diff --git a/backend/config/redis.js b/backend/config/redis.js
index a4482666e..2d0681871 100644
--- a/backend/config/redis.js
+++ b/backend/config/redis.js
@@ -1,35 +1,57 @@
 const Redis = require("ioredis");
 const dotenv = require("dotenv");
-dotenv.config()
+dotenv.config();
 
-if (!process.env.REDIS_URL) {
-    if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') {
-        console.log("DEBUG: ENV KEYS:", Object.keys(process.env));
+/**
+ * TEST MODE → fake redis
+ */
+if (process.env.NODE_ENV === "test") {
+  console.warn("⚠️ Redis disabled in test environment");
+
+  const dummyRedis = {
+    status: "ready",
+    get: async () => null,
+    set: async () => null,
+    del: async () => null,
+    quit: async () => null,
+    on: () => {}, // some modules attach listeners
+  };
+
+  module.exports = dummyRedis;
+
+} else {
+
+  /**
+   * DEV / PROD → real redis
+   */
+  if (!process.env.REDIS_URL) {
+    if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== "production") {
+      console.log("DEBUG: ENV KEYS:", Object.keys(process.env));
     }
     throw new Error("REDIS_URL is not defined in .env");
-}
+  }
 
-const redis = new Redis(process.env.REDIS_URL, {
+  const redis = new Redis(process.env.REDIS_URL, {
     retryStrategy(times) {
-        const delay = Math.min(times * 50, 2000);
-        if (times > 3) {
-            console.warn("⚠️ Redis: Max retries reached. Caching will be disabled.");
-            return null; // Stop retrying
-        }
-        return delay;
+      const delay = Math.min(times * 50, 2000);
+      if (times > 3) {
+        console.warn("⚠️ Redis: Max retries reached. Caching will be disabled.");
+        return null;
+      }
+      return delay;
     },
-    maxRetriesPerRequest: null // Allow requests to fail if not connected
-});
+    maxRetriesPerRequest: null,
+  });
 
-redis.on('ready', () => {
-    console.log('ioredis client is connected and ready.');
-});
+  redis.on("ready", () => {
+    console.log("ioredis client is connected and ready.");
+  });
 
-redis.on('error', (err) => {
-    console.error('❌ Redis Connection Error:', err.message);
-    console.error('   -> Ensure Redis is running on localhost:6379');
-    console.error('   -> Windows: Use WSL or a Memurai/Redis port.');
-    // Do not throw; lets the app continue without caching if needed
-});
+  redis.on("error", (err) => {
+    console.error("❌ Redis Connection Error:", err.message);
+    console.error("   -> Ensure Redis is running on localhost:6379");
+    console.error("   -> Windows: Use WSL or a Memurai/Redis port.");
+  });
 
-module.exports = redis;
+  module.exports = redis;
+}
diff --git a/backend/tests/auth.test.js b/backend/tests/auth.test.js
index d6a0412e3..7dccf222d 100644
--- a/backend/tests/auth.test.js
+++ b/backend/tests/auth.test.js
@@ -1,15 +1,21 @@
 const request = require('supertest');
 const mongoose = require('mongoose');
+require('dotenv').config();
 
-const JWT_SECRET =
-    process.env.JWT_SECRET ||
-    (process.env.NODE_ENV === "test" ? "ci_test_jwt_secret" : null);
+/**
+ * CI / local fallback values
+ * Tests should not depend on developer machine env.
+ */
+process.env.TEST_MONGO_URL =
+  process.env.TEST_MONGO_URL || "mongodb://127.0.0.1:27017/urbackend_test";
 
-if (!JWT_SECRET) {
-    throw new Error("JWT_SECRET is not defined");
-}
+process.env.JWT_SECRET =
+  process.env.JWT_SECRET || "ci_test_jwt_secret";
 
 
+/**
+ * Mock Redis
+ */
 jest.mock('ioredis', () => {
     return jest.fn().mockImplementation(() => ({
         on: jest.fn(),
@@ -21,6 +27,9 @@ jest.mock('ioredis', () => {
     }));
 });
 
+/**
+ * Mock email service
+ */
 jest.mock('resend', () => {
     return {
         Resend: jest.fn().mockImplementation(() => ({
@@ -34,15 +43,12 @@ jest.mock('resend', () => {
 const app = require('../app');
 const Developer = require('../models/Developer');
 const bcrypt = require('bcryptjs');
-require('dotenv').config();
-
 
 
 // --- SETUP 
 beforeAll(async () => {
     const uri = process.env.TEST_MONGO_URL;
 
-    // Debugging (Secret is masked as *** in GitHub logs, but we can check the format)
     console.log("URI Length:", uri ? uri.length : 0);
     console.log("URI Starts with mongodb:", uri ? uri.startsWith('mongodb') : false);
 
@@ -54,25 +60,22 @@ beforeAll(async () => {
     await mongoose.connect(uri);
 });
 
-const redis = require('../config/redis'); // Import redis client
+const redis = require('../config/redis');
 
 afterAll(async () => {
     await mongoose.connection.close();
-    await redis.quit(); // Close Redis connection
+    await redis.quit();
 });
 
 describe('Auth API Security', () => {
 
-    // Clean DB bedore every test
     beforeEach(async () => {
-        await Developer.deleteMany({}); // Clear old data
+        await Developer.deleteMany({});
 
-        // Create a dummy user
         const hashedPassword = await bcrypt.hash('password123', 10);
         await Developer.create({ email: 'test@example.com', password: hashedPassword });
     });
 
-    // Clean DB after every test
     afterEach(async () => {
         await Developer.deleteMany({});
     });
@@ -93,15 +96,10 @@ describe('Auth API Security', () => {
         const res = await request(app)
             .post('/api/auth/login')
             .send({
-                email: { "$ne": null }, // Attack Payload
+                email: { "$ne": null },
                 password: 'password123'
             });
 
-        // DEBUGGING LOGS 
-        console.log("Status Code:", res.statusCode);
-        console.log("Response Body:", res.body);
-        console.log("Response Text:", res.text);
-
         expect(res.statusCode).toBe(400);
         expect(res.body.error).toBeDefined();
     });
diff --git a/backend/tests/health.test.js b/backend/tests/health.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d906c14cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/health.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+const request = require("supertest");
+const app = require("../app");
+
+describe("Health Check API", () => {
+  it("should return 200 and success message", async () => {
+    const res = await request(app).get("/");
+
+    expect(res.statusCode).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body.status).toBe("success");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/backend/utils/validateEnv.js b/backend/utils/validateEnv.js
index 7f7aec930..d61fda4c6 100644
--- a/backend/utils/validateEnv.js
+++ b/backend/utils/validateEnv.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 const requiredEnvVars = ["MONGO_URL", "PORT", "REDIS_URL"];
 
 function validateEnv() {
+  if (process.env.NODE_ENV === "test") return;
   const missing = requiredEnvVars.filter((key) => !process.env[key]);
 
   if (missing.length) {