diff --git a/surfsense_backend/tests/unit/podcasts/test_api_schemas.py b/surfsense_backend/tests/unit/podcasts/test_api_schemas.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8203d7fdb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/tests/unit/podcasts/test_api_schemas.py
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+"""The API read model the frontend renders from.
+
+``PodcastDetail.of`` is the contract the detail view and action responses
+depend on: it exposes the deserialized brief and transcript and a simple
+``has_audio`` flag the client can't derive from the published Zero columns.
+These tests drive real podcasts through the service, then assert the read model
+reflects their state.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from datetime import UTC, datetime
+
+import pytest
+
+from app.podcasts.api.schemas import PodcastDetail
+from app.podcasts.persistence import PodcastStatus
+from app.podcasts.service import PodcastService
+
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.unit
+
+
+def _stamp(podcast):
+    """Give a transient row the id and created_at a persisted one would have.
+
+    A detail response is only ever built from a saved podcast; without a real
+    database, we stand in the primary key and timestamp the DB would assign.
+    """
+    podcast.id = 1
+    podcast.created_at = datetime.now(UTC)
+    return podcast
+
+
+async def test_a_fresh_podcast_exposes_no_brief_transcript_or_audio(fake_session):
+    service = PodcastService(fake_session)
+    podcast = _stamp(await service.create(title="New", search_space_id=3))
+
+    detail = PodcastDetail.of(podcast)
+
+    assert detail.status == PodcastStatus.PENDING
+    assert detail.spec is None
+    assert detail.transcript is None
+    assert detail.has_audio is False
+
+
+async def test_an_awaiting_brief_podcast_exposes_the_deserialized_brief(
+    fake_session, make_spec
+):
+    service = PodcastService(fake_session)
+    podcast = _stamp(await service.create(title="Brief", search_space_id=3))
+    await service.attach_brief(podcast, make_spec(language="fr"))
+
+    detail = PodcastDetail.of(podcast)
+
+    assert detail.spec is not None
+    assert detail.spec.language == "fr"
+
+
+async def test_a_ready_podcast_reports_available_audio(
+    fake_session, make_spec, make_transcript
+):
+    service = PodcastService(fake_session)
+    podcast = _stamp(await service.create(title="Done", search_space_id=3))
+    await service.attach_brief(podcast, make_spec())
+    await service.begin_drafting(podcast)
+    await service.attach_transcript(podcast, make_transcript())
+    await service.approve(podcast)
+    await service.attach_audio(
+        podcast, storage_backend="local", storage_key="k", duration_seconds=120
+    )
+
+    detail = PodcastDetail.of(podcast)
+
+    assert detail.status == PodcastStatus.READY
+    assert detail.has_audio is True
+    assert detail.duration_seconds == 120
+    assert detail.transcript is not None
+    assert detail.error is None