diff --git a/src/backend/services/worker_client.py b/src/backend/services/worker_client.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7da8650
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backend/services/worker_client.py
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+import httpx
+
+from src.backend.config import settings
+
+
+class WorkerClient:
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.base_url = settings.worker_url
+
+    async def process(
+        self,
+        prompt: str,
+        system_prompt: str,
+        model: str,
+        session_id: str | None = None,
+    ) -> dict:
+        async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=300.0) as client:
+            resp = await client.post(
+                f"{self.base_url}/process",
+                json={
+                    "prompt": prompt,
+                    "system_prompt": system_prompt,
+                    "model": model,
+                    "session_id": session_id,
+                },
+            )
+            return resp.json()
+
+    async def summarize(
+        self,
+        exchanges: list[dict],
+        mode: str = "incremental",
+    ) -> dict:
+        async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=300.0) as client:
+            resp = await client.post(
+                f"{self.base_url}/summarize",
+                json={"exchanges": exchanges, "mode": mode},
+            )
+            return resp.json()
+
+    async def health(self) -> bool:
+        try:
+            async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=5.0) as client:
+                resp = await client.get(f"{self.base_url}/health")
+                return resp.status_code == 200
+        except Exception:
+            return False
diff --git a/tests/test_services.py b/tests/test_services.py
index e50ea21..0d29561 100644
--- a/tests/test_services.py
+++ b/tests/test_services.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from src.backend.config import settings
 
 import pytest
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock, patch
 
 
 def test_settings_loads_api_key():
@@ -109,3 +110,80 @@ def test_envelope_fail():
     result = fail("NOT_FOUND", "Resource not found")
     assert result["success"] is False
     assert result["error"]["code"] == "NOT_FOUND"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_worker_client_process():
+    from src.backend.services.worker_client import WorkerClient
+
+    mock_response = MagicMock()
+    mock_response.status_code = 200
+    mock_response.json.return_value = {
+        "success": True,
+        "result": "The answer is 42.",
+        "session_id": "sess-123",
+    }
+
+    with patch("src.backend.services.worker_client.httpx.AsyncClient") as MockClient:
+        mock_client_instance = AsyncMock()
+        mock_client_instance.post.return_value = mock_response
+        mock_client_instance.__aenter__ = AsyncMock(return_value=mock_client_instance)
+        mock_client_instance.__aexit__ = AsyncMock(return_value=False)
+        MockClient.return_value = mock_client_instance
+
+        client = WorkerClient()
+        result = await client.process(
+            prompt="What is the answer?",
+            system_prompt="You know everything.",
+            model="claude-sonnet-4-6",
+        )
+
+        assert result["success"] is True
+        assert result["result"] == "The answer is 42."
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_worker_client_summarize():
+    from src.backend.services.worker_client import WorkerClient
+
+    mock_response = MagicMock()
+    mock_response.status_code = 200
+    mock_response.json.return_value = {
+        "success": True,
+        "summary": "[2026-05-25] Discussed the meaning of life.",
+    }
+
+    with patch("src.backend.services.worker_client.httpx.AsyncClient") as MockClient:
+        mock_client_instance = AsyncMock()
+        mock_client_instance.post.return_value = mock_response
+        mock_client_instance.__aenter__ = AsyncMock(return_value=mock_client_instance)
+        mock_client_instance.__aexit__ = AsyncMock(return_value=False)
+        MockClient.return_value = mock_client_instance
+
+        client = WorkerClient()
+        result = await client.summarize(
+            exchanges=[{"prompt": "What?", "result": "42."}],
+            mode="incremental",
+        )
+
+        assert result["success"] is True
+        assert "Discussed" in result["summary"]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_worker_client_health():
+    from src.backend.services.worker_client import WorkerClient
+
+    mock_response = AsyncMock()
+    mock_response.status_code = 200
+
+    with patch("src.backend.services.worker_client.httpx.AsyncClient") as MockClient:
+        mock_client_instance = AsyncMock()
+        mock_client_instance.get.return_value = mock_response
+        mock_client_instance.__aenter__ = AsyncMock(return_value=mock_client_instance)
+        mock_client_instance.__aexit__ = AsyncMock(return_value=False)
+        MockClient.return_value = mock_client_instance
+
+        client = WorkerClient()
+        is_healthy = await client.health()
+        assert is_healthy is True