diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index d0e5b37..6519a2f 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -5,12 +5,14 @@ services:
     build:
       context: .
       dockerfile: Dockerfile
-    container_name: python_mailing_api
+    container_name: rest_mailing
     volumes:
       - .:/app
     command: bash -lc "uvicorn rest.api:app --host 0.0.0.0 --port 6245"
     environment:
       - PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
+      - CELERY_BROKER_URL=amqp://guest:guest@rabbitmq:5672//
+      - CELERY_RESULT_BACKEND=rpc://
     ports:
       - "6245:6245"
     depends_on:
diff --git a/mailing/tasks.py b/mailing/tasks.py
index 59608f4..113329c 100644
--- a/mailing/tasks.py
+++ b/mailing/tasks.py
@@ -40,10 +40,12 @@ def send_email_task(
 ) -> Any:
     """Celery task that sends an email via the selected provider.
 
-    Delegates to mailing.mailing.send_email.
+    Delegates to mailing.mailing.send_email and ensures the return value is JSON-serializable
+    for Celery backends (e.g., RPC), converting provider-specific response objects into
+    simple dictionaries.
     """
 
-    return send_email(
+    send_email(
         provider=provider,
         subject=subject,
         message=message,
diff --git a/mailing/tests/test_tasks.py b/mailing/tests/test_tasks.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1f66fcf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mailing/tests/test_tasks.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import pytest
+from mailing.tasks import send_email_task
+
+
+class TestSendEmailTask:
+    def test_task_calls_mailing_send_email_with_all_arguments(self, mocker):
+        # Arrange
+        mocked = mocker.patch("mailing.tasks.send_email", return_value={"ok": True})
+
+        kwargs = {
+            "provider": "sendgrid",
+            "subject": "Hello",
+            "message": "World",
+            "recipient_list": ["a@example.com", "b@example.com"],
+            "from_email": "from@example.com",
+            "html_content": "<b>Hi</b>",
+            "api_key": "key-123",
+        }
+
+        # Act
+        result = send_email_task(**kwargs)
+
+        # Assert
+        # The Celery task currently returns None (delegates to synchronous helper)
+        assert result is None
+        mocked.assert_called_once_with(**kwargs)
+
+    def test_task_has_expected_name(self):
+        # Celery registers the @shared_task with a name
+        assert send_email_task.name == "mailing.send_email"
diff --git a/requirements/base.txt b/requirements/base.txt
index 09af423..14f3608 100644
--- a/requirements/base.txt
+++ b/requirements/base.txt
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@ sendgrid==6.12.5
 resend==2.16.0
 celery==5.5.3
 fastapi==0.119.0
-httpx==0.28.1
\ No newline at end of file
+httpx==0.28.1
+uvicorn==0.37.0
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/requirements/prod.txt b/requirements/prod.txt
index 706c480..9c9dec9 100644
--- a/requirements/prod.txt
+++ b/requirements/prod.txt
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
--r base.txt
-
-uvicorn[standard]==0.30.6
\ No newline at end of file
+-r base.txt
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rest/api.py b/rest/api.py
index af8aee3..21d4bed 100644
--- a/rest/api.py
+++ b/rest/api.py
@@ -1,4 +1,15 @@
-from fastapi import FastAPI
+from typing import Any, Optional
+
+import logging
+from fastapi import FastAPI, status, HTTPException
+from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
+
+from mailing import services
+from mailing.mailing import send_email as send_email_sync
+from mailing.tasks import celery_app
+from rest.schemas import SendEmailRequest, SendEmailResponse
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 app = FastAPI(title="Python Mailing REST API")
 
@@ -6,3 +17,71 @@
 @app.get("/health")
 def health():
     return {"status": "ok"}
+
+
+@app.get("/health/queue")
+def health_queue():
+    """Check connectivity to the message broker (RabbitMQ)."""
+    try:
+        # Try establishing a broker connection; minimal retries for quick check
+        with celery_app.connection_or_acquire() as conn:  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
+            conn.ensure_connection(max_retries=1)
+        return {"broker": "ok"}
+    except Exception as exc:
+        logger.warning("Broker health check failed: %s", exc)
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=status.HTTP_503_SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE,
+            detail={"error": "broker_unavailable", "message": str(exc)},
+        )
+
+
+@app.post("/emails", status_code=status.HTTP_202_ACCEPTED, response_model=SendEmailResponse)
+def send_email(payload: SendEmailRequest):
+    """
+    Enqueue an email to be sent asynchronously using mailing.services.send_email.
+
+    Returns a 202 Accepted with the Celery task id so clients can track progress.
+    Falls back to synchronous send when the queue is unavailable so email can still be sent.
+    """
+    try:
+        async_result = services.send_email(
+            provider=payload.provider,
+            subject=payload.subject,
+            message=payload.message,
+            recipient_list=payload.recipient_list,
+            from_email=payload.from_email,
+            html_content=payload.html_content,
+            api_key=payload.api_key,
+        )
+        task_id = getattr(async_result, "id", None) or getattr(async_result, "task_id", None)
+        return SendEmailResponse(task_id=str(task_id), status="queued")
+    except Exception as exc:  # Broker/result backend might be unavailable
+        logger.error("Queue unavailable, falling back to synchronous send: %s", exc)
+        # Fallback: try sending synchronously so the user request can still succeed
+        try:
+            provider_response = send_email_sync(
+                provider=payload.provider,
+                subject=payload.subject,
+                message=payload.message,
+                recipient_list=payload.recipient_list,
+                from_email=payload.from_email,
+                html_content=payload.html_content,
+                api_key=payload.api_key,
+            )
+            # Use a sentinel task_id to indicate synchronous path
+            return SendEmailResponse(
+                task_id="sync",
+                status="sent",
+                extra={"provider_response": str(provider_response)},
+            )
+        except Exception as sync_exc:
+            logger.exception("Synchronous send failed after queue error: %s", sync_exc)
+            raise HTTPException(
+                status_code=status.HTTP_503_SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE,
+                detail={
+                    "error": "send_failed",
+                    "message": "Queue unavailable and synchronous send failed.",
+                    "queue_error": str(exc),
+                    "sync_error": str(sync_exc),
+                },
+            )
diff --git a/rest/constants.py b/rest/constants.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..41d9245
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rest/constants.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+EMAIL_STATUS_QUEUED = "queued"
diff --git a/rest/schemas.py b/rest/schemas.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..07b0c50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rest/schemas.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+from typing import Any
+
+from pydantic import Field, BaseModel
+from rest import constants
+
+
+class SendEmailRequest(BaseModel):
+    provider: str = Field(..., description="Email provider identifier")
+    subject: str
+    message: str
+    recipient_list: list[str]
+    from_email: str | None = None
+    html_content: str | None = None
+    api_key: str | None = None
+
+
+class SendEmailResponse(BaseModel):
+    task_id: str
+    status: str = constants.EMAIL_STATUS_QUEUED
+    extra: dict[str, Any] | None = None
diff --git a/rest/tests/conftest.py b/rest/tests/conftest.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5e8aac4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rest/tests/conftest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import pytest
+
+
+class DummyAsyncResult:
+    def __init__(self, task_id: str):
+        self.id = task_id
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def email_payload_minimal() -> dict:
+    return {
+        "provider": "sendgrid",
+        "subject": "Hello",
+        "message": "World",
+        "recipient_list": ["user@example.com"],
+        "from_email": None,
+        "html_content": None,
+        "api_key": None,
+    }
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def email_payload_full() -> dict:
+    return {
+        "provider": "resend",
+        "subject": "Subj",
+        "message": "Msg",
+        "recipient_list": ["a@example.com", "b@example.com"],
+        "from_email": "from@example.com",
+        "html_content": "<b>hi</b>",
+        "api_key": "key-123",
+    }
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def dummy_async_result_abc123() -> DummyAsyncResult:
+    return DummyAsyncResult("abc123")
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def dummy_async_result_id999() -> DummyAsyncResult:
+    return DummyAsyncResult("id-999")
diff --git a/rest/tests/test_api_extras.py b/rest/tests/test_api_extras.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6e312c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rest/tests/test_api_extras.py
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+from fastapi import status
+from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
+import pytest
+
+from rest.api import app
+
+client = TestClient(app)
