diff --git a/backend/app/services/orchestrator/__init__.py b/backend/app/services/orchestrator/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/backend/app/services/orchestrator/alerts.py b/backend/app/services/orchestrator/alerts.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1634c42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/app/services/orchestrator/alerts.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import logging
+
+from app.config import settings
+from app.services.email import get_email_backend
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+def send_admin_alert(subject: str, body: str) -> None:
+    if not settings.ADMIN_EMAIL:
+        logger.warning("ADMIN_EMAIL not set; dropping alert: %s", subject)
+        return
+    try:
+        get_email_backend().send(
+            to=settings.ADMIN_EMAIL,
+            subject=f"[MealPlanner ALERT] {subject}",
+            html=f"<pre>{body}</pre>",
+            text=body,
+        )
+    except Exception:
+        logger.exception("Failed to send admin alert: %s", subject)
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_orchestrator.py b/backend/tests/test_orchestrator.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8e3e3c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/test_orchestrator.py
@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+"""Tests for the Phase 5 weekly orchestration."""
+import pytest
+from datetime import date, datetime, timezone
+from uuid import uuid4
+
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.requires_postgres
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Fixtures
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+WEEK = date(2026, 5, 8)  # a Friday
+
+
+@pytest.fixture()
+def family(db):
+    from app.models import FamilyProfile
+    fp = FamilyProfile(
+        id=uuid4(),
+        name="Test Family",
+        household_size=4,
+        adult_count=2,
+        child_count=2,
+        pending_approval_policy="approve",
+    )
+    db.add(fp)
+    db.flush()
+    return fp
+
+
+@pytest.fixture()
+def member(db, family):
+    from app.models import FamilyMember, FamilyMemberRole
+    m = FamilyMember(
+        id=uuid4(),
+        family_profile_id=family.id,
+        name="Alice",
+        email="alice@example.com",
+        role=FamilyMemberRole.ADULT,
+    )
+    db.add(m)
+    db.flush()
+    return m
+
+
+@pytest.fixture()
+def weekly_run(db, family):
+    from app.models import WeeklyRun
+    r = WeeklyRun(family_id=family.id, week_start_date=WEEK, status="pending")
+    db.add(r)
+    db.flush()
+    return r
+
+
+@pytest.fixture()
+def weekly_run_scraped(db, family):
+    from app.models import WeeklyRun
+    r = WeeklyRun(
+        family_id=family.id,
+        week_start_date=WEEK,
+        status="running",
+        scraped_at=datetime.now(timezone.utc),
+    )
+    db.add(r)
+    db.flush()
+    return r
+
+
+@pytest.fixture()
+def weekly_run_generated(db, family):
+    from app.models import WeeklyRun
+    r = WeeklyRun(
+        family_id=family.id,
+        week_start_date=WEEK,
+        status="running",
+        scraped_at=datetime.now(timezone.utc),
+        generated_at=datetime.now(timezone.utc),
+    )
+    db.add(r)
+    db.flush()
+    return r
+
+
+@pytest.fixture()
+def meal_plan(db, family):
+    from app.models import MealPlan, MealPlanStatus
+    mp = MealPlan(
+        id=uuid4(),
+        family_profile_id=family.id,
+        week_start_date=WEEK,
+        status=MealPlanStatus.PENDING_APPROVAL,
+    )
+    db.add(mp)
+    db.flush()
+    return mp
+
+
+@pytest.fixture()
+def pending_item(db, meal_plan):
+    from app.models import MealPlanItem, MealPlanItemStatus, MealType, Recipe
+    recipe = Recipe(
+        id=uuid4(),
+        name="Test Pasta",
+        servings=4,
+        ingredients=[{"name": "pasta", "qty": "400", "unit": "g"}],
+        instructions=["boil water", "cook pasta"],
+    )
+    db.add(recipe)
+    db.flush()
+    item = MealPlanItem(
+        id=uuid4(),
+        meal_plan_id=meal_plan.id,
+        recipe_id=recipe.id,
+        day_of_week=5,
+        meal_type=MealType.DINNER,
+        approval_status=MealPlanItemStatus.PENDING,
+    )
+    db.add(item)
+    db.flush()
+    return item
+
+
+@pytest.fixture()
+def weekly_run_emailed(db, family):
+    from app.models import WeeklyRun
+    r = WeeklyRun(
+        family_id=family.id,
+        week_start_date=WEEK,
+        status="running",
+        scraped_at=datetime.now(timezone.utc),
+        generated_at=datetime.now(timezone.utc),
+        emailed_at=datetime.now(timezone.utc),
+    )
+    db.add(r)
+    db.flush()
+    return r
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# alerts.py tests
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_send_admin_alert_noop_when_email_unset(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "app.services.orchestrator.alerts.settings",
+        type("S", (), {"ADMIN_EMAIL": ""})(),
+    )
+    from app.services.orchestrator.alerts import send_admin_alert
+    send_admin_alert("test subject", "test body")  # must not raise
+
+
+def test_send_admin_alert_calls_backend(monkeypatch):
+    sent = []
+
+    class FakeBackend:
+        def send(self, **kwargs):
+            sent.append(kwargs)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "app.services.orchestrator.alerts.settings",
+        type("S", (), {"ADMIN_EMAIL": "admin@example.com"})(),
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "app.services.orchestrator.alerts.get_email_backend",
+        lambda: FakeBackend(),
+    )
+    from app.services.orchestrator.alerts import send_admin_alert
+    send_admin_alert("boom", "details here")
+    assert len(sent) == 1
+    assert "[MealPlanner ALERT] boom" in sent[0]["subject"]
+    assert sent[0]["to"] == "admin@example.com"