diff --git a/.github/workflows/checks.yml b/.github/workflows/checks.yml
index b763a2b..9041220 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/checks.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/checks.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
+
       - name: SCM Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
@@ -103,9 +104,12 @@ jobs:
         with:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
 
-      - name: Calculate Test Coverage
-        if: ${{ hashFiles('.coverage') != '' }}
-        run: poetry run nox -s coverage -- -- --db-version ${{ matrix.exasol-version }}
+      - name: Run Tests and Calculate Coverage
+        env:
+          SAAS_HOST: ${{ secrets.INTEGRATION_TEAM_SAAS_STAGING_HOST }}
+          SAAS_ACCOUNT_ID: ${{ secrets.INTEGRATION_TEAM_SAAS_STAGING_ACCOUNT_ID }}
+          SAAS_PAT: ${{ secrets.INTEGRATION_TEAM_SAAS_STAGING_PAT }}
+        run: poetry run nox -s coverage -- --
 
       - name: Upload Artifacts
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index f0dc9d1..8e5dc15 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ jobs:
   ci-job:
     name: Checks
     uses: ./.github/workflows/checks.yml
+    secrets: inherit
 
   metrics:
     needs: [ ci-job ]
diff --git a/doc/changes/changelog.md b/doc/changes/changelog.md
index 3f5762b..555c95f 100644
--- a/doc/changes/changelog.md
+++ b/doc/changes/changelog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # Changes
 
+* [0.3.0](changes_0.3.0.md)
 * [0.2.0](changes_0.2.0.md)
 * [0.1.0](changes_0.1.0.md)
 
@@ -8,6 +9,7 @@
 ---
 hidden:
 ---
+changes_0.3.0
 changes_0.2.0
 changes_0.1.0
 
diff --git a/doc/changes/changes_0.3.0.md b/doc/changes/changes_0.3.0.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d8a2dc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/changes/changes_0.3.0.md
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# Saas API Python 0.3.0, released tbd
+
+## Summary
+
+This release adds integration tests for the most important calls to SaaS API.
+
+## Refactorings
+
+* #21: Added integration test for operation "create database"
diff --git a/doc/developer_guide/developer_guide.md b/doc/developer_guide/developer_guide.md
index 0ca9a25..4c5a7a8 100644
--- a/doc/developer_guide/developer_guide.md
+++ b/doc/developer_guide/developer_guide.md
@@ -35,3 +35,14 @@ Use CLI option `--path` to read the JSON definition from a local file instead of
 ```python
 "--path", "/path/to/openapi.json",
 ```
+
+## Run Tests
+
+Executing the integration tests requires the following environment variables to be set:
+
+| Variable          | Description                                           |
+|-------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
+| `SAAS_HOST`       | Host to use for requests to REST API                  |
+| `SAAS_ACCOUNT_ID` | ID of the Exasol SAAS account to be used by the tests |
+| `SAAS_PAT`        | Personal access token to access the SAAS API          |
+
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 7ad9bd6..3fe57fa 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "saas-api"
-version = "0.2.0"
+version = "0.3.0"
 description = "API enabling Python applications connecting to Exasol database SaaS instances and using their SaaS services"
 packages = [ {include = "exasol"}, ]
 authors = [ "Christoph Kuhnke <christoph.kuhnke@exasol.com>" ]
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ ignore = [
 ]
 ignore-paths = [
     ".*/exasol/saas/client/openapi/.*",
+    ".*/test/.*",
 ]
 
