diff --git a/src/lib/buildTestQueue.js b/src/lib/buildTestQueue.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..22fe5f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/buildTestQueue.js
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+/* eslint-disable-next-line */
+const Gunner = require('../gunner');
+const symbols = require('../util/symbols');
+
+const wrap = type => unit => ({ type, unit });
+
+/**
+ * runs the test suite
+ * @param {Gunner} instance
+ */
+const buildTestTree = instance => {
+
+	const testQueue = [];
+
+	Array.prototype.push.apply(testQueue,
+		instance.__suite__.beforeHooks[symbols.Start].map(wrap('@start')));
+	testQueue.push.apply(
+		instance.__suite__.afterHooks[symbols.Start].map(wrap('@start')));
+
+	instance.__suite__.tests.forEach(test => (
+
+		Array.prototype.push.apply(testQueue,
+			instance.__suite__.beforeHooks['*']
+			.map(wrap('@every'))),
+		Array.prototype.push.apply(testQueue,
+			(instance.__suite__.beforeHooks[test.description] || [])
+			.map(wrap('@this'))),
+		testQueue.push(wrap('@test')(test)),
+		Array.prototype.push.apply(testQueue,
+			(instance.__suite__.afterHooks[test.description] || [])
+			.map(wrap('@afterTest'))),
+		Array.prototype.push.apply(testQueue,
+			(instance.__suite__.afterHooks['*']).map(wrap('@afterEvery')))
+
+	));
+
+	testQueue.push.apply(
+		instance.__suite__.beforeHooks[symbols.End]
+		.map(wrap('@end')));
+	testQueue.push.apply(
+		instance.__suite__.afterHooks[symbols.End]
+		.map(wrap(symbols.End)));
+
+	return testQueue;
+
+};
+
+module.exports = buildTestTree;