diff --git a/surfsense_backend/tests/unit/podcasts/test_runtime.py b/surfsense_backend/tests/unit/podcasts/test_runtime.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..91c6ada77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/tests/unit/podcasts/test_runtime.py
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+"""Failure recording shared by the podcast tasks.
+
+When a task body raises, ``mark_failed`` is the safety net that records the
+reason on the row. Its contract has two halves worth securing: a still-running
+podcast is moved to FAILED with the reason, and a podcast that already reached a
+terminal state is left exactly as it was rather than forced. Only the database
+(a real boundary) is doubled; the lifecycle service runs for real.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import pytest
+
+from app.podcasts.persistence import Podcast, PodcastStatus
+from app.podcasts.tasks import runtime
+
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.unit
+
+
+def _podcast(status: PodcastStatus) -> Podcast:
+    podcast = Podcast(title="Episode", search_space_id=1, status=status, spec_version=1)
+    podcast.id = 1
+    return podcast
+
+
+async def test_marking_failed_records_the_reason_on_a_running_podcast(
+    monkeypatch, session_maker_for, make_celery_session
+):
+    podcast = _podcast(PodcastStatus.DRAFTING)
+    session = make_celery_session(podcast)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(runtime, "get_celery_session_maker", session_maker_for(session))
+
+    await runtime.mark_failed(1, "tts provider unavailable")
+
+    assert podcast.status == PodcastStatus.FAILED
+    assert podcast.error == "tts provider unavailable"
+
+
+async def test_marking_failed_leaves_an_already_terminal_podcast_untouched(
+    monkeypatch, session_maker_for, make_celery_session
+):
+    podcast = _podcast(PodcastStatus.CANCELLED)
+    session = make_celery_session(podcast)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(runtime, "get_celery_session_maker", session_maker_for(session))
+
+    await runtime.mark_failed(1, "too late")
+
+    assert podcast.status == PodcastStatus.CANCELLED
+
+
+async def test_marking_a_missing_podcast_failed_is_a_no_op(
+    monkeypatch, session_maker_for, make_celery_session
+):
+    session = make_celery_session(None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(runtime, "get_celery_session_maker", session_maker_for(session))
+
+    await runtime.mark_failed(999, "gone")  # must not raise