diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index a0cc153f..c5493379 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Run Gradle Publish
         run: |
-          ./gradlew :bosk-core:test publishToSonatype closeAndReleaseSonatypeStagingRepository \
+          ./gradlew smoke publishToSonatype closeAndReleaseSonatypeStagingRepository \
             -Pversion="${{github.event.release.tag_name}}" \
             --info
         env:
diff --git a/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/DisruptsMongoService.java b/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/DisruptsMongoService.java
index 3f08808d..fe8800f7 100644
--- a/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/DisruptsMongoService.java
+++ b/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/DisruptsMongoService.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
 import java.lang.annotation.Target;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.parallel.ResourceLock;
+import works.bosk.junit.Slow;
 
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.parallel.ResourceAccessMode.READ_WRITE;
 
@@ -29,5 +30,6 @@
 @Target({ ElementType.ANNOTATION_TYPE, ElementType.METHOD, ElementType.TYPE })
 @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
 @ResourceLock(value="mongoContainer", mode=READ_WRITE)
+@Slow // These are inherently slow because they prevent tests from running in parallel
 public @interface DisruptsMongoService {
 }
diff --git a/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/MongoDriverConformanceTest.java b/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/MongoDriverConformanceTest.java
index f4adddd2..a65af742 100644
--- a/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/MongoDriverConformanceTest.java
+++ b/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/MongoDriverConformanceTest.java
@@ -12,10 +12,12 @@
 import works.bosk.drivers.mongo.TestParameters.EventTiming;
 import works.bosk.drivers.mongo.TestParameters.ParameterSet;
 import works.bosk.junit.ParametersByName;
+import works.bosk.junit.Slow;
 
 import static works.bosk.drivers.mongo.MongoDriverSettings.DatabaseFormat.SEQUOIA;
 
 @UsesMongoService
+@Slow
 class MongoDriverConformanceTest extends DriverConformanceTest {
 	private final Deque<Runnable> tearDownActions = new ArrayDeque<>();
 	private static MongoService mongoService;
diff --git a/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/MongoDriverHanoiTest.java b/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/MongoDriverHanoiTest.java
index c8e87cfe..c3130a93 100644
--- a/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/MongoDriverHanoiTest.java
+++ b/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/MongoDriverHanoiTest.java
@@ -10,10 +10,12 @@
 import works.bosk.DriverStack;
 import works.bosk.drivers.HanoiTest;
 import works.bosk.junit.ParametersByName;
+import works.bosk.junit.Slow;
 
 import static works.bosk.drivers.mongo.MainDriver.COLLECTION_NAME;
 
 @UsesMongoService
+@Slow
 public class MongoDriverHanoiTest extends HanoiTest {
 	private static MongoService mongoService;
 	private final Queue<Runnable> shutdownOperations = new ConcurrentLinkedDeque<>();
diff --git a/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/MongoDriverRecoveryTest.java b/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/MongoDriverRecoveryTest.java
index 55b747c0..6e19109f 100644
--- a/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/MongoDriverRecoveryTest.java
+++ b/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/MongoDriverRecoveryTest.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import works.bosk.exceptions.FlushFailureException;
 import works.bosk.exceptions.InvalidTypeException;
 import works.bosk.junit.ParametersByName;
+import works.bosk.junit.Slow;
 
 import static ch.qos.logback.classic.Level.ERROR;
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@
 /**
  * Tests the kinds of recovery actions a human operator might take to try to get a busted service running again.
  */
+@Slow
 public class MongoDriverRecoveryTest extends AbstractMongoDriverTest {
 	FlushOrWait flushOrWait;
 
diff --git a/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/MongoDriverSpecialTest.java b/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/MongoDriverSpecialTest.java
index a7bdf3c6..abde3d4b 100644
--- a/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/MongoDriverSpecialTest.java
+++ b/bosk-mongo/src/test/java/works/bosk/drivers/mongo/MongoDriverSpecialTest.java
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 import works.bosk.exceptions.FlushFailureException;
 import works.bosk.exceptions.InvalidTypeException;
 import works.bosk.junit.ParametersByName;
+import works.bosk.junit.Slow;
 import works.bosk.util.Classes;
 
 import static ch.qos.logback.classic.Level.ERROR;
@@ -447,6 +448,7 @@ void deleteNonexistentField_ignored() throws InvalidTypeException, IOException,
 
 	@ParametersByName
 	@UsesMongoService
+	@Slow
 	void databaseMissingField_fallsBackToDefaultState() throws InvalidTypeException, IOException, InterruptedException {
 		setLogging(ERROR, ChangeReceiver.class);
 
@@ -576,6 +578,7 @@ void refurbish_createsField() throws IOException, InterruptedException {
 
 	@ParametersByName
 	@UsesMongoService
+	@Slow
 	void manifestVersionBump_disconnects() throws IOException, InterruptedException {
 		setLogging(ERROR, MainDriver.class, ChangeReceiver.class);
 
diff --git a/bosk-testing/src/main/java/works/bosk/junit/Slow.java b/bosk-testing/src/main/java/works/bosk/junit/Slow.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d23a30a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bosk-testing/src/main/java/works/bosk/junit/Slow.java
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+package works.bosk.junit;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Tag;
+
+import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
+import java.lang.annotation.Target;
+
+import static java.lang.annotation.ElementType.METHOD;
+import static java.lang.annotation.ElementType.TYPE;
+import static java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME;
+
+/**
+ * Omits the test from the {@code smoke} task.
+ */
+@Target({METHOD, TYPE})
+@Retention(RUNTIME)
+@Tag("slow")
+public @interface Slow {
+}
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index dd59c100..d918a73e 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -41,6 +41,21 @@ spotless {
 allprojects {
 	group = 'works.bosk'
 	// version should be set as a property with -Pversion
+
+	tasks.register('smoke', Test) {
+		// A set of tests that should finish in under a minute or so.
+		// Used as a quick double-check before publishing, when we've already
+		// run the full test suite and so there's no need to run it again.
+		// If publishing takes longer than desired, tests can be annotated
+		// with @Slow to omit them from this suite.
+
+		group = 'verification'
+		description = 'Skips tests tagged as "slow" for a quick verification that basic functionality works.'
+
+		useJUnitPlatform {
+			excludeTags 'slow'
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 nexusPublishing {