diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/api-gateway.yml b/.gitea/workflows/api-gateway.yml
index 4d9010f..2f20189 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/api-gateway.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/api-gateway.yml
@@ -63,6 +63,33 @@ jobs:
     - name: Compile code
       run: ./mvnw compile
       
+    - name: Check for test files
+      run: |
+        echo "Checking for test files in src/test/java/..."
+        if [ -d "src/test/java" ]; then
+          TEST_COUNT=$(find src/test/java -name "*Test*.java" -type f | wc -l)
+          echo "Found $TEST_COUNT test files"
+          if [ $TEST_COUNT -eq 0 ]; then
+            echo "⚠️  No test files found! Please add test files to src/test/java/"
+            echo "TEST_FILES_EXIST=false" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          else
+            echo "✅ Test files found"
+            echo "TEST_FILES_EXIST=true" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          fi
+        else
+          echo "❌ No src/test/java directory found!"
+          echo "TEST_FILES_EXIST=false" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+        fi
+      
+    - name: Fail if no test files exist
+      if: env.TEST_FILES_EXIST == 'false'
+      run: |
+        echo "❌ No test files found in src/test/java/"
+        echo "This pipeline requires test files to be present."
+        echo "Please add test files with names ending in 'Test.java' or 'Tests.java'"
+        echo "Example: src/test/java/com/labfusion/MyServiceTest.java"
+        exit 1
+      
     - name: Run unit tests
       run: |
         echo "Running Maven tests..."
@@ -98,19 +125,6 @@ jobs:
           echo "TEST_REPORTS_EXIST=false" >> $GITHUB_ENV
         fi
       
-    - name: Create dummy test report if none exists
-      if: env.TEST_REPORTS_EXIST == 'false'
-      run: |
-        echo "Creating dummy test report since no tests were found..."
-        cat > target/surefire-reports/TEST-dummy.xml << 'EOF'
-        <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-        <testsuite name="DummyTest" tests="1" failures="0" errors="0" skipped="0" time="0.001">
-          <testcase name="dummyTest" classname="DummyTest" time="0.001"/>
-        </testsuite>
-        EOF
-        echo "Dummy test report created"
-        echo "TEST_REPORTS_EXIST=true" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-      
     - name: Generate test report
       uses: dorny/test-reporter@v1
       if: env.TEST_REPORTS_EXIST == 'true'
@@ -118,6 +132,18 @@ jobs:
         name: Maven Tests (Java ${{ matrix.java-version }})
         path: target/surefire-reports/*.xml
         reporter: java-junit
+      
+    - name: Fail if no test reports found
+      if: env.TEST_REPORTS_EXIST == 'false'
+      run: |
+        echo "❌ No test reports were generated!"
+        echo "This indicates that either:"
+        echo "1. No test files were found in src/test/java/"
+        echo "2. Tests failed to execute properly"
+        echo "3. Maven Surefire plugin did not generate reports"
+        echo ""
+        echo "Please ensure you have test files and they are executing correctly."
+        exit 1
         
     - name: Run code quality checks
       run: |