diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index d88732ce..c3b08bf1 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ jobs:
             . venv/bin/activate
             pip install -r requirements.txt
       - save_cache:
-          key: deps-3.11-{{ checksum "requirements.txt" }}
+          key: deps-3.11-{{ checksum "requirements.txt" }}-2
           paths:
             - "venv"
       - run:
@@ -110,13 +110,44 @@ jobs:
             . venv/bin/activate
             pip install -r requirements.txt
       - save_cache:
-          key: deps-3.12-{{ checksum "requirements.txt" }}
+          key: deps-3.12-{{ checksum "requirements.txt" }}-2
           paths:
             - "venv"
       - run:
           command: './venv/bin/pytest -svv'
+  sanic-api-start:
+    docker:
+      - image: cimg/python:3.11
+    steps:
+      - checkout
+      - restore_cache:
+          key: deps-3.11-{{ checksum "requirements.txt" }}-2
+      - run:
+          name: Install dependencies
+          command: |
+            python -m venv venv
+            . venv/bin/activate
+            pip install -r requirements.txt
+            sudo mkdir -p /media/wrolpi
+      - run:
+          name: Start Sanic API
+          command: |
+            . venv/bin/activate
+            sanic main:api_app -H 0.0.0.0 -p 8081
+          background: true
+      - run:
+          name: Test Sanic API
+          command: |
+            sleep 20
+            curl http://0.0.0.0:8081/api/echo
+      - run:
+          name: Stop Sanic API
+          command: pkill -f sanic
 
 workflows:
+  wrolpi-sanic-tests:
+    jobs:
+      - sanic-api-start
   wrolpi-api-tests:
     jobs:
       - api-tests-3-11
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index f80a7c4a..8880e8e2 100755
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from wrolpi.contexts import attach_shared_contexts, reset_shared_contexts, initi
 from wrolpi.dates import Seconds
 from wrolpi.downloader import import_downloads_config, download_manager, \
     perpetual_download_worker
-from wrolpi.vars import PROJECT_DIR, DOCKERIZED
+from wrolpi.vars import PROJECT_DIR, DOCKERIZED, CIRCLECI
 from wrolpi.version import get_version_string
 
 logger = logger.getChild('wrolpi-main')
diff --git a/wrolpi/test/common.py b/wrolpi/test/common.py
index 31452467..46d73b3a 100644
--- a/wrolpi/test/common.py
+++ b/wrolpi/test/common.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import os
 import pathlib
 import tempfile
 from contextlib import contextmanager
@@ -12,12 +11,11 @@ import pytest
 from wrolpi.common import get_media_directory
 from wrolpi.conftest import test_db, test_client  # noqa
 from wrolpi.db import postgres_engine
+from wrolpi.vars import CIRCLECI
 
 TEST_CONFIG_PATH = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(mode='rt', delete=False)
 
-skip_circleci = pytest.mark.skipif(
-    os.environ.get('CIRCLECI', '').strip().lower() == 'true',
-    reason='This test is not supported in Circle CI')
+skip_circleci = pytest.mark.skipif(CIRCLECI, reason='This test is not supported in Circle CI')
 
 
 def wrap_test_db(func):
diff --git a/wrolpi/vars.py b/wrolpi/vars.py
index d9f20694..ec1ac9fb 100644
--- a/wrolpi/vars.py
+++ b/wrolpi/vars.py
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ load_dotenv(PROJECT_DIR / '.env')
 DOCKERIZED = True if os.environ.get('DOCKER', '').lower().startswith('t') else False
 # tests are running
 PYTEST = 'pytest' in sys.modules
+# running on circlci
+CIRCLECI = os.environ.get('CIRCLECI', '').strip().lower() == 'true'
 
 
 def truthy_arg(value: str) -> bool: