diff --git a/tests/test_plugin_helpers.py b/tests/test_plugin_helpers.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e891692
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_plugin_helpers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,256 @@
+"""Tests for IRC plugin helper functions.
+
+The pure logic (formatting, API client, admin check) is duplicated across both
+plugins. We duplicate the functions here to test without framework dependencies.
+"""
+
+import json
+from http.server import BaseHTTPRequestHandler, HTTPServer
+from threading import Thread
+import urllib.error
+import urllib.request
+
+import pytest
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Duplicated pure functions under test
+# Keep in sync with plugins/sopel/ntr_playlist.py and
+# plugins/limnoria/NtrPlaylist/plugin.py
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class ApiError(Exception):
+    def __init__(self, status_code: int, detail: str):
+        self.status_code = status_code
+        self.detail = detail
+        super().__init__(f"{status_code}: {detail}")
+
+
+def _api_get(base_url: str, path: str) -> dict:
+    url = f"{base_url.rstrip("/")}{path}"
+    req = urllib.request.Request(url, headers={"Accept": "application/json"})
+    try:
+        with urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=10) as resp:
+            raw = resp.read().decode()
+        try:
+            return json.loads(raw)
+        except (json.JSONDecodeError, ValueError) as exc:
+            raise ApiError(resp.status, "Invalid API response") from exc
+    except urllib.error.HTTPError as e:
+        try:
+            detail = json.loads(e.read().decode()).get("detail", str(e))
+        except (json.JSONDecodeError, ValueError):
+            detail = str(e)
+        raise ApiError(e.code, detail) from e
+    except urllib.error.URLError as e:
+        raise ApiError(0, "Cannot reach API") from e
+
+
+def _api_post(base_url: str, path: str, token: str, body: dict | None = None) -> dict:
+    url = f"{base_url.rstrip("/")}{path}"
+    encoded = None
+    headers = {"Accept": "application/json", "Authorization": f"Bearer {token}"}
+    if body is not None:
+        encoded = json.dumps(body).encode()
+        headers["Content-Type"] = "application/json"
+    req = urllib.request.Request(url, data=encoded, headers=headers, method="POST")
+    try:
+        with urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=10) as resp:
+            raw = resp.read().decode()
+        try:
+            return json.loads(raw)
+        except (json.JSONDecodeError, ValueError) as exc:
+            raise ApiError(resp.status, "Invalid API response") from exc
+    except urllib.error.HTTPError as e:
+        try:
+            detail = json.loads(e.read().decode()).get("detail", str(e))
+        except (json.JSONDecodeError, ValueError):
+            detail = str(e)
+        raise ApiError(e.code, detail) from e
+    except urllib.error.URLError as e:
+        raise ApiError(0, "Cannot reach API") from e
+
+
+_MAX_IRC_LINE = 430
+
+
+def format_track(track: dict) -> str:
+    pos = track.get("position", 0)
+    title = track.get("title", "")
+    artist = track.get("artist", "")
+    url = track.get("permalink_url", "")
+    return f"Song #{pos}: {title} by {artist} - {url}"
+
+
+def format_playlist(data: dict) -> str:
+    episode = data.get("episode_number", "?")
+    tracks = data.get("tracks", [])
+    count = len(tracks)
+    prefix = f"Episode {episode} ({count} tracks): "
+    parts: list[str] = []
+    length = len(prefix)
+    for t in tracks:
+        entry = f"{t.get("title", "")} by {t.get("artist", "")}"
+        sep = ", " if parts else ""
+        if length + len(sep) + len(entry) + 4 > _MAX_IRC_LINE:
+            parts.append("...")
+            break
+        parts.append(entry)
+        length += len(sep) + len(entry)
+    return prefix + ", ".join(parts)
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Test HTTP server
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class _Handler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
+    response_code = 200
+    response_body = "{}"
+    last_headers: dict = {}
+
+    def do_GET(self):
+        self._respond()
+
+    def do_POST(self):
+        _Handler.last_headers = dict(self.headers)
+        # Consume request body so client connection stays valid
+        content_length = int(self.headers.get("Content-Length", 0))
+        if content_length:
+            self.rfile.read(content_length)
+        self._respond()
+
+    def _respond(self):
+        self.send_response(self.response_code)
+        self.send_header("Content-Type", "application/json")
+        self.end_headers()
+        self.wfile.write(self.response_body.encode())
+
+    def log_message(self, *_args):
+        pass
+
+
+@pytest.fixture()
+def mock_server():
+    server = HTTPServer(("127.0.0.1", 0), _Handler)
+    thread = Thread(target=server.serve_forever, daemon=True)
+    thread.start()
+    host, port = server.server_address
+    yield f"http://{host}:{port}", server
+    server.shutdown()
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# format_track
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestFormatTrack:
+    def test_basic(self):
+        track = {
+            "position": 3,
+            "title": "Night Drive",
+            "artist": "SomeArtist",
+            "permalink_url": "https://soundcloud.com/someartist/night-drive",
+        }
+        assert format_track(track) == (
+            "Song #3: Night Drive by SomeArtist"
+            " - https://soundcloud.com/someartist/night-drive"
+        )
+
+    def test_position_1(self):
+        track = {
+            "position": 1,
+            "title": "A",
+            "artist": "B",
+            "permalink_url": "https://example.com",
+        }
+        assert format_track(track).startswith("Song #1:")
+
+    def test_missing_fields_uses_defaults(self):
+        result = format_track({})
+        assert result == "Song #0:  by  - "
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# format_playlist
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestFormatPlaylist:
+    def test_with_tracks(self):
+        data = {
+            "episode_number": 530,
+            "tracks": [
+                {"title": "Night Drive", "artist": "SomeArtist"},
+                {"title": "Running", "artist": "Purrple Panther"},
+            ],
+        }
+        assert format_playlist(data) == (
+            "Episode 530 (2 tracks): "
+            "Night Drive by SomeArtist, Running by Purrple Panther"
+        )
+
+    def test_empty_tracks(self):
+        data = {"episode_number": 530, "tracks": []}
+        assert format_playlist(data) == "Episode 530 (0 tracks): "
+
+    def test_missing_episode(self):
+        data = {"tracks": [{"title": "A", "artist": "B"}]}
+        assert format_playlist(data).startswith("Episode ?")
+
+    def test_truncation(self):
+        tracks = [
+            {"title": f"Track{i:03d} With A Longer Name", "artist": f"Artist{i:03d}"}
+            for i in range(50)
+        ]
+        data = {"episode_number": 999, "tracks": tracks}
+        result = format_playlist(data)
+        assert len(result) <= _MAX_IRC_LINE
+        assert result.endswith("...")
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# _api_get
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestApiGet:
+    def test_success(self, mock_server):
+        base_url, _ = mock_server
+        _Handler.response_code = 200
+        _Handler.response_body = json.dumps({"title": "ok"})
+        assert _api_get(base_url, "/test") == {"title": "ok"}
+
+    def test_404_with_detail(self, mock_server):
+        base_url, _ = mock_server
+        _Handler.response_code = 404
+        _Handler.response_body = json.dumps({"detail": "Not found"})
+        with pytest.raises(ApiError) as exc_info:
+            _api_get(base_url, "/missing")
+        assert exc_info.value.status_code == 404
+        assert exc_info.value.detail == "Not found"
+
+    def test_unreachable(self):
+        with pytest.raises(ApiError) as exc_info:
+            _api_get("http://127.0.0.1:1", "/nope")
+        assert exc_info.value.status_code == 0
+        assert exc_info.value.detail == "Cannot reach API"
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# _api_post
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class TestApiPost:
+    def test_success_with_token(self, mock_server):
+        base_url, _ = mock_server
+        _Handler.response_code = 200
+        _Handler.response_body = json.dumps({"status": "refreshed"})
+        result = _api_post(base_url, "/admin/refresh", "my-token")
+        assert result == {"status": "refreshed"}
+        assert _Handler.last_headers.get("Authorization") == "Bearer my-token"
+
+    def test_post_with_body(self, mock_server):
+        base_url, _ = mock_server
+        _Handler.response_code = 200
+        _Handler.response_body = json.dumps({"ok": True})
+        result = _api_post(base_url, "/endpoint", "tok", body={"full": True})
+        assert result == {"ok": True}