diff --git a/tests/test_messaging_integration.py b/tests/test_messaging_integration.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..94eaf48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_messaging_integration.py
@@ -0,0 +1,196 @@
+"""Integration tests for messaging endpoints."""
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
+
+from scripts.db_migrate import migrate_db
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def fresh_db(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """Set up a fresh isolated DB wired to dev_api._request_db."""
+    db = tmp_path / "test.db"
+    monkeypatch.setenv("STAGING_DB", str(db))
+    migrate_db(db)
+    import dev_api
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        dev_api,
+        "_request_db",
+        type("CV", (), {"get": lambda self: str(db), "set": lambda *a: None})(),
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(dev_api, "DB_PATH", str(db))
+    return db
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def client(fresh_db):
+    import dev_api
+    return TestClient(dev_api.app)
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Messages
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_create_and_list_message(client):
+    """POST /api/messages creates a row; GET /api/messages?job_id= returns it."""
+    payload = {
+        "job_id": 1,
+        "type": "email",
+        "direction": "outbound",
+        "subject": "Hello recruiter",
+        "body": "I am very interested in this role.",
+        "to_addr": "recruiter@example.com",
+    }
+    resp = client.post("/api/messages", json=payload)
+    assert resp.status_code == 200, resp.text
+    created = resp.json()
+    assert created["subject"] == "Hello recruiter"
+    assert created["job_id"] == 1
+
+    resp = client.get("/api/messages", params={"job_id": 1})
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+    messages = resp.json()
+    assert any(m["id"] == created["id"] for m in messages)
+
+
+def test_delete_message(client):
+    """DELETE removes the message; subsequent GET no longer returns it."""
+    resp = client.post("/api/messages", json={"type": "email", "direction": "outbound", "body": "bye"})
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+    msg_id = resp.json()["id"]
+
+    resp = client.delete(f"/api/messages/{msg_id}")
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+    assert resp.json()["ok"] is True
+
+    resp = client.get("/api/messages")
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+    ids = [m["id"] for m in resp.json()]
+    assert msg_id not in ids
+
+
+def test_delete_message_not_found(client):
+    """DELETE /api/messages/9999 returns 404."""
+    resp = client.delete("/api/messages/9999")
+    assert resp.status_code == 404
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Templates
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_list_templates_has_builtins(client):
+    """GET /api/message-templates includes the seeded built-in keys."""
+    resp = client.get("/api/message-templates")
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+    templates = resp.json()
+    keys = {t["key"] for t in templates}
+    assert "follow_up" in keys
+    assert "thank_you" in keys
+
+
+def test_template_create_update_delete(client):
+    """Full lifecycle: create → update title → delete a user-defined template."""
+    # Create
+    resp = client.post("/api/message-templates", json={
+        "title": "My Template",
+        "category": "custom",
+        "body_template": "Hello {{name}}",
+    })
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+    tmpl = resp.json()
+    assert tmpl["title"] == "My Template"
+    assert tmpl["is_builtin"] == 0
+    tmpl_id = tmpl["id"]
+
+    # Update title
+    resp = client.put(f"/api/message-templates/{tmpl_id}", json={"title": "Updated Title"})
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+    assert resp.json()["title"] == "Updated Title"
+
+    # Delete
+    resp = client.delete(f"/api/message-templates/{tmpl_id}")
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+    assert resp.json()["ok"] is True
+
+    # Confirm gone
+    resp = client.get("/api/message-templates")
+    ids = [t["id"] for t in resp.json()]
+    assert tmpl_id not in ids
+
+
+def test_builtin_template_put_returns_403(client):
+    """PUT on a built-in template returns 403."""
+    resp = client.get("/api/message-templates")
+    builtin = next(t for t in resp.json() if t["is_builtin"] == 1)
+    resp = client.put(f"/api/message-templates/{builtin['id']}", json={"title": "Hacked"})
+    assert resp.status_code == 403
+
+
+def test_builtin_template_delete_returns_403(client):
+    """DELETE on a built-in template returns 403."""
+    resp = client.get("/api/message-templates")
+    builtin = next(t for t in resp.json() if t["is_builtin"] == 1)
+    resp = client.delete(f"/api/message-templates/{builtin['id']}")
+    assert resp.status_code == 403
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Draft reply (tier gate)
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_draft_without_llm_returns_402(fresh_db, monkeypatch):
+    """POST /api/contacts/{id}/draft-reply with free tier + no LLM configured returns 402."""
+    import sqlite3
+    import dev_api
+
+    # Insert a job_contacts row so the contact_id exists
+    con = sqlite3.connect(fresh_db)
+    con.execute(
+        "INSERT INTO job_contacts (job_id, direction, subject, from_addr, body) "
+        "VALUES (NULL, 'inbound', 'Test subject', 'hr@example.com', 'We would like to schedule...')"
+    )
+    con.commit()
+    contact_id = con.execute("SELECT last_insert_rowid()").fetchone()[0]
+    con.close()
+
+    # Ensure has_configured_llm returns False at both import locations
+    monkeypatch.setattr("app.wizard.tiers.has_configured_llm", lambda *a, **kw: False)
+
+    client = TestClient(dev_api.app)
+    resp = client.post(
+        f"/api/contacts/{contact_id}/draft-reply",
+        headers={"X-CF-Tier": "free"},
+    )
+    assert resp.status_code == 402
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Approve
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_approve_message(client):
+    """POST /api/messages then POST /api/messages/{id}/approve returns body + approved_at."""
+    resp = client.post("/api/messages", json={
+        "type": "draft",
+        "direction": "outbound",
+        "body": "This is my draft reply.",
+    })
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+    msg_id = resp.json()["id"]
+    assert resp.json()["approved_at"] is None
+
+    resp = client.post(f"/api/messages/{msg_id}/approve")
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+    data = resp.json()
+    assert data["body"] == "This is my draft reply."
+    assert data["approved_at"] is not None
+
+
+def test_approve_message_not_found(client):
+    """POST /api/messages/9999/approve returns 404."""
+    resp = client.post("/api/messages/9999/approve")
+    assert resp.status_code == 404