diff --git a/src/routes/ai.test.ts b/src/routes/ai.test.ts
index 996110da..f9901018 100644
--- a/src/routes/ai.test.ts
+++ b/src/routes/ai.test.ts
@@ -156,6 +156,66 @@ describe('AI Routes (/api/ai)', () => {
       expect(response.status).toBe(400);
       expect(response.body.message).toBe('Flyer image file is required.');
     });
+
+    it('should return 400 if extractedData is missing from payload', async () => {
+      const badPayload = { checksum: 'c2', originalFileName: 'noflyer.jpg' }; // no extractedData
+
+      const response = await supertest(app)
+        .post('/api/ai/flyers/process')
+        .field('data', JSON.stringify(badPayload))
+        .attach('flyerImage', imagePath);
+
+      expect(response.status).toBe(400);
+      expect(response.body.message).toBe('Invalid request: extractedData is required.');
+      expect(mockedDb.createFlyerAndItems).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('should accept payload when extractedData.items is missing and save with empty items', async () => {
+      // Arrange: extractedData present but items missing
+      const partialPayload = {
+        checksum: 'test-checksum-2',
+        originalFileName: 'flyer2.jpg',
+        extractedData: { store_name: 'Partial Store' } // no items key
+      };
+
+      mockedDb.findFlyerByChecksum.mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+      mockedDb.createFlyerAndItems.mockResolvedValue({ flyer_id: 2, created_at: new Date().toISOString(), file_name: partialPayload.originalFileName, image_url: '/flyer-images/flyer2.jpg' } as any);
+
+      const response = await supertest(app)
+        .post('/api/ai/flyers/process')
+        .field('data', JSON.stringify(partialPayload))
+        .attach('flyerImage', imagePath);
+
+      expect(response.status).toBe(201);
+      expect(mockedDb.createFlyerAndItems).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      // verify the items array passed to DB was an empty array
+      const callArgs = mockedDb.createFlyerAndItems.mock.calls[0]?.[1];
+      expect(callArgs).toBeDefined();
+      expect(Array.isArray(callArgs)).toBe(true);
+      expect(callArgs.length).toBe(0);
+    });
+
+    it('should fallback to a safe store name when store_name is missing', async () => {
+      const payloadNoStore = {
+        checksum: 'test-checksum-3',
+        originalFileName: 'flyer3.jpg',
+        extractedData: { items: [] } // store_name missing
+      };
+
+      mockedDb.findFlyerByChecksum.mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+      mockedDb.createFlyerAndItems.mockResolvedValue({ flyer_id: 3, created_at: new Date().toISOString(), file_name: payloadNoStore.originalFileName, image_url: '/flyer-images/flyer3.jpg' } as any);
+
+      const response = await supertest(app)
+        .post('/api/ai/flyers/process')
+        .field('data', JSON.stringify(payloadNoStore))
+        .attach('flyerImage', imagePath);
+
+      expect(response.status).toBe(201);
+      expect(mockedDb.createFlyerAndItems).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      // verify the flyerData.store_name passed to DB was the fallback string
+      const flyerDataArg = mockedDb.createFlyerAndItems.mock.calls[0][0];
+      expect(flyerDataArg.store_name).toContain('Unknown Store');
+    });
   });
 
   describe('when user is authenticated', () => {