diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 7ff8400..4f188e8 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -109,6 +109,32 @@ unit-test-debug:
     reports:
       junit: build/Debug/result/unit_test/junit.xml
 
+smoketest-test-release:
+  stage: test
+  needs:
+    - build-docker-image
+    - build-release
+    - build-dependencies
+  script:
+    - ci/run_smoketests.sh Release
+  artifacts:
+    when: always
+    paths:
+      - build/Release/result/smoketest/
+
+smoketest-test-debug:
+  stage: test
+  needs:
+    - build-docker-image
+    - build-debug
+    - build-dependencies
+  script:
+    - ci/run_smoketests.sh Debug
+  artifacts:
+    when: always
+    paths:
+      - build/Debug/result/smoketest/
+
 code-lint:
   stage: test
   needs:
diff --git a/ci/docker-run.sh b/ci/docker-run.sh
index b88ed65..d5283ea 100755
--- a/ci/docker-run.sh
+++ b/ci/docker-run.sh
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ docker run --rm ${IT} $SSH_AGENT_OPTS \
     -w /base \
     ${GIT_USER_TOKEN:+-e GIT_USER_TOKEN="${GIT_USER_TOKEN}"} \
     ${SOURCES_URI:+-e SOURCES_URI="${SOURCES_URI}"} \
+    ${SAMCONF_DEPENDENCY_CONFIG:+-e SAMCONF_DEPENDENCY_CONFIG="${SAMCONF_DEPENDENCY_CONFIG}"} \
     --privileged \
     --device=/dev/kmsg \
     "$IMAGE_NAME" "$@"
diff --git a/ci/run_smoketests.sh b/ci/run_smoketests.sh
index 79a7dd4..211adbc 100755
--- a/ci/run_smoketests.sh
+++ b/ci/run_smoketests.sh
@@ -5,17 +5,39 @@ CMD_PATH=$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)
 BASE_DIR=${CMD_PATH%/*}
 
 BUILD_TYPE="${1:-Debug}"
-BUILD_DIR="$BASE_DIR/build/$BUILD_TYPE/"
-
-export SMOKETEST_RESULT_DIR="${SMOKETEST_RESULT_DIR-$BUILD_DIR/result/smoketest_results}"
+BUILD_DIR="$BASE_DIR/build/$BUILD_TYPE"
 SMOKETEST_RUNNER="$BASE_DIR/test/smoketest/smoketest.sh"
 
+export PREFIX_PATH="$BUILD_DIR/dist/usr/local"
+export SMOKETEST_RESULT_DIR="${SMOKETEST_RESULT_DIR-$BUILD_DIR/result/smoketest}"
+export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="${BASE_DIR}/build/deps/lib"
+
 rm -rf "$SMOKETEST_RESULT_DIR"
 
-time "$SMOKETEST_RUNNER" simple_config "$BUILD_TYPE"
-time "$SMOKETEST_RUNNER" signed_config "$BUILD_TYPE"
-time "$SMOKETEST_RUNNER" error_signed_config "$BUILD_TYPE"
-time "$SMOKETEST_RUNNER" sign_config "$BUILD_TYPE"
-time "$SMOKETEST_RUNNER" genkeys "$BUILD_TYPE"
-time "$SMOKETEST_RUNNER" compile_program_using_libsamconf_test_utils "$BUILD_TYPE"
+FAIL=0
+RESULT=""
+function run_test() {
+    TEST_NAME="${1}"
+    RESULT="${RESULT}${TEST_NAME} "
+    if time "${SMOKETEST_RUNNER}" "${TEST_NAME}" "${BUILD_TYPE}"; then
+        RESULT="${RESULT} OK\n"
+    else
+        RESULT="${RESULT} FAILED\n"
+        FAIL=$((FAIL + 1))
+    fi
+}
+
+run_test simple_config
+run_test signed_config
+run_test error_signed_config
+run_test sign_config
+run_test genkeys
+run_test compile_program_using_libsamconf_test_utils
+
+echo "################################################################################"
+echo "# Summary"
+echo "################################################################################"
+echo -e "${RESULT}"
+
+exit "${FAIL}"
 
diff --git a/cmake/project.cmake b/cmake/project.cmake
index 221bca6..de43eec 100644
--- a/cmake/project.cmake
+++ b/cmake/project.cmake
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
-set(SAMCONF_VERSION 0.59.0)
+set(SAMCONF_VERSION 0.60.0)
 
