin\\|bordersize\\|width\\|height\\|radius\\|linesize\\) = [0-9]\\{1,2\\}" | grep -v '= 0' | grep -v '= [0-9]/[0-9]' | grep -Ev '(default_option_height|default_option_padding)' | grep -v scaleBySize || true)
+# Also check Geom objects; for legibility two regular expressions rather than
+# one enormous indecipharable blob.
+unscaled_size_check_geom=$(grep -E -nr --include=*.lua --exclude=gesturerange_spec.lua --exclude-dir=base --exclude-dir=*arm* 'Geom:new{.+ [wh] = [0-9]{1,4}' | grep -Ev '[wh] = 0' | grep -v '= [0-9]/[0-9]' | grep -v scaleBySize || true)
+
+if [ "${unscaled_size_check}" ] || [ "${unscaled_size_check_geom}" ]; then
+    echo -e "\\n${ANSI_RED}Warning: it looks like you might be using unscaled sizes.\\nIt is almost always preferable to defer to one of the predefined sizes in ui.elements.commonui in the following files:"
+    echo "${unscaled_size_check}"
+    echo "${unscaled_size_check_geom}"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo -e "\n${ANSI_GREEN}Luacheck results"
+luajit "$(which luacheck)" --no-color -q {reader,setupkoenv,datastorage}.lua frontend plugins spec
diff --git a/.ci/common.sh b/.ci/common.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 2fa297541..121dca15a
--- a/.ci/common.sh
+++ b/.ci/common.sh
@@ -61,9 +61,15 @@ retry_cmd() {
     return $result
 }
 
-export PATH=$PWD/bin:$PATH
-export PATH=$PATH:${TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR}/install/bin
-if [ -f "${TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR}/install/bin/luarocks" ]; then
+# export CI_BUILD_DIR=${TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR}
+# use eval to get fully expanded path
+eval CI_BUILD_DIR="${CIRCLE_WORKING_DIRECTORY}"
+export CI_BUILD_DIR
+
+test -e "${HOME}/bin" || mkdir "${HOME}/bin"
+export PATH=$PWD/bin:$HOME/bin:$PATH
+export PATH=$PATH:${CI_BUILD_DIR}/install/bin
+if [ -f "${CI_BUILD_DIR}/install/bin/luarocks" ]; then
     # add local rocks to $PATH
     eval "$(luarocks path --bin)"
 fi
diff --git a/.ci/fetch.sh b/.ci/fetch.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..acaf5f377
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.ci/fetch.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+CI_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+# shellcheck source=/dev/null
+source "${CI_DIR}/common.sh"
+
+travis_retry make fetchthirdparty
diff --git a/.ci/helper_luarocks.sh b/.ci/helper_luarocks.sh
index c50221f5f..d21becfa0 100755
--- a/.ci/helper_luarocks.sh
+++ b/.ci/helper_luarocks.sh
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ source "${CI_DIR}/common.sh"
 
 rm -rf "${HOME}/.luarocks"
 mkdir "${HOME}/.luarocks"
-cp "${TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR}/install/etc/luarocks/config.lua" "${HOME}/.luarocks/config.lua"
+cp "${CI_BUILD_DIR}/install/etc/luarocks/config.lua" "${HOME}/.luarocks/config.lua"
 echo "wrap_bin_scripts = false" >>"$HOME/.luarocks/config.lua"
 travis_retry luarocks --local install luafilesystem
 # for verbose_print module
diff --git a/.ci/install.sh b/.ci/install.sh
index a1e8c1cf8..e199c73a4 100755
--- a/.ci/install.sh
+++ b/.ci/install.sh
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ CI_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
 source "${CI_DIR}/common.sh"
 
 # print some useful info
-echo "TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR: ${TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR}"
+echo "BUILD_DIR: ${CI_BUILD_DIR}"
 echo "pwd: $(pwd)"
 ls
 
@@ -24,11 +24,12 @@ else
 fi
 
 # install our own updated luarocks
-if [ ! -f "${TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR}/install/bin/luarocks" ]; then
+echo "luarocks installation path: ${CI_BUILD_DIR}"
+if [ ! -f "${CI_BUILD_DIR}/install/bin/luarocks" ]; then
     git clone https://github.com/torch/luajit-rocks.git
     pushd luajit-rocks && {
         git checkout 6529891
-        cmake . -DWITH_LUAJIT21=ON -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX="${TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR}/install"
+        cmake . -DWITH_LUAJIT21=ON -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX="${CI_BUILD_DIR}/install"
         make install
     } || exit
     popd
@@ -38,6 +39,10 @@ fi
 
 if [ ! -d "${HOME}/.luarocks" ] || [ ! -f "${HOME}/.luarocks/$(md5sum <"${CI_DIR}/helper_luarocks.sh")" ]; then
     echo -e "${ANSI_GREEN}Grabbing new .luarocks."
+    sudo apt-get update
+    # install openssl devel for luasec
+    sudo apt-get -y install libssl-dev
+
     "${CI_DIR}/helper_luarocks.sh"
     touch "${HOME}/.luarocks/$(md5sum <"${CI_DIR}/helper_luarocks.sh")"
 else
diff --git a/.ci/script.sh b/.ci/script.sh
index 7ede9ad0f..60bb19b52 100755
--- a/.ci/script.sh
+++ b/.ci/script.sh
@@ -5,28 +5,13 @@ CI_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
 source "${CI_DIR}/common.sh"
 
 echo -e "\\n${ANSI_GREEN}make fetchthirdparty"
-travis_retry make fetchthirdparty
+bash "${CI_DIR}/fetch.sh"
 
