diff --git a/apps/server/src/lib/dependency-resolver.ts b/apps/server/src/lib/dependency-resolver.ts
index 619d62e4..e263d6da 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/lib/dependency-resolver.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/lib/dependency-resolver.ts
@@ -5,16 +5,7 @@
  * Uses a modified Kahn's algorithm that respects both dependencies and priorities.
  */
 
-interface Feature {
-  id: string;
-  category: string;
-  description: string;
-  steps?: string[];
-  status: string;
-  priority?: number;
-  dependencies?: string[];
-  [key: string]: unknown;
-}
+import type { Feature } from "../services/feature-loader.js";
 
 export interface DependencyResolutionResult {
   orderedFeatures: Feature[];       // Features in dependency-aware order
@@ -198,7 +189,7 @@ export function areDependenciesSatisfied(
     return true; // No dependencies = always ready
   }
 
-  return feature.dependencies.every(depId => {
+  return feature.dependencies.every((depId: string) => {
     const dep = allFeatures.find(f => f.id === depId);
     return dep && (dep.status === 'completed' || dep.status === 'verified');
   });
@@ -219,7 +210,7 @@ export function getBlockingDependencies(
     return [];
   }
 
-  return feature.dependencies.filter(depId => {
+  return feature.dependencies.filter((depId: string) => {
     const dep = allFeatures.find(f => f.id === depId);
     return dep && dep.status !== 'completed' && dep.status !== 'verified';
   });
diff --git a/apps/server/src/services/auto-mode-service.ts b/apps/server/src/services/auto-mode-service.ts
index 9f79ea8b..affb6c6e 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/services/auto-mode-service.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/services/auto-mode-service.ts
@@ -21,30 +21,10 @@ import { resolveModelString, DEFAULT_MODELS } from "../lib/model-resolver.js";
 import { createAutoModeOptions } from "../lib/sdk-options.js";
 import { isAbortError, classifyError } from "../lib/error-handler.js";
 import { resolveDependencies, areDependenciesSatisfied } from "../lib/dependency-resolver.js";
+import type { Feature } from "./feature-loader.js";
 
 const execAsync = promisify(exec);
 
-interface Feature {
-  id: string;
-  category: string;
-  description: string;
-  steps?: string[];
-  status: string;
-  priority?: number;
-  dependencies?: string[]; // Feature dependencies
-  spec?: string;
-  model?: string; // Model to use for this feature
-  imagePaths?: Array<
-    | string
-    | {
-        path: string;
-        filename?: string;
-        mimeType?: string;
-        [key: string]: unknown;
-      }
-  >;
-}
-
 interface RunningFeature {
   featureId: string;
   projectPath: string;
diff --git a/apps/server/src/services/feature-loader.ts b/apps/server/src/services/feature-loader.ts
index 9a90c6eb..534dfa37 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/services/feature-loader.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/services/feature-loader.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ export interface Feature {
   steps?: string[];
   passes?: boolean;
   priority?: number;
+  status?: string;
+  dependencies?: string[];
+  spec?: string;
+  model?: string;
   imagePaths?: Array<string | { path: string; [key: string]: unknown }>;
   [key: string]: unknown;
 }
diff --git a/apps/server/tests/unit/lib/dependency-resolver.test.ts b/apps/server/tests/unit/lib/dependency-resolver.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..772f1fbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/server/tests/unit/lib/dependency-resolver.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,438 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
+import {
+  resolveDependencies,
+  areDependenciesSatisfied,
+  getBlockingDependencies,
+  type DependencyResolutionResult,
+} from "@/lib/dependency-resolver.js";
+import type { Feature } from "@/services/feature-loader.js";
+
+// Helper to create test features
+function createFeature(
+  id: string,
+  options: {
+    status?: string;
+    priority?: number;
+    dependencies?: string[];
+    category?: string;
+    description?: string;
+  } = {}
+): Feature {
+  return {
+    id,
+    category: options.category || "test",
+    description: options.description || `Feature ${id}`,
+    status: options.status || "backlog",
+    priority: options.priority,
+    dependencies: options.dependencies,
+  };
+}
+
+describe("dependency-resolver.ts", () => {
+  describe("resolveDependencies", () => {
+    it("should handle empty feature list", () => {
+      const result = resolveDependencies([]);
+
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures).toEqual([]);
+      expect(result.circularDependencies).toEqual([]);
+      expect(result.missingDependencies.size).toBe(0);
+      expect(result.blockedFeatures.size).toBe(0);
+    });
+
+    it("should handle features with no dependencies", () => {
+      const features = [
+        createFeature("f1", { priority: 1 }),
+        createFeature("f2", { priority: 2 }),
+        createFeature("f3", { priority: 3 }),
+      ];
+
+      const result = resolveDependencies(features);
+
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures).toHaveLength(3);