 # Attention: Aside from the version, as many things as possible in this file
 #   should be put into functions, as this solves potential issues with commands
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index c71ab99..a3fa871 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ add_subdirectory(samconf)
 
 if (INSTALL_SAMCONF_TOOLS)
   install(PROGRAMS ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/signature.sh
-          PERMISSIONS OWNER_READ OWNER_WRITE
+      PERMISSIONS
+        OWNER_READ OWNER_WRITE OWNER_EXECUTE
+        GROUP_READ GROUP_WRITE GROUP_EXECUTE
+        WORLD_READ WORLD_WRITE WORLD_EXECUTE
           DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR}
           RENAME samconf-sign)
 endif (INSTALL_SAMCONF_TOOLS)
diff --git a/test/smoketest/smoketest.sh b/test/smoketest/smoketest.sh
index a62a4eb..e32ca4a 100755
--- a/test/smoketest/smoketest.sh
+++ b/test/smoketest/smoketest.sh
@@ -1,44 +1,40 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-set -eou pipefail
+#!/bin/sh
+set -eu 
 
-BASE_DIR=$(realpath $(dirname $0)/../../)
+CMDPATH="$(realpath "$(dirname "$0")")"
+  
+export PREFIX_PATH="${PREFIX_PATH-"/usr"}"
+export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="${LD_LIBRARY_PATH-""}:${PREFIX_PATH}/lib"
+export PATH="${PATH}:${PREFIX_PATH}/bin"
 
-BUILD_TYPE="${2:-Debug}"
-BUILD_DIR="$BASE_DIR/build/$BUILD_TYPE"
+export SMOKETEST_DIR="${SMOKETEST_DIR-${CMDPATH}}"
+export SMOKETEST_RESULT_DIR="${SMOKETEST_RESULT_DIR-"./results/smoketest"}"
+export SMOKETEST_TMP_DIR="${SMOKETEST_TMP_DIR-"$(mktemp -d /tmp/samconf_smoketest_XXXXXX)"}"
 
-DIST_DIR=$(realpath "$BUILD_DIR/dist/")
-
-export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$DIST_DIR/usr/local/lib"
-export PATH=${PATH}:"$BUILD_DIR/cmake/src/demo:$DIST_DIR/usr/local/bin:$BASE_DIR/src"
-export SMOKETEST_DIR=${SMOKETEST_DIR-"$(dirname $0)"}
-export SMOKETEST_RESULT_DIR=${SMOKETEST_RESULT_DIR-"$BUILD_DIR/result/smoketest_results"}
 export PRIVATE_KEY="$SMOKETEST_DIR/samconf.pem"
 export PUBLIC_KEY="$SMOKETEST_DIR/samconf.pub"
 export SAMCONF_SIGNATURE_KEY="$PUBLIC_KEY"
 
-function smoketest_simple_config {
-    set -x
+smoketest_simple_config() {
     RESULT_DIR="$SMOKETEST_RESULT_DIR/simple_config"
-    rm -rvf $RESULT_DIR
-    mkdir -p $RESULT_DIR
+    rm -rvf "${RESULT_DIR}"
+    mkdir -p "${RESULT_DIR}"
 
     echo "Starting smoketest simple config ..."
-    samprobe "$SMOKETEST_DIR"/config.json &> $RESULT_DIR/simple_config_output.txt
-
-    if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+    if ! samprobe "$SMOKETEST_DIR"/config.json > "${RESULT_DIR}/simple_config_output.txt" 2>&1; then
         error_exit "samprobe failed"
     fi
 
-    echo -ne "Signature file ${SMOKETEST_DIR}/config.json.sig does not exist.\n\n" \
-        > ${RESULT_DIR}/simple_config_nosign_output.txt
-    cat ${SMOKETEST_DIR}/simple_config_output.txt \
-        >> ${RESULT_DIR}/simple_config_nosign_output.txt
+    printf "Signature file %s/config.json.sig does not exist.\n\n" "${SMOKETEST_DIR}" \
+        > "${RESULT_DIR}/simple_config_nosign_output.txt"
+    cat "${SMOKETEST_DIR}/simple_config_output.txt" \
+        >> "${RESULT_DIR}/simple_config_nosign_output.txt"
     
     echo "Smoketest comparing output ${RESULT_DIR}/simple_config_output.txt with ${RESULT_DIR}/simple_config_nosign_output.txt"
-    output_diff=$(diff -w ${RESULT_DIR}/simple_config_output.txt ${RESULT_DIR}/simple_config_nosign_output.txt || echo "diff returned: $?")
+    output_diff=$(diff -w "${RESULT_DIR}/simple_config_output.txt" "${RESULT_DIR}/simple_config_nosign_output.txt" || echo "diff returned: $?")
     if [ -n "$output_diff" ]; then
         echo "Problems occurred while comparing the client output:"
-        echo -e "$output_diff"
+        echo "$output_diff"
         error_exit "Test failed"
     fi
 
@@ -46,16 +42,16 @@ function smoketest_simple_config {
     exit 0
 }
 
-function smoketest_signed_config {
+smoketest_signed_config() {
     RESULT_DIR="$SMOKETEST_RESULT_DIR/signed_config"
-    rm -rvf $RESULT_DIR
-    mkdir -p $RESULT_DIR
-    cp -a "$SMOKETEST_DIR/config.json" "$RESULT_DIR/config.json"
-    local CONFIG_FILE="$RESULT_DIR/config.json"
+    rm -rvf "${RESULT_DIR}"
+    mkdir -p "${RESULT_DIR}"
+    cp -a "$SMOKETEST_DIR/config.json" "${RESULT_DIR}/config.json"
+    CONFIG_FILE="${RESULT_DIR}/config.json"
 
     echo "Starting smoketest signed config ..."
-    signature.sh $CONFIG_FILE "$PRIVATE_KEY"
-    samprobe $CONFIG_FILE &> $RESULT_DIR/signed_config_output.txt
+    samconf-sign "$CONFIG_FILE" "$PRIVATE_KEY"
+    samprobe "$CONFIG_FILE" > "${RESULT_DIR}/signed_config_output.txt" 2>&1
     re=$?
     if [ $re -ne 0 ]; then
         error_exit "samprobe with signature failed"
@@ -65,17 +61,17 @@ function smoketest_signed_config {
     exit 0
 }
 
-function smoketest_error_signed_config {
+smoketest_error_signed_config() {
     RESULT_DIR="$SMOKETEST_RESULT_DIR/error_signed_config"
-    rm -rvf $RESULT_DIR
-    mkdir -p $RESULT_DIR
-    cp -a "$SMOKETEST_DIR/config.json" "$RESULT_DIR/config.json"
-    local CONFIG_FILE="$RESULT_DIR/config.json"
+    rm -rvf "${RESULT_DIR}"
+    mkdir -p "${RESULT_DIR}"
+    cp -a "$SMOKETEST_DIR/config.json" "${RESULT_DIR}/config.json"
+    CONFIG_FILE="${RESULT_DIR}/config.json"
 
     echo "Starting smoketest error signed config ..."
-    echo -n "RSA-SHA2-256:///1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234" > $CONFIG_FILE.sig
+    echo "RSA-SHA2-256:///1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234" > "$CONFIG_FILE.sig"
     set +e
-    samprobe $CONFIG_FILE &> $RESULT_DIR/error_signed_config_output.txt
+    samprobe "$CONFIG_FILE" > "${RESULT_DIR}/error_signed_config_output.txt" 2>&1
     re=$?
     set -e
     if [ $re -eq 0 ]; then
@@ -83,10 +79,10 @@ function smoketest_error_signed_config {
     fi
 
     echo "Smoketest check output for expected error"
-    grep -q "ERR: Signature was invalid"  $RESULT_DIR/error_signed_config_output.txt
-    if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+    
+    if ! grep -q "ERR: Signature was invalid" "${RESULT_DIR}/error_signed_config_output.txt"; then
         echo "samprobe failed with wrong error:"
-        cat $RESULT_DIR/error_signed_config_output.txt
+        cat "${RESULT_DIR}/error_signed_config_output.txt"
         error_exit "Test failed"
     fi
 
@@ -94,25 +90,25 @@ function smoketest_error_signed_config {
     exit 0
 }
 
-function smoketest_sign_config {
+smoketest_sign_config() {
     RESULT_DIR="$SMOKETEST_RESULT_DIR/sign_config"
-    rm -rvf $RESULT_DIR
-    mkdir -p $RESULT_DIR
-    cp -a "$SMOKETEST_DIR/config.json" "$RESULT_DIR/config.json"
+    rm -rvf "${RESULT_DIR}"
+    mkdir -p "${RESULT_DIR}"
+    cp -a "$SMOKETEST_DIR/config.json" "${RESULT_DIR}/config.json"
 
     echo "Starting smoketest signing config ..."
 
 
-    signature.sh "$RESULT_DIR/config.json" "$PRIVATE_KEY"
-    if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+    
+    if ! samconf-sign "${RESULT_DIR}/config.json" "$PRIVATE_KEY"; then
         error_exit "signing failed: executable returned error code on exit"
     fi
 
-    if [ ! -f "$RESULT_DIR/config.json.sig" ]; then
+    if [ ! -f "${RESULT_DIR}/config.json.sig" ]; then
         error_exit "signing failed: signature file doesnt exist"
     fi
 
-    OUTPUT=$(cat $RESULT_DIR/config.json.sig | tr -d "\n")
+    OUTPUT=$(tr -d "\n" < "${RESULT_DIR}/config.json.sig")
     EXPECTED_OUTPUT="RSA-SHA2-256:///vc7o5/wo8qPZ9aJiSYuJK/s7Ba4kZQA1luddm+YLozpuD1AT2YtkiasFKITbI3xJnWmeUFfv9k1mgJ0MEXNK/IF8T89lMSxk7eXze4zR32FwjKtjCrs7n4EU27+427QNE6C1tqmmxpwS07PUBA3ngRCa4n1LhrTciZWOEUMLTqAYsE72zd7yV4z0AMR5b1OhUuiKMpw2TLBypMRQZ9bQ63tXG4tBHpdCwq7c4C2OQLbbKB0OyrANg4MCSRYcghnx3Zks1I2NQCGoaK9ir8oYiHHM81UBREvbrT+1ghiu+Xf4O8NNfegSRM79CRsEyf0p23Qvil7+5RrxuspDBzvgnQ=="
     if [ "$OUTPUT" != "$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ]; then
         echo "signing failed:"
@@ -124,35 +120,37 @@ function smoketest_sign_config {
     exit 0
 }
 
-function smoketest_genkeys {
+smoketest_genkeys() {
     RESULT_DIR="$SMOKETEST_RESULT_DIR/genkeys"
-    rm -rvf $RESULT_DIR
-    mkdir -p $RESULT_DIR
+    rm -rvf "${RESULT_DIR}"
+    mkdir -p "${RESULT_DIR}"
 
     echo "Starting smoketest signing config ..."
-    signature.sh create_keys "$RESULT_DIR" "samconf"
-    if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+    
+    if ! samconf-sign create_keys "${RESULT_DIR}" "samconf"; then
         error_exit "creating a key pair failed"
     fi
 
-    if [ ! -f $RESULT_DIR/samconf.pem ] || [ ! -s $RESULT_DIR/samconf.pem ]; then
-        error_exit "expected private key file does not exist or is empty : $RESULT_DIR/samconf.pem"
+    if [ ! -f "${RESULT_DIR}/samconf.pem" ] || [ ! -s "${RESULT_DIR}/samconf.pem" ]; then
+        error_exit "expected private key file does not exist or is empty : ${RESULT_DIR}/samconf.pem"
     fi
 
