diff --git a/DEVELOP.rst b/DEVELOP.rst
index f1abb77ab..3c65f3bb6 100644
--- a/DEVELOP.rst
+++ b/DEVELOP.rst
@@ -40,6 +40,15 @@ To run against a single interpreter, you can also do::
 listening on the default CrateDB transport port to avoid side effects with the
 test layer.
 
+In order to run the tests on other operating systems than Linux, invoke::
+
+    ./bin/test-quick
+
+This will skip some tests currently not working on macOS. It can also be used
+to speed up the tests, because the tests for testing the test layer will also
+be skipped.
+
+
 Preparing a Release
 ===================
 
diff --git a/base.cfg b/base.cfg
index 5bfc54104..4e92cbc79 100644
--- a/base.cfg
+++ b/base.cfg
@@ -19,17 +19,34 @@ eggs = crate
 recipe = zc.recipe.egg
 eggs = createcoverage
 
-[crate]
+[crate:linux]
 recipe = hexagonit.recipe.download
 url = https://cdn.crate.io/downloads/releases/crate-${versions:crate_server}.tar.gz
 strip-top-level-dir = true
 
+[crate:macosx]
+recipe = hexagonit.recipe.download
+url = https://cdn.crate.io/downloads/releases/cratedb/x64_mac/crate-${versions:crate_server}.tar.gz
+strip-top-level-dir = true
+
+[crate:windows]
+recipe = hexagonit.recipe.download
+url = https://cdn.crate.io/downloads/releases/cratedb/x64_windows/crate-${versions:crate_server}.zip
+strip-top-level-dir = true
+
 [test]
 relative-paths=true
 recipe = zc.recipe.testrunner
 defaults = ['--auto-color']
 eggs = crate [test,sqlalchemy]
 
+[test-quick]
+relative-paths=true
+working-directory = ${buildout:directory}
+recipe = zc.recipe.testrunner
+defaults = ['--auto-color', '--ignore_dir', 'testing', '--test', '!test_no_retry_on_read_timeout|test_client_threaded|test_client_keepalive|test_username|test_default_schema']
+eggs = crate [test,sqlalchemy]
+
 [linter]
 recipe = zc.recipe.egg:script
 eggs = flake8
diff --git a/versions.cfg b/versions.cfg
index 40d8dc673..5d6d409f7 100644
--- a/versions.cfg
+++ b/versions.cfg
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ coverage = 5.0.3
 crate-docs-theme = 0.5.0
 createcoverage = 1.5
 docutils = 0.12
-hexagonit.recipe.download = 1.7
+hexagonit.recipe.download = 1.7.1
 py = 1.4.26
 tox = 3.7.0
 twine = 1.8.1