 
diff --git a/test/integration/api_access.py b/test/integration/api_access.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e8b9a7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/api_access.py
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+from typing import Iterable
+from contextlib import contextmanager
+from datetime import datetime
+
+from exasol.saas.client import openapi
+from exasol.saas.client.openapi.api.databases import (
+    create_database,
+    delete_database,
+    list_databases,
+)
+from exasol.saas.client.openapi.api.security import (
+    list_allowed_i_ps,
+    add_allowed_ip,
+    delete_allowed_ip,
+)
+
+
+def timestamp() -> str:
+    return f'{datetime.now().timestamp():.0f}'
+
+
+def create_saas_client(
+        host: str,
+        pat: str,
+        raise_on_unexpected_status: bool = True,
+) -> openapi.AuthenticatedClient:
+    return openapi.AuthenticatedClient(
+        base_url=host,
+        token=pat,
+        raise_on_unexpected_status = raise_on_unexpected_status,
+    )
+
+
+class _OpenApiAccess:
+    """
+    This class is meant to be used only in the context of the API
+    generator repository while integration tests in other repositories are
+    planned to only use fixture ``saas_database_id()``.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, client: openapi.Client, account_id: str):
+        self._client = client
+        self._account_id = account_id
+
+    def create_database(self, cluster_size: str = "XS") -> openapi.models.database.Database:
+        cluster_spec = openapi.models.CreateCluster(
+            name="my-cluster",
+            size=cluster_size,
+        )
+        return create_database.sync(
+            self._account_id,
+            client=self._client,
+            body=openapi.models.CreateDatabase(
+                name=f"pytest-{timestamp()}",
+                initial_cluster=cluster_spec,
+                provider="aws",
+                region='us-east-1',
+            )
+        )
+
+    @contextmanager
+    def _ignore_failures(self, ignore: bool = False):
+        before = self._client.raise_on_unexpected_status
+        self._client.raise_on_unexpected_status = not ignore
+        yield self._client
+        self._client.raise_on_unexpected_status = before
+
+    def delete_database(self, database_id: str, ignore_failures=False):
+        with self._ignore_failures(ignore_failures) as client:
+            return delete_database.sync_detailed(
+                self._account_id, database_id, client=client)
+
+    def list_database_ids(self) -> Iterable[str]:
+        dbs = list_databases.sync(self._account_id, client=self._client)
+        return (db.id for db in dbs)
+
+    @contextmanager
+    def database(
+            self,
+            keep: bool = False,
+            ignore_delete_failure: bool = False,
+    ):
+        db = None
+        try:
+            db = self.create_database()
+            yield db
+        finally:
+            if not keep and db:
+                self.delete_database(db.id, ignore_delete_failure)
diff --git a/test/integration/conftest.py b/test/integration/conftest.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b407910
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/conftest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import pytest
+import os
+
+from exasol.saas.client import openapi
+from api_access import create_saas_client, _OpenApiAccess
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
+def saas_host() -> str:
+    return os.environ["SAAS_HOST"]
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
+def saas_pat() -> str:
+    return os.environ["SAAS_PAT"]
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
+def saas_account_id() -> str:
+    return os.environ["SAAS_ACCOUNT_ID"]
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
+def api_access(saas_host, saas_pat, saas_account_id) -> _OpenApiAccess:
+    with create_saas_client(saas_host, saas_pat) as client:
+        yield _OpenApiAccess(client, saas_account_id)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
+def saas_database(api_access) -> openapi.models.database.Database:
+    """
+    Note: The SaaS instance database returned by this fixture initially
+    will not be operational. The startup takes about 20 minutes.
+    """
+    with api_access.database() as db:
+        yield db
diff --git a/test/integration/databases_test.py b/test/integration/databases_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..80c76d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/databases_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+from exasol.saas.client import openapi
+
+
+def test_lifecycle(api_access):
+    """
+    This integration test uses the database created and provided by pytest
+    context ``_OpenApiAccess.database()`` to verify
+
+    - initial status and number of clusters of the created database
+    - list_databases includes the new database
+    - delete_database deletes the database
+    - list_databases does not include the deleted database anymore
+    """
+
+    testee = api_access
+    with testee.database(ignore_delete_failure=True) as db:
+        # verify state and clusters of created database
+        assert db.status == openapi.models.Status.TOCREATE and \
+            db.clusters.total == 1
+
+        # verify database is listed
+        assert db.id in testee.list_database_ids()
+
+        # delete database and verify database is not listed anymore
+        testee.delete_database(db.id)
+        assert db.id not in testee.list_database_ids()
diff --git a/test/integration/test_placeholder.py b/test/integration/test_placeholder.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 4033aab..0000000
--- a/test/integration/test_placeholder.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-""" doc Integration tests """
-
-def test_placeholder():
-    """ doc """
diff --git a/version.py b/version.py
index 55cfb40..ff792e9 100644
--- a/version.py
+++ b/version.py
@@ -5,6 +5,6 @@
 # Do not edit this file manually!
 # If you need to change the version, do so in the project.toml, e.g. by using `poetry version X.Y.Z`.
 MAJOR = 0
-MINOR = 2
+MINOR = 3
 PATCH = 0
 VERSION = f"{MAJOR}.{MINOR}.{PATCH}"