diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
index 6a3c042..57fbea0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -50,4 +50,5 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build SGX-Step sample applications
         run: |
           source /opt/intel/sgxsdk/environment
+          for d in $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/app/selftest/*/ ; do echo -e "\n**** $d ****\n" ; cd "$d" ; make ; ldd ./app ; done
           for d in $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/app/*/ ; do echo -e "\n**** $d ****\n" ; cd "$d" ; make ; ldd ./app ; done
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1baee85..c938a2a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ the example applications in the "app" directory.
 First, check the APIC and interrupt-descriptor table setup:
 
 ```bash
-$ cd app/idt
+$ cd app/selftest/idt
 $ make run    # fires interrupts in an infinite loop to stress-test stability; exit with CTRL-C
 ```
 
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ access rights on specific code or data pages of interest.
 
 **Note (timer interval).** The exact timer interval value depends on CPU
 frequency, and hence remains inherently platform-specific (see also
-[app/apic](app/apic) for detailed microbenchmarks assessing the accuracy of
+[app/selftest/apic](app/selftest/apic) for detailed microbenchmarks assessing the accuracy of
 various APIC timer modes). Configure a suitable value in `/app/bench/main.c`.
 We established precise timer intervals for our evaluation platforms (see table
 below) by tweaking and observing the NOP microbenchmark enclave instruction
diff --git a/app/selftest/README.md b/app/selftest/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6fdafbb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/selftest/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+# SGX-Step "Selftest" Applications
+
+This directory contains bare-metal applications designed to test various functionalities provided by `libsgxstep` without the need for SGX enclaves.
+
+## Directory Overview
+
+| Directory  | Description                                                                                               |
+|------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
+| `apic`     | Microbenchmarks for timer interrupts via various Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller (APIC) modes. |
+| `apic-ipi` | Microbenchmarks for APIC inter-processor interrupts.                                                      |
+| `cpl`      | Changing the Current Privilege Level (CPL) through calland interrupt GDT/IDT gates.                       |
+| `idt`      | Custom handlers for software and timer interrupts via the Interrupt Descriptor Table (IDT).               |
+| `idt_isr_map` | Stresstest to demonstrate custom IDT handlers can be called across processes.                          |
+
+## Usage
+
+To run the selftest applications:
+
+1. Navigate to the desired directory.
+2. Compile the application:
+   ```bash
+   make
+   ```
+3. Run the application with:
+   ```bash
+   sudo ./app
+   ```
+
+Reference output is available in the respective README files within each subdirectory.
+
+**Note:** Any crashes during execution may indicate that your machine is not set up correctly for using SGX-Step. 
diff --git a/app/apic-ipi/.gitignore b/app/selftest/apic-ipi/.gitignore
similarity index 100%
rename from app/apic-ipi/.gitignore
rename to app/selftest/apic-ipi/.gitignore
diff --git a/app/apic-ipi/Makefile b/app/selftest/apic-ipi/Makefile
similarity index 98%
rename from app/apic-ipi/Makefile
rename to app/selftest/apic-ipi/Makefile
index 06394f7..1877f64 100644
--- a/app/apic-ipi/Makefile
+++ b/app/selftest/apic-ipi/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-LIBSGXSTEP_DIR       = ../..
+LIBSGXSTEP_DIR       = ../../..
 LIBSGXSTEP           = $(LIBSGXSTEP_DIR)/libsgxstep
 -include $(LIBSGXSTEP)/Makefile.config
 