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures[0].id).toBe("f1"); // Highest priority first
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures[1].id).toBe("f2");
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures[2].id).toBe("f3");
+      expect(result.circularDependencies).toEqual([]);
+      expect(result.missingDependencies.size).toBe(0);
+      expect(result.blockedFeatures.size).toBe(0);
+    });
+
+    it("should order features by dependencies (simple chain)", () => {
+      const features = [
+        createFeature("f3", { dependencies: ["f2"] }),
+        createFeature("f1"),
+        createFeature("f2", { dependencies: ["f1"] }),
+      ];
+
+      const result = resolveDependencies(features);
+
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures).toHaveLength(3);
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures[0].id).toBe("f1");
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures[1].id).toBe("f2");
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures[2].id).toBe("f3");
+      expect(result.circularDependencies).toEqual([]);
+    });
+
+    it("should respect priority within same dependency level", () => {
+      const features = [
+        createFeature("f1", { priority: 3, dependencies: ["base"] }),
+        createFeature("f2", { priority: 1, dependencies: ["base"] }),
+        createFeature("f3", { priority: 2, dependencies: ["base"] }),
+        createFeature("base"),
+      ];
+
+      const result = resolveDependencies(features);
+
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures[0].id).toBe("base");
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures[1].id).toBe("f2"); // Priority 1
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures[2].id).toBe("f3"); // Priority 2
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures[3].id).toBe("f1"); // Priority 3
+    });
+
+    it("should use default priority of 2 when not specified", () => {
+      const features = [
+        createFeature("f1", { priority: 1 }),
+        createFeature("f2"), // No priority = default 2
+        createFeature("f3", { priority: 3 }),
+      ];
+
+      const result = resolveDependencies(features);
+
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures[0].id).toBe("f1");
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures[1].id).toBe("f2");
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures[2].id).toBe("f3");
+    });
+
+    it("should detect missing dependencies", () => {
+      const features = [
+        createFeature("f1", { dependencies: ["missing1", "missing2"] }),
+        createFeature("f2", { dependencies: ["f1", "missing3"] }),
+      ];
+
+      const result = resolveDependencies(features);
+
+      expect(result.missingDependencies.size).toBe(2);
+      expect(result.missingDependencies.get("f1")).toEqual(["missing1", "missing2"]);
+      expect(result.missingDependencies.get("f2")).toEqual(["missing3"]);
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures).toHaveLength(2);
+    });
+
+    it("should detect blocked features (incomplete dependencies)", () => {
+      const features = [
+        createFeature("f1", { status: "in_progress" }),
+        createFeature("f2", { status: "backlog", dependencies: ["f1"] }),
+        createFeature("f3", { status: "completed" }),
+        createFeature("f4", { status: "backlog", dependencies: ["f3"] }),
+      ];
+
+      const result = resolveDependencies(features);
+
+      expect(result.blockedFeatures.size).toBe(1);
+      expect(result.blockedFeatures.get("f2")).toEqual(["f1"]);
+      expect(result.blockedFeatures.has("f4")).toBe(false); // f3 is completed
+    });
+
+    it("should not block features whose dependencies are verified", () => {
+      const features = [
+        createFeature("f1", { status: "verified" }),
+        createFeature("f2", { status: "backlog", dependencies: ["f1"] }),
+      ];
+
+      const result = resolveDependencies(features);
+
+      expect(result.blockedFeatures.size).toBe(0);
+    });
+
+    it("should detect circular dependencies (simple cycle)", () => {
+      const features = [
+        createFeature("f1", { dependencies: ["f2"] }),
+        createFeature("f2", { dependencies: ["f1"] }),
+      ];
+
+      const result = resolveDependencies(features);
+
+      expect(result.circularDependencies).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(result.circularDependencies[0]).toContain("f1");
+      expect(result.circularDependencies[0]).toContain("f2");
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures).toHaveLength(2); // Features still included
+    });
+
+    it("should detect circular dependencies (multi-node cycle)", () => {
+      const features = [
+        createFeature("f1", { dependencies: ["f3"] }),
+        createFeature("f2", { dependencies: ["f1"] }),
+        createFeature("f3", { dependencies: ["f2"] }),
+      ];
+
+      const result = resolveDependencies(features);
+
+      expect(result.circularDependencies.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures).toHaveLength(3);
+    });
+
+    it("should handle mixed valid and circular dependencies", () => {
+      const features = [
+        createFeature("base"),
+        createFeature("f1", { dependencies: ["base", "f2"] }),
