diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..1c368ebf8595
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+# Session banner for the wic test suite.
+#
+# Before collection, print the environment the tests exercise:
+#   - the host
+#   - the Python and pytest versions
+#   - the wic under test (its version and the module path of its import)
+
+import platform
+
+import pytest
+
+
+def _wic_under_test():
+    """Return (version, module_path) for the wic being tested."""
+    try:
+        import wic.cli as wic_cli
+    except Exception as exc:  # pragma: no cover - reported in the banner
+        return ("(import failed: %s)" % exc, "(unimported)")
+    version = getattr(wic_cli, "__version__", "(unknown)")
+    module_path = getattr(wic_cli, "__file__", "(unknown)")
+    return (version, module_path)
+
+
+def _format_banner():
+    wic_version, wic_path = _wic_under_test()
+    lines = [
+        "wic test suite",
+        "  host:   %s  %s %s" % (
+            platform.node(), platform.system(), platform.machine()),
+        "  python: %s   pytest: %s" % (
+            platform.python_version(), pytest.__version__),
+        "  wic:    %s  (%s)" % (wic_version, wic_path),
+    ]
+    return "\n".join(lines)
+
+
+def pytest_report_header(config):
+    return _format_banner()