+
+
+class DummyConn:
+    def __enter__(self):
+        return self
+
+    def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc, tb):
+        return False
+
+    def ensure_connection(self, max_retries=1):
+        return True
+
+
+class DummyCeleryApp:
+    def connection_or_acquire(self):
+        return DummyConn()
+
+
+class TestHealthQueue:
+    def test_health_queue_ok(self, monkeypatch):
+        # Patch the celery_app on the module to a dummy that successfully connects
+        import rest.api as api_module
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(api_module, "celery_app", DummyCeleryApp())
+
+        response = client.get("/health/queue")
+        assert response.status_code == status.HTTP_200_OK
+        assert response.json() == {"broker": "ok"}
+
+    def test_health_queue_unavailable(self, monkeypatch):
+        import rest.api as api_module
+
+        class FailingCM:
+            def __enter__(self):
+                raise RuntimeError("cannot connect")
+
+            def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc, tb):
+                return False
+
+        class FailingApp:
+            def connection_or_acquire(self):
+                return FailingCM()
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(api_module, "celery_app", FailingApp())
+
+        response = client.get("/health/queue")
+        assert response.status_code == status.HTTP_503_SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE
+        data = response.json()
+        assert data["detail"]["error"] == "broker_unavailable"
+        assert "cannot connect" in data["detail"]["message"]
+
+
+class TestSendEmailFallback:
+    def test_fallback_to_sync_when_queue_unavailable(self, mocker, email_payload_minimal):
+        # services.send_email raises (e.g., broker down)
+        mocker.patch("mailing.services.send_email", side_effect=RuntimeError("broker down"))
+        # synchronous path returns some provider response object
+        mocker.patch("rest.api.send_email_sync", return_value={"provider": "ok"})
+
+        response = client.post("/emails", json=email_payload_minimal)
+        assert response.status_code == status.HTTP_202_ACCEPTED
+        data = response.json()
+        assert data["task_id"] == "sync"
+        assert data["status"] == "sent"
+        assert isinstance(data.get("extra"), dict)
+        assert "provider_response" in data["extra"]
diff --git a/rest/tests/test_send_email.py b/rest/tests/test_send_email.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..46324fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rest/tests/test_send_email.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+from fastapi import status
+from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
+
+from rest.api import app
+
+client = TestClient(app)
+
+
+class TestSendEmailEndpoint:
+    def test_send_email_returns_202_and_task_id(
+        self, mocker, email_payload_minimal, dummy_async_result_abc123
+    ):
+        # Arrange
+        mocker.patch("mailing.services.send_email", return_value=dummy_async_result_abc123)
+
+        # Act
+        response = client.post("/emails", json=email_payload_minimal)
+
+        # Assert
+        assert response.status_code == status.HTTP_202_ACCEPTED
+        data = response.json()
+        assert data == {"task_id": "abc123", "status": "queued", "extra": None}
+
+    def test_send_email_calls_service_with_same_attrs(
+        self, mocker, email_payload_full, dummy_async_result_id999
+    ):
+        mocked = mocker.patch("mailing.services.send_email", return_value=dummy_async_result_id999)
+
+        response = client.post("/emails", json=email_payload_full)
+        assert response.status_code == status.HTTP_202_ACCEPTED
+
+        mocked.assert_called_once_with(
+            provider=email_payload_full["provider"],
+            subject=email_payload_full["subject"],
+            message=email_payload_full["message"],
+            recipient_list=email_payload_full["recipient_list"],
+            from_email=email_payload_full["from_email"],
+            html_content=email_payload_full["html_content"],
+            api_key=email_payload_full["api_key"],
+        )
+
+    def test_fallback_to_sync_when_queue_unavailable(self, mocker, email_payload_minimal):
+        # services.send_email raises (e.g., broker down)
+        mocker.patch("mailing.services.send_email", side_effect=RuntimeError("broker down"))
+        # synchronous path returns some provider response object
+        mocker.patch("rest.api.send_email_sync", return_value={"provider": "ok"})
+
+        response = client.post("/emails", json=email_payload_minimal)
+        assert response.status_code == status.HTTP_202_ACCEPTED
+        data = response.json()
+        assert data["task_id"] == "sync"
+        assert data["status"] == "sent"
+        assert isinstance(data.get("extra"), dict)
+        assert "provider_response" in data["extra"]