-    if [ ! -f $RESULT_DIR/samconf.pub ] || [ ! -s $RESULT_DIR/samconf.pub ]; then
-        error_exit "expected public key file does not exist or is empty : $RESULT_DIR/samconf.pub"
+    if [ ! -f "${RESULT_DIR}/samconf.pub" ] || [ ! -s "${RESULT_DIR}/samconf.pub" ]; then
+        error_exit "expected public key file does not exist or is empty : ${RESULT_DIR}/samconf.pub"
     fi
 
     echo "Finished smoketest."
     exit 0
 }
 
+run_in_source_tree() {
+    [ -d "${SMOKETEST_DIR}/../../build/deps" ]
+}
+
 smoketest_compile_program_using_libsamconf_test_utils() {
     RESULT_DIR="$SMOKETEST_RESULT_DIR/compile_program_using_libsamconf_test_utils"
-    rm -rvf $RESULT_DIR
-    mkdir -p $RESULT_DIR
-
-    SMOKETEST_TMP_DIR=$(mktemp -d /tmp/samconf_smoketest_XXXXXX)
+    rm -rvf "${RESULT_DIR}"
+    mkdir -p "${RESULT_DIR}"
 
     echo "Try to compile simple program using libsamconf_test_utils"
     TEST_C_PROG='
@@ -178,12 +176,21 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 '
     echo "$TEST_C_PROG"
 
-    echo "$TEST_C_PROG" \
-        | gcc -v -xc -lsamconf_test_utils -lsamconf -lsafu \
-        -I "${DIST_DIR}/usr/local/include/" -L "${DIST_DIR}/usr/local/lib" \
-        -I "${BASE_DIR}/build/deps/include/" -L "${BASE_DIR}/build/deps/lib" \
-        -o "${SMOKETEST_TMP_DIR}/testlibelos" - \
+    if run_in_source_tree; then
+        BUILD_DEPS_PREFIX="${SMOKETEST_DIR}/../../build/deps"
+        EXTRA_FLAGS="-I ${BUILD_DEPS_PREFIX}/include/ -L ${BUILD_DEPS_PREFIX}/lib"
+    fi
+
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2086
+    # reasoning: ${EXTRA_FLAGS} shall expand to " " separated flags
+    printf '%s' "$TEST_C_PROG" \
+        | gcc -v -Wl,--no-as-needed -xc -lsamconf_test_utils -lsamconf -lsafu \
+        -I "${PREFIX_PATH}/include/" -L "${PREFIX_PATH}/lib" \
+        ${EXTRA_FLAGS} \
+        -o "${SMOKETEST_TMP_DIR}/testlibelos"  - \
         >> "$RESULT_DIR/libsamconf_test_utils.log" 2>&1
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2181
+    # reasoning: commandline is to long
     if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
         error_exit "failed to compile test program for libsamconf_test_utils"
     fi
@@ -191,13 +198,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     exit 0
 }
 
-function print_help {
+print_help() {
     echo
     echo "Usage: $0 <simple_config|sign_config|help> <Debug|Release>"
     echo
 }
 
-function error_exit {
+error_exit() {
     echo "Error : $1, terminating smoketest ..."
     exit 1
 }
@@ -207,7 +214,7 @@ if [ $# -lt 1 ]; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
-mkdir -p $SMOKETEST_RESULT_DIR
+mkdir -p "$SMOKETEST_RESULT_DIR"
 
 case $1 in
     simple_config)
diff --git a/test/utest/utils/CMakeLists.txt b/test/utest/utils/CMakeLists.txt
index c289880..e0dcdf7 100644
--- a/test/utest/utils/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/utest/utils/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -55,4 +55,11 @@ if (SAMCONF_TEST_UTILS AND INSTALL_SAMCONF_TEST_UTILS)
 
   install(TARGETS samconf_test_utils EXPORT samconfTargets  DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR})
   install(DIRECTORY public/ DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR} FILES_MATCHING PATTERN "*.h")
+
+  include(${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/pkgconfig/pkgconfig.cmake)
+  create_pkgconfig(
+    NAME "samconf_test_utils"
+    REQUIRES "safu >= ${safu_VERSION}, samconf >= ${samconf_VERSION}"
+    LIBS "-lsamconf_test_utils"
+  )
 endif (SAMCONF_TEST_UTILS AND INSTALL_SAMCONF_TEST_UTILS)