diff --git a/app/apic-ipi/README.md b/app/selftest/apic-ipi/README.md
similarity index 100%
rename from app/apic-ipi/README.md
rename to app/selftest/apic-ipi/README.md
diff --git a/app/apic-ipi/apic-ipi-hist.png b/app/selftest/apic-ipi/apic-ipi-hist.png
similarity index 100%
rename from app/apic-ipi/apic-ipi-hist.png
rename to app/selftest/apic-ipi/apic-ipi-hist.png
diff --git a/app/apic-ipi/apic-ipi-inst-hist.png b/app/selftest/apic-ipi/apic-ipi-inst-hist.png
similarity index 100%
rename from app/apic-ipi/apic-ipi-inst-hist.png
rename to app/selftest/apic-ipi/apic-ipi-inst-hist.png
diff --git a/app/apic-ipi/asm.S b/app/selftest/apic-ipi/asm.S
similarity index 100%
rename from app/apic-ipi/asm.S
rename to app/selftest/apic-ipi/asm.S
diff --git a/app/apic-ipi/main.c b/app/selftest/apic-ipi/main.c
similarity index 100%
rename from app/apic-ipi/main.c
rename to app/selftest/apic-ipi/main.c
diff --git a/app/apic-ipi/parse.py b/app/selftest/apic-ipi/parse.py
similarity index 100%
rename from app/apic-ipi/parse.py
rename to app/selftest/apic-ipi/parse.py
diff --git a/app/apic/.gitignore b/app/selftest/apic/.gitignore
similarity index 100%
rename from app/apic/.gitignore
rename to app/selftest/apic/.gitignore
diff --git a/app/apic/Makefile b/app/selftest/apic/Makefile
similarity index 98%
rename from app/apic/Makefile
rename to app/selftest/apic/Makefile
index 06394f7..1877f64 100644
--- a/app/apic/Makefile
+++ b/app/selftest/apic/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-LIBSGXSTEP_DIR       = ../..
+LIBSGXSTEP_DIR       = ../../..
 LIBSGXSTEP           = $(LIBSGXSTEP_DIR)/libsgxstep
 -include $(LIBSGXSTEP)/Makefile.config
 
diff --git a/app/apic/README.md b/app/selftest/apic/README.md
similarity index 100%
rename from app/apic/README.md
rename to app/selftest/apic/README.md
diff --git a/app/apic/apic-hist.png b/app/selftest/apic/apic-hist.png
similarity index 100%
rename from app/apic/apic-hist.png
rename to app/selftest/apic/apic-hist.png
diff --git a/app/apic/asm.S b/app/selftest/apic/asm.S
similarity index 100%
rename from app/apic/asm.S
rename to app/selftest/apic/asm.S
diff --git a/app/apic/config.h b/app/selftest/apic/config.h
similarity index 100%
rename from app/apic/config.h
rename to app/selftest/apic/config.h
diff --git a/app/apic/irq_entry.S b/app/selftest/apic/irq_entry.S
similarity index 100%
rename from app/apic/irq_entry.S
rename to app/selftest/apic/irq_entry.S
diff --git a/app/apic/main.c b/app/selftest/apic/main.c
similarity index 100%
rename from app/apic/main.c
rename to app/selftest/apic/main.c
diff --git a/app/apic/parse.py b/app/selftest/apic/parse.py
similarity index 100%
rename from app/apic/parse.py
rename to app/selftest/apic/parse.py
diff --git a/app/cpl/.gitignore b/app/selftest/cpl/.gitignore
similarity index 100%
rename from app/cpl/.gitignore
rename to app/selftest/cpl/.gitignore
diff --git a/app/cpl/Makefile b/app/selftest/cpl/Makefile
similarity index 98%
rename from app/cpl/Makefile
rename to app/selftest/cpl/Makefile
index 458d44e..40d5be6 100644
--- a/app/cpl/Makefile
+++ b/app/selftest/cpl/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-LIBSGXSTEP_DIR       = ../..
+LIBSGXSTEP_DIR       = ../../..
 LIBSGXSTEP           = $(LIBSGXSTEP_DIR)/libsgxstep
 -include $(LIBSGXSTEP)/Makefile.config
 
