diff --git a/dashboard/habits.json b/dashboard/habits.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e54d278
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dashboard/habits.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+  "lastUpdated": "2026-02-10T10:57:00.000Z",
+  "habits": []
+}
diff --git a/dashboard/test_habits_schema.py b/dashboard/test_habits_schema.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d7ae33e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dashboard/test_habits_schema.py
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""
+Test suite for habits.json schema validation
+"""
+import json
+import os
+from datetime import datetime
+
+
+def test_habits_file_exists():
+    """Test that habits.json file exists"""
+    assert os.path.exists('dashboard/habits.json'), "habits.json should exist in dashboard/"
+    print("✓ habits.json file exists")
+
+
+def test_valid_json():
+    """Test that habits.json is valid JSON"""
+    try:
+        with open('dashboard/habits.json', 'r') as f:
+            data = json.load(f)
+        print("✓ habits.json is valid JSON")
+        return data
+    except json.JSONDecodeError as e:
+        raise AssertionError(f"habits.json is not valid JSON: {e}")
+
+
+def test_root_structure(data):
+    """Test that root structure has required fields"""
+    assert 'lastUpdated' in data, "Root should have 'lastUpdated' field"
+    assert 'habits' in data, "Root should have 'