diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-app.yml b/.github/workflows/python-app.yml
index dcb7a4bb..41bc74d9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-app.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-app.yml
@@ -27,3 +27,8 @@ jobs:
       run: pipx install ruff
     - name: Lint code with Ruff
       run: ruff check --output-format=github --target-version=py39
+    - name: Install test dependencies
+      run: pip install -r server/requirements.txt
+      # Discover and run all files matching test_*.py or *_test.py under server/
+    - name: Run tests
+      run: pytest server/ -v
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f1cea06b..15018d37 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -69,6 +69,11 @@ df = pd.read_sql(query, engine)
 
 #### Django REST
 - The email and password are set in `server/api/management/commands/createsu.py`
+- Backend tests can be run using `pytest` by running the below command inside the running backend container:
+
+```
+docker compose exec backend pytest api/ -v
+```
 
 ## Local Kubernetes Deployment
 
diff --git a/server/api/services/embedding_services.py b/server/api/services/embedding_services.py
index e35f7965..3fa9bb68 100644
--- a/server/api/services/embedding_services.py
+++ b/server/api/services/embedding_services.py
@@ -11,18 +11,17 @@
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-def get_closest_embeddings(
-    user, message_data, document_name=None, guid=None, num_results=10
-):
+
+def build_query(user, embedding_vector, document_name=None, guid=None, num_results=10):
     """
-    Find the closest embeddings to a given message for a specific user.
+    Build an unevaluated QuerySet for the closest embeddings.
 
     Parameters
     ----------
     user : User
         The user whose uploaded documents will be searched
-    message_data : str
-        The input message to find similar embeddings for
+    embedding_vector : array-like
+        Pre-computed embedding vector to compare against
     document_name : str, optional
         Filter results to a specific document name
     guid : str, optional
@@ -32,59 +31,52 @@ def get_closest_embeddings(
 
     Returns
     -------
-    list[dict]
-        List of dictionaries containing embedding results with keys:
-        - name: document name
-        - text: embedded text content
-        - page_number: page number in source document
-        - chunk_number: chunk number within the document
-        - distance: L2 distance from query embedding
-        - file_id: GUID of the source file
+    QuerySet
+        Unevaluated Django QuerySet ordered by L2 distance, sliced to num_results
     """
-
-    encoding_start = time.time()
-    transformerModel = TransformerModel.get_instance().model
-    embedding_message = transformerModel.encode(message_data)
-    encoding_time = time.time() - encoding_start
-
-    db_query_start = time.time()
-
     # Django QuerySets are lazily evaluated
     if user.is_authenticated:
         # User sees their own files + files uploaded by superusers
-        closest_embeddings_query = (
-            Embeddings.objects.filter(
-                Q(upload_file__uploaded_by=user) | Q(upload_file__uploaded_by__is_superuser=True)
-            )
-            .annotate(
-                distance=L2Distance("embedding_sentence_transformers", embedding_message)
-            )
-            .order_by("distance")
+        queryset = Embeddings.objects.filter(
+            Q(upload_file__uploaded_by=user) | Q(upload_file__uploaded_by__is_superuser=True)
         )
     else:
         # Unauthenticated users only see superuser-uploaded files
-        closest_embeddings_query = (
-            Embeddings.objects.filter(upload_file__uploaded_by__is_superuser=True)
-            .annotate(
-                distance=L2Distance("embedding_sentence_transformers", embedding_message)
-            )
-            .order_by("distance")
-        )
+        queryset = Embeddings.objects.filter(upload_file__uploaded_by__is_superuser=True)
+
+    queryset = (
+        queryset
+        .annotate(distance=L2Distance("embedding_sentence_transformers", embedding_vector))
+        .order_by("distance")
+    )
 
     # Filtering to a document GUID takes precedence over a document name
     if guid:
-        closest_embeddings_query = closest_embeddings_query.filter(
-            upload_file__guid=guid
-        )
+        queryset = queryset.filter(upload_file__guid=guid)
     elif document_name:
-        closest_embeddings_query = closest_embeddings_query.filter(name=document_name)
+        queryset = queryset.filter(name=document_name)
 
     # Slicing is equivalent to SQL's LIMIT clause
-    closest_embeddings_query = closest_embeddings_query[:num_results]
+    return queryset[:num_results]
+
+
+def evaluate_query(queryset):
+    """
+    Evaluate a QuerySet and return a list of result dicts.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    queryset : iterable
+        Iterable of Embeddings objects (or any objects with the expected attributes)
 
+    Returns
+    -------
+    list[dict]
+        List of dicts with keys: name, text, page_number, chunk_number, distance, file_id
+    """
     # Iterating evaluates the QuerySet and hits the database
     # TODO: Research improving the query evaluation performance
-    results = [
+    return [
         {
             "name": obj.name,
             "text": obj.text,
@@ -93,13 +85,36 @@ def get_closest_embeddings(
             "distance": obj.distance,
             "file_id": obj.upload_file.guid if obj.upload_file else None,
         }
-        for obj in closest_embeddings_query
+        for obj in queryset
     ]
 
-    db_query_time = time.time() - db_query_start
 
+def log_usage(
+    results, message_data, user, guid, document_name, num_results, encoding_time, db_query_time
+):
+    """
+    Create a SemanticSearchUsage record. Swallows exceptions so search isn't interrupted.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    results : list[dict]
+        The search results, each containing a "distance" key
+    message_data : str
+        The original search query text
+    user : User
+        The user who performed the search
+    guid : str or None
+        Document GUID filter used in the search
+    document_name : str or None
+        Document name filter used in the search
+    num_results : int
+        Number of results requested
+    encoding_time : float
+        Time in seconds to encode the query
+    db_query_time : float
+        Time in seconds for the database query
+    """
     try:
-        # Handle user having no uploaded docs or doc filtering returning no matches
         if results:
             distances = [r["distance"] for r in results]
             SemanticSearchUsage.objects.create(
@@ -113,11 +128,10 @@ def get_closest_embeddings(
                 num_results_returned=len(results),
                 max_distance=max(distances),
                 median_distance=median(distances),
-                min_distance=min(distances)
+                min_distance=min(distances),
             )
         else:
             logger.warning("Semantic search returned no results")
-
             SemanticSearchUsage.objects.create(
                 query_text=message_data,
                 user=user if (user and user.is_authenticated) else None,
@@ -129,9 +143,58 @@ def get_closest_embeddings(
                 num_results_returned=0,
                 max_distance=None,
                 median_distance=None,
-                min_distance=None
+                min_distance=None,
             )
     except Exception as e:
         logger.error(f"Failed to create semantic search usage database record: {e}")
 
+
+def get_closest_embeddings(
+    user, message_data, document_name=None, guid=None, num_results=10
+):
+    """
+    Find the closest embeddings to a given message for a specific user.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    user : User
+        The user whose uploaded documents will be searched
+    message_data : str
+        The input message to find similar embeddings for
+    document_name : str, optional
+        Filter results to a specific document name
+    guid : str, optional
+        Filter results to a specific document GUID (takes precedence over document_name)
+    num_results : int, default 10
+        Maximum number of results to return
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    list[dict]
+        List of dictionaries containing embedding results with keys:
+        - name: document name
+        - text: embedded text content
+        - page_number: page number in source document
+        - chunk_number: chunk number within the document
+        - distance: L2 distance from query embedding
+        - file_id: GUID of the source file
+
+    Notes
+    -----
+    Creates a SemanticSearchUsage record. Swallows exceptions so search isn't interrupted.
+    """
+    encoding_start = time.time()
+    model = TransformerModel.get_instance().model
+    embedding_vector = model.encode(message_data)
+    encoding_time = time.time() - encoding_start
+
+    db_query_start = time.time()
+    queryset = build_query(user, embedding_vector, document_name, guid, num_results)
+    results = evaluate_query(queryset)
+    db_query_time = time.time() - db_query_start
+
+    log_usage(
+        results, message_data, user, guid, document_name, num_results, encoding_time, db_query_time
+    )
+
     return results
diff --git a/server/api/services/test_embedding_services.py b/server/api/services/test_embedding_services.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..677c1e7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/api/services/test_embedding_services.py
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+
+from api.services.embedding_services import evaluate_query, log_usage
+
+
+def test_evaluate_query_maps_fields():
+    obj = MagicMock()
+    obj.name = "doc.pdf"
+    obj.text = "some text"
+    obj.page_num = 3
+    obj.chunk_number = 1
+    obj.distance = 0.42
+    obj.upload_file.guid = "abc-123"
+
+    results = evaluate_query([obj])
+
+    assert results == [
+        {
+            "name": "doc.pdf",
+            "text": "some text",
+            "page_number": 3,
+            "chunk_number": 1,
+            "distance": 0.42,
+            "file_id": "abc-123",
+        }
+    ]
+
+
+def test_evaluate_query_none_upload_file():
+    obj = MagicMock()
+    obj.name = "doc.pdf"
+    obj.text = "some text"
+    obj.page_num = 1
+    obj.chunk_number = 0
+    obj.distance = 1.0
+    obj.upload_file = None
+
+    results = evaluate_query([obj])
+
+    assert results[0]["file_id"] is None
+
+
+@patch("api.services.embedding_services.SemanticSearchUsage.objects.create")
+def test_log_usage_computes_distance_stats(mock_create):
+    results = [{"distance": 1.0}, {"distance": 3.0}, {"distance": 2.0}]
+    user = MagicMock(is_authenticated=True)
+
+    log_usage(
+        results,
+        message_data="test query",
+        user=user,
+        guid=None,
+        document_name=None,
+        num_results=10,
+        encoding_time=0.1,
+        db_query_time=0.2,
+    )
+
+    mock_create.assert_called_once()
+    kwargs = mock_create.call_args.kwargs
+    assert kwargs["min_distance"] == 1.0
+    assert kwargs["max_distance"] == 3.0
+    assert kwargs["median_distance"] == 2.0
+    assert kwargs["num_results_returned"] == 3
+
+
+@patch(
+    "api.services.embedding_services.SemanticSearchUsage.objects.create",
+    side_effect=Exception("DB error"),
+)
+def test_log_usage_swallows_exceptions(mock_create):
+    results = [{"distance": 1.0}]
+    user = MagicMock(is_authenticated=True)
+
+    # pytest fails the test if it catches unhandled Exception
+    log_usage(
+        results,
+        message_data="test query",
+        user=user,
+        guid=None,
+        document_name=None,
+        num_results=10,
+        encoding_time=0.1,
+        db_query_time=0.2,
+    )
diff --git a/server/pytest.ini b/server/pytest.ini
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..235b9752
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/pytest.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[pytest]
+DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE = balancer_backend.settings
+pythonpath = .
diff --git a/server/requirements.txt b/server/requirements.txt
index bbaf7bc9..001708e9 100644
--- a/server/requirements.txt
+++ b/server/requirements.txt
@@ -18,4 +18,6 @@ sentence_transformers
 PyMuPDF==1.24.0
 Pillow
 pytesseract
-anthropic
\ No newline at end of file
+anthropic
+pytest
+pytest-django
\ No newline at end of file