-"${CI_DIR}/helper_shellchecks.sh"
-
-echo -e "\\n${ANSI_GREEN}Checking for unscaled sizes"
-# stick `|| true` at the end to prevent Travis exit on failed command
-unscaled_size_check=$(grep -nr --include=*.lua --exclude=koptoptions.lua --exclude-dir=base --exclude-dir=install --exclude-dir=keyboardlayouts --exclude-dir=*arm* "\\(padding\\|margin\\|bordersize\\|width\\|height\\|radius\\|linesize\\) = [0-9]\\{1,2\\}" | grep -v '= 0' | grep -v '= [0-9]/[0-9]' | grep -Ev '(default_option_height|default_option_padding)' | grep -v scaleBySize || true)
-# Also check Geom objects; for legibility two regular expressions rather than
-# one enormous indecipharable blob.
-unscaled_size_check_geom=$(grep -E -nr --include=*.lua --exclude=gesturerange_spec.lua --exclude-dir=base --exclude-dir=*arm* 'Geom:new{.+ [wh] = [0-9]{1,4}' | grep -Ev '[wh] = 0' | grep -v '= [0-9]/[0-9]' | grep -v scaleBySize || true)
-
-if [ "${unscaled_size_check}" ] || [ "${unscaled_size_check_geom}" ]; then
-    echo -e "\\n${ANSI_RED}Warning: it looks like you might be using unscaled sizes.\\nIt is almost always preferable to defer to one of the predefined sizes in ui.size in the following files:"
-    echo "${unscaled_size_check}"
-    echo "${unscaled_size_check_geom}"
-    exit 1
-fi
-
-echo -e "\\n${ANSI_GREEN}Luacheck results"
-luajit "$(which luacheck)" --no-color -q {reader,setupkoenv,datastorage}.lua frontend plugins spec
+echo -e "\\n${ANSI_GREEN}static checks"
+bash "${CI_DIR}/check.sh"
 
 echo -e "\\n${ANSI_GREEN}make all"
-make all
+bash "${CI_DIR}/build.sh"
+
 echo -e "\\n${ANSI_GREEN}make testfront"
-make testfront
+bash "${CI_DIR}/test.sh"
diff --git a/.ci/test.sh b/.ci/test.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..66202f500
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.ci/test.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+CI_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+# shellcheck source=/dev/null
+source "${CI_DIR}/common.sh"
+
+make testfront
diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..75e14f889
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+version: 2
+jobs:
+  build:
+    docker:
+      - image: houqp/kobase:0.0.5
+        environment:
+          EMULATE_READER: 1
+    steps:
+      - checkout
+      - restore_cache:
+          keys:
+            - deps
+            - build
+      - run: echo 'export PATH=${HOME}/bin:${PATH}' >> $BASH_ENV
+
+      - run:
+          name: setup
+          command: .ci/before_install.sh
+      - run:
+          name: install
+          command: .ci/install.sh
+      - run:
+          name: fetch
+          command: .ci/fetch.sh
+      - run:
+          name: check
+          command: .ci/check.sh
+      - run:
+          name: build
+          command: .ci/build.sh
+      - run:
+          name: test
+          command: .ci/test.sh
+      - run:
+          name: cleanup
+          command: .ci/after_success.sh
+
+      - run:
+          name: clean up cache
+          command: rm -frv ./base/build/*/{spec,cache/*}
+      - save_cache:
+          key: build
+          paths:
+            - "/home/ko/.ccache"
+            - "base"
+      - save_cache:
+          key: deps
+          paths:
+            - "/home/ko/bin"
+            - "/home/ko/.luarocks"
+            # compiled luarocks binaries
+            - "install"
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6629f45e7..4859962dd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-[![Build Status][travis-badge]][travis-link]
+[![Build Status][circleci-badge]][circleci-link]
 [![Coverage Status][coverage-badge]][coverage-link]
 [![AGPL Licence][licence-badge]](COPYING)
 KOReader
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ make static-check
 
 NOTE: Extra dependencies for tests: `luacheck` from luarocks
 
-You may need to checkout the [travis config file][travis-conf] to setup up
+You may need to checkout the [circleci config file][circleci-conf] to setup up
 a proper testing environment. Briefly, you need to install `luarocks` and
 then install `busted` with `luarocks`. The "eng" language data file for
 tesseract-ocr is also need to test OCR functionality. Finally, make sure
@@ -294,9 +294,9 @@ http://ccache.samba.org
 
 [base-readme]:https://github.com/koreader/koreader-base/blob/master/README.md
 [nb-script]:https://gitlab.com/koreader/nightly-builds/blob/master/build_release.sh
-[travis-badge]:https://travis-ci.org/koreader/koreader.svg?branch=master
-[travis-link]:https://travis-ci.org/koreader/koreader
-[travis-conf]:https://github.com/koreader/koreader-base/blob/master/.travis.yml
+[circleci-badge]:https://circleci.com/gh/koreader/koreader.svg?style=svg
+[circleci-link]:https://circleci.com/gh/koreader/koreader
+[circleci-conf]:https://github.com/koreader/koreader-base/blob/master/.circleci/config.yml
 [linux-vm]:http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/11287/how-to-run-ubuntu-in-windows-7-with-vmware-player/
 [l10n-readme]:https://github.com/koreader/koreader/blob/master/l10n/README.md
 [koreader-transifex]:https://www.transifex.com/projects/p/koreader/