+        createFeature("f2", { dependencies: ["f1"] }), // Circular with f1
+        createFeature("f3", { dependencies: ["base"] }),
+      ];
+
+      const result = resolveDependencies(features);
+
+      expect(result.circularDependencies.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures[0].id).toBe("base");
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures).toHaveLength(4);
+    });
+
+    it("should handle complex dependency graph", () => {
+      const features = [
+        createFeature("ui", { dependencies: ["api", "auth"], priority: 1 }),
+        createFeature("api", { dependencies: ["db"], priority: 2 }),
+        createFeature("auth", { dependencies: ["db"], priority: 1 }),
+        createFeature("db", { priority: 1 }),
+        createFeature("tests", { dependencies: ["ui"], priority: 3 }),
+      ];
+
+      const result = resolveDependencies(features);
+
+      const order = result.orderedFeatures.map(f => f.id);
+
+      expect(order[0]).toBe("db");
+      expect(order.indexOf("db")).toBeLessThan(order.indexOf("api"));
+      expect(order.indexOf("db")).toBeLessThan(order.indexOf("auth"));
+      expect(order.indexOf("api")).toBeLessThan(order.indexOf("ui"));
+      expect(order.indexOf("auth")).toBeLessThan(order.indexOf("ui"));
+      expect(order.indexOf("ui")).toBeLessThan(order.indexOf("tests"));
+      expect(result.circularDependencies).toEqual([]);
+    });
+
+    it("should handle features with empty dependencies array", () => {
+      const features = [
+        createFeature("f1", { dependencies: [] }),
+        createFeature("f2", { dependencies: [] }),
+      ];
+
+      const result = resolveDependencies(features);
+
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures).toHaveLength(2);
+      expect(result.circularDependencies).toEqual([]);
+      expect(result.blockedFeatures.size).toBe(0);
+    });
+
+    it("should track multiple blocking dependencies", () => {
+      const features = [
+        createFeature("f1", { status: "in_progress" }),
+        createFeature("f2", { status: "backlog" }),
+        createFeature("f3", { status: "backlog", dependencies: ["f1", "f2"] }),
+      ];
+
+      const result = resolveDependencies(features);
+
+      expect(result.blockedFeatures.get("f3")).toEqual(["f1", "f2"]);
+    });
+
+    it("should handle self-referencing dependency", () => {
+      const features = [
+        createFeature("f1", { dependencies: ["f1"] }),
+      ];
+
+      const result = resolveDependencies(features);
+
+      expect(result.circularDependencies.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+      expect(result.orderedFeatures).toHaveLength(1);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("areDependenciesSatisfied", () => {
+    it("should return true for feature with no dependencies", () => {
+      const feature = createFeature("f1");
+      const allFeatures = [feature];
+
+      expect(areDependenciesSatisfied(feature, allFeatures)).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("should return true for feature with empty dependencies array", () => {
+      const feature = createFeature("f1", { dependencies: [] });
+      const allFeatures = [feature];
+
+      expect(areDependenciesSatisfied(feature, allFeatures)).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("should return true when all dependencies are completed", () => {
+      const allFeatures = [
+        createFeature("f1", { status: "completed" }),
+        createFeature("f2", { status: "completed" }),
+        createFeature("f3", { status: "backlog", dependencies: ["f1", "f2"] }),
+      ];
+
+      expect(areDependenciesSatisfied(allFeatures[2], allFeatures)).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("should return true when all dependencies are verified", () => {
+      const allFeatures = [
+        createFeature("f1", { status: "verified" }),
+        createFeature("f2", { status: "verified" }),
+        createFeature("f3", { status: "backlog", dependencies: ["f1", "f2"] }),
+      ];
+
+      expect(areDependenciesSatisfied(allFeatures[2], allFeatures)).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("should return true when dependencies are mix of completed and verified", () => {
+      const allFeatures = [
+        createFeature("f1", { status: "completed" }),
+        createFeature("f2", { status: "verified" }),
+        createFeature("f3", { status: "backlog", dependencies: ["f1", "f2"] }),
+      ];
+
+      expect(areDependenciesSatisfied(allFeatures[2], allFeatures)).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it("should return false when any dependency is in_progress", () => {
+      const allFeatures = [
+        createFeature("f1", { status: "completed" }),
+        createFeature("f2", { status: "in_progress" }),
+        createFeature("f3", { status: "backlog", dependencies: ["f1", "f2"] }),
+      ];
+
+      expect(areDependenciesSatisfied(allFeatures[2], allFeatures)).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it("should return false when any dependency is in backlog", () => {
+      const allFeatures = [
+        createFeature("f1", { status: "completed" }),
+        createFeature("f2", { status: "backlog" }),
+        createFeature("f3", { status: "backlog", dependencies: ["f1", "f2"] }),
+      ];
+
+      expect(areDependenciesSatisfied(allFeatures[2], allFeatures)).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it("should return false when dependency is missing", () => {
+      const allFeatures = [
+        createFeature("f1", { status: "backlog", dependencies: ["missing"] }),
+      ];
+
+      expect(areDependenciesSatisfied(allFeatures[0], allFeatures)).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it("should return false when multiple dependencies are incomplete", () => {
+      const allFeatures = [
+        createFeature("f1", { status: "backlog" }),
+        createFeature("f2", { status: "in_progress" }),
+        createFeature("f3", { status: "waiting_approval" }),
+        createFeature("f4", { status: "backlog", dependencies: ["f1", "f2", "f3"] }),
+      ];
+
+      expect(areDependenciesSatisfied(allFeatures[3], allFeatures)).toBe(false);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("getBlockingDependencies", () => {
+    it("should return empty array for feature with no dependencies", () => {
+      const feature = createFeature("f1");
+      const allFeatures = [feature];
+
+      expect(getBlockingDependencies(feature, allFeatures)).toEqual([]);
+    });
+
+    it("should return empty array for feature with empty dependencies array", () => {
+      const feature = createFeature("f1", { dependencies: [] });
+      const allFeatures = [feature];
+
+      expect(getBlockingDependencies(feature, allFeatures)).toEqual([]);
+    });
+
+    it("should return empty array when all dependencies are completed", () => {
+      const allFeatures = [
+        createFeature("f1", { status: "completed" }),
+        createFeature("f2", { status: "completed" }),
+        createFeature("f3", { status: "backlog", dependencies: ["f1", "f2"] }),
+      ];
+
+      expect(getBlockingDependencies(allFeatures[2], allFeatures)).toEqual([]);
+    });
+
+    it("should return empty array when all dependencies are verified", () => {
+      const allFeatures = [
+        createFeature("f1", { status: "verified" }),
+        createFeature("f2", { status: "verified" }),
+        createFeature("f3", { status: "backlog", dependencies: ["f1", "f2"] }),
+      ];
+
+      expect(getBlockingDependencies(allFeatures[2], allFeatures)).toEqual([]);
+    });
+
+    it("should return blocking dependencies in backlog status", () => {
+      const allFeatures = [
+        createFeature("f1", { status: "backlog" }),
+        createFeature("f2", { status: "completed" }),
+        createFeature("f3", { status: "backlog", dependencies: ["f1", "f2"] }),
+      ];
+
+      expect(getBlockingDependencies(allFeatures[2], allFeatures)).toEqual(["f1"]);
+    });
+
+    it("should return blocking dependencies in in_progress status", () => {
+      const allFeatures = [
+        createFeature("f1", { status: "in_progress" }),
+        createFeature("f2", { status: "verified" }),
+        createFeature("f3", { status: "backlog", dependencies: ["f1", "f2"] }),
+      ];
+
+      expect(getBlockingDependencies(allFeatures[2], allFeatures)).toEqual(["f1"]);
+    });
+
+    it("should return blocking dependencies in waiting_approval status", () => {
+      const allFeatures = [
+        createFeature("f1", { status: "waiting_approval" }),
+        createFeature("f2", { status: "completed" }),
+        createFeature("f3", { status: "backlog", dependencies: ["f1", "f2"] }),
+      ];
+
+      expect(getBlockingDependencies(allFeatures[2], allFeatures)).toEqual(["f1"]);
+    });
+
+    it("should return all blocking dependencies", () => {
+      const allFeatures = [
+        createFeature("f1", { status: "backlog" }),
+        createFeature("f2", { status: "in_progress" }),
+        createFeature("f3", { status: "waiting_approval" }),
+        createFeature("f4", { status: "completed" }),
+        createFeature("f5", { status: "backlog", dependencies: ["f1", "f2", "f3", "f4"] }),
+      ];
+
+      const blocking = getBlockingDependencies(allFeatures[4], allFeatures);
+      expect(blocking).toHaveLength(3);
+      expect(blocking).toContain("f1");
+      expect(blocking).toContain("f2");
+      expect(blocking).toContain("f3");
+      expect(blocking).not.toContain("f4");
+    });
+
+    it("should handle missing dependencies", () => {
+      const allFeatures = [
+        createFeature("f1", { status: "backlog", dependencies: ["missing"] }),
+      ];
+
+      // Missing dependencies won't be in the blocking list since they don't exist
+      expect(getBlockingDependencies(allFeatures[0], allFeatures)).toEqual([]);
+    });
+
+    it("should handle mix of completed, verified, and incomplete dependencies", () => {
+      const allFeatures = [
+        createFeature("f1", { status: "completed" }),
+        createFeature("f2", { status: "verified" }),
+        createFeature("f3", { status: "in_progress" }),
+        createFeature("f4", { status: "backlog" }),
+        createFeature("f5", { status: "backlog", dependencies: ["f1", "f2", "f3", "f4"] }),
+      ];
+
+      const blocking = getBlockingDependencies(allFeatures[4], allFeatures);
+      expect(blocking).toHaveLength(2);
+      expect(blocking).toContain("f3");
+      expect(blocking).toContain("f4");
+    });
+  });
+});