diff --git a/app/cpl/README.md b/app/selftest/cpl/README.md
similarity index 100%
rename from app/cpl/README.md
rename to app/selftest/cpl/README.md
diff --git a/app/cpl/asm.S b/app/selftest/cpl/asm.S
similarity index 100%
rename from app/cpl/asm.S
rename to app/selftest/cpl/asm.S
diff --git a/app/cpl/main.c b/app/selftest/cpl/main.c
similarity index 100%
rename from app/cpl/main.c
rename to app/selftest/cpl/main.c
diff --git a/app/idt/.gitignore b/app/selftest/idt/.gitignore
similarity index 100%
rename from app/idt/.gitignore
rename to app/selftest/idt/.gitignore
diff --git a/app/idt_isr_map/Makefile b/app/selftest/idt/Makefile
similarity index 98%
rename from app/idt_isr_map/Makefile
rename to app/selftest/idt/Makefile
index 45ba47a..2156a95 100644
--- a/app/idt_isr_map/Makefile
+++ b/app/selftest/idt/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-LIBSGXSTEP_DIR       = ../..
+LIBSGXSTEP_DIR       = ../../..
 LIBSGXSTEP           = $(LIBSGXSTEP_DIR)/libsgxstep
 -include $(LIBSGXSTEP)/Makefile.config
 
diff --git a/app/idt/README.md b/app/selftest/idt/README.md
similarity index 100%
rename from app/idt/README.md
rename to app/selftest/idt/README.md
diff --git a/app/idt/main.c b/app/selftest/idt/main.c
similarity index 99%
rename from app/idt/main.c
rename to app/selftest/idt/main.c
index 5d14a9b..54fd5af 100644
--- a/app/idt/main.c
+++ b/app/selftest/idt/main.c
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 #define DO_APIC_SW_IRQ              1
 #define DO_APIC_TMR_IRQ             1
 #define DO_EXEC_PRIV                1
-#define NUM                         100
+#define NUM                         10
 #define INFINITE_LOOP               1
 #define NEMESIS_HIGH                1
 
diff --git a/app/idt_isr_map/.gitignore b/app/selftest/idt_isr_map/.gitignore
similarity index 100%
rename from app/idt_isr_map/.gitignore
rename to app/selftest/idt_isr_map/.gitignore
diff --git a/app/idt/Makefile b/app/selftest/idt_isr_map/Makefile
similarity index 98%
rename from app/idt/Makefile
rename to app/selftest/idt_isr_map/Makefile
index 45ba47a..2156a95 100644
--- a/app/idt/Makefile
+++ b/app/selftest/idt_isr_map/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-LIBSGXSTEP_DIR       = ../..
+LIBSGXSTEP_DIR       = ../../..
 LIBSGXSTEP           = $(LIBSGXSTEP_DIR)/libsgxstep
 -include $(LIBSGXSTEP)/Makefile.config
 
diff --git a/app/idt_isr_map/README.md b/app/selftest/idt_isr_map/README.md
similarity index 100%
rename from app/idt_isr_map/README.md
rename to app/selftest/idt_isr_map/README.md
diff --git a/app/idt_isr_map/main.c b/app/selftest/idt_isr_map/main.c
similarity index 100%
rename from app/idt_isr_map/main.c
rename to app/selftest/idt_isr_map/main.c
diff --git a/libsgxstep/Makefile.config b/libsgxstep/Makefile.config
index e9e5380..6edc668 100644
--- a/libsgxstep/Makefile.config
+++ b/libsgxstep/Makefile.config
@@ -23,4 +23,5 @@ ifndef LIBSGXSTEP_SILENT
    export LIBSGXSTEP_SILENT=0
 endif
 
+LDFLAGS             += -z noexecstack
 CFLAGS              += -DSGX_STEP_PLATFORM=$(SGX_STEP_PLATFORM) -DNO_SGX=$(NO_SGX) -DLIBSGXSTEP_SILENT=$(LIBSGXSTEP_SILENT)