diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/automations/templating/render.py b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/templating/render.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..374095cd2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/automations/templating/render.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+"""Render templates and evaluate predicates against the sandboxed environment."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from collections.abc import Mapping
+from typing import Any
+
+from .environment import ENV
+
+
+def render_template(template: str, context: Mapping[str, Any]) -> str:
+    """Render ``template`` with ``context``."""
+    return ENV.from_string(template).render(**context)
+
+
+def evaluate_predicate(expression: str, context: Mapping[str, Any]) -> bool:
+    """Evaluate a Jinja expression (not a template body) and coerce to bool."""
+    return bool(ENV.compile_expression(expression)(**context))