diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 947f054d..9c3c2296 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from tempfile import TemporaryDirectory
 from atst.app import make_app, make_config
 from atst.database import db as _db
 from atst.domain.auth import logout
+from atst.queue import queue
 import tests.factories as factories
 from tests.mocks import PDF_FILENAME
 
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ def app(request):
 
     config = make_config()
     config.update({"STORAGE_CONTAINER": upload_dir.name})
+    config.update({"RQ_QUEUES": ["test"]})
 
     _app = make_app(config)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_queue.py b/tests/test_queue.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ff634347
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_queue.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import pytest
+from atst.queue import queue, send_mail
+
+# ensure queue is always empty for unit testing
+@pytest.fixture(scope="function", autouse=True)
+def reset_queue():
+    queue.get_queue().empty()
+    yield
+    queue.get_queue().empty()
+
+def test_send_mail():
+    assert len(queue.get_queue()) == 0
+    send_mail.queue(
+        ["lordvader@geocities.net"], "death start", "how is it coming along?"
+    )
+    assert len(queue.get_queue()) == 1
diff --git a/tests/utils/test_mailer.py b/tests/utils/test_mailer.py
index f06d6ee9..0506cfdc 100644
--- a/tests/utils/test_mailer.py
+++ b/tests/utils/test_mailer.py
@@ -47,3 +47,6 @@ def test_redis_mailer_can_save_messages(app):
     mailer.send(**message_data)
     assert len(mailer.messages) == 1
     message = mailer.messages[0]
+    assert message_data["recipients"][0] in message
+    assert message_data["subject"] in message
+    assert message_data["body"] in message