diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index daeae3634..1e7b8dbe0 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 language: android
 jdk: openjdk7
+sudo: false
+env:
+    global:
+        - ANDROID_API_LEVEL=21
+        - ANDROID_ABI=armeabi-v7a
+        - ADB_INSTALL_TIMEOUT=8 # minutes (2 minutes by default)
 android:
     components:
         - build-tools-22.0.1
@@ -16,14 +22,13 @@ android:
         - 'android-sdk-preview-license-52d11cd2'
         - 'android-sdk-license-.+'
         - 'google-gdk-license-.+'
-# before_script:
-# - echo no | android create avd --force -n test -t android-21 --abi armeabi-v7a
-# - emulator -avd test -no-skin -no-audio -no-window &
-script:
-    - ./gradlew
-    - ./gradlew testDebug
-    - ./gradlew jacocoTestReport coveralls
 
-# don't run instrumentation tests for now
-# - android-wait-for-emulator && adb shell input keyevent 82 &
-# - ./gradlew connectedAndroidTest
+before_script:
+    - echo no | android create avd --force -n test -t android-$ANDROID_API_LEVEL --abi $ANDROID_ABI
+    - emulator -avd test -no-skin -no-audio -no-window &
+    - ./tools/android-wait-for-emulator
+    - adb shell input keyevent 82 &
+
+script:
+    - ./gradlew connectedAndroidTest
+    - ./gradlew testDebug jacocoTestReport coveralls
diff --git a/tools/android-wait-for-emulator b/tools/android-wait-for-emulator
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..57d045900
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/android-wait-for-emulator
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Originally written by Ralf Kistner <ralf@embarkmobile.com>, but placed in the public domain
+
+set +e
+
+bootanim=""
+failcounter=0
+timeout_in_sec=720
+
+until [[ "$bootanim" =~ "stopped" ]]; do
+  bootanim=`adb -e shell getprop init.svc.bootanim 2>&1 &`
+  if [[ "$bootanim" =~ "device not found" || "$bootanim" =~ "device offline"
+    || "$bootanim" =~ "running" ]]; then
+    let "failcounter += 1"
+    echo "Waiting for emulator to start"
+    if [[ $failcounter -gt timeout_in_sec ]]; then
+      echo "Timeout ($timeout_in_sec seconds) reached; failed to start emulator"
+      exit 1
+    fi
+  fi
+  sleep 10
+done
+
+echo "Emulator is ready"