diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index d668aa71e..ceb7e29b6 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -60,3 +60,20 @@ jython-core:
     - export PATH="$HOME/jython/bin:$PATH"
   script:
     - ./devscripts/run_tests.sh
+
+# uncomment once the images are available
+# https://github.com/microsoft/playwright-python/issues/338
+# playwright-tests-core:
+#   image: mcr.microsoft.com/playwright-python:focal
+#   variables:
+#     HDL_TEST_SET: core
+#   script:
+#     - ./devscripts/run_tests.sh
+
+# playwright-tests-download:
+#   image: mcr.microsoft.com/playwright-python:focal
+#   variables:
+#     HDL_TEST_SET: download
+#     HDL_TEST_PLAYWRIGHT_DOWNLOAD: 1
+#   script:
+#     - ./devscripts/run_tests.sh
diff --git a/devscripts/run_tests.sh b/devscripts/run_tests.sh
index 307ce9e06..2ad1daab8 100755
--- a/devscripts/run_tests.sh
+++ b/devscripts/run_tests.sh
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ case "$HDL_TEST_SET" in
     ;;
     download)
         test_set="-I test_(?!$DOWNLOAD_TESTS).+\.py"
+        if [[ "$HDL_TEST_PLAYWRIGHT_DOWNLOAD" == "1" ]]; then
+            test_set="-I test_(?!download).+\.py"
+        fi
         multiprocess_args="--processes=4 --process-timeout=540"
     ;;
     *)
diff --git a/haruhi_dl/extractor/common.py b/haruhi_dl/extractor/common.py
index 21893ae73..db0e991a4 100644
--- a/haruhi_dl/extractor/common.py
+++ b/haruhi_dl/extractor/common.py
@@ -395,6 +395,7 @@ class InfoExtractor(object):
     _GEO_IP_BLOCKS = None
     _WORKING = True
     _SELFHOSTED = False
+    _REQUIRES_PLAYWRIGHT = False
 
     def __init__(self, downloader=None):
         """Constructor. Receives an optional downloader."""
diff --git a/haruhi_dl/playwright.py b/haruhi_dl/playwright.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..957bdfe74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/haruhi_dl/playwright.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+# coding: utf-8
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+from .utils import (
+    ExtractorError,
+)
+
+
+class PlaywrightHelper():
+    _pw = None
+    _pw_version = None
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _real_import_pw(cls):
+        from playwright import sync_playwright, _repo_version
+        cls._pw = sync_playwright
+        cls._pw_version = _repo_version.version
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _import_pw(cls, fatal=True):
+        try:
+            cls._real_import_pw()
+        except ImportError as err:
+            if fatal is True:
+                raise ExtractorError('Playwright could not be imported: %s' % err.msg, expected=True)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _version(cls):
+        if not cls._pw_version:
+            cls._import_pw(fatal=False)
+        return cls._pw_version
diff --git a/test/test_download.py b/test/test_download.py
index 43eb13051..ed5bcdc66 100644
--- a/test/test_download.py
+++ b/test/test_download.py
@@ -37,7 +37,10 @@ from haruhi_dl.utils import (
     UnavailableVideoError,
 )
 from haruhi_dl.extractor import get_info_extractor
+from haruhi_dl.playwright import PlaywrightHelper
 
+
+PLAYWRIGHT_INSTALLED = PlaywrightHelper._version() is not None
 RETRIES = 3
 
 
@@ -104,6 +107,14 @@ def generator(test_case, tname):
             print_skipping('IE marked as not _WORKING')
             return
 
+        if ie._REQUIRES_PLAYWRIGHT:
+            if not PLAYWRIGHT_INSTALLED:
+                print_skipping('Playwright is not installed')
+                return
+        elif os.environ.get('HDL_TEST_PLAYWRIGHT_DOWNLOAD') == '1':
+            print_skipping('Does not use Playwright')
+            return
+
         for tc in test_cases:
             info_dict = tc.get('info_dict', {})
             if not (info_dict.get('id') and info_dict.get('ext')):
diff --git a/test/test_playwright.py b/test/test_playwright.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..76d390c22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_playwright.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# coding: utf-8
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+# Allow direct execution
+import os
+import sys
+import unittest
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))))
+
+from haruhi_dl.compat import compat_str
+
+from haruhi_dl.playwright import PlaywrightHelper
+
+
+class TestPlaywright(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def test_import_nonfatal(self):
+        PlaywrightHelper._import_pw(fatal=False)
+
+    def test_import_fatal(self):
+        helper = PlaywrightHelper
+        try:
+            helper._import_pw(fatal=True)
+            self.assertIsNotNone(helper._pw)
+            self.assertIsInstance(helper._pw_version, compat_str)
+        except ImportError:
+            self.assertIsNone(helper._pw)
+            self.assertIsNone(helper._pw_version)
+
+    def test_checking_version(self):
+        version = PlaywrightHelper._version()
+        self.assertIsInstance(version, (compat_str, None))
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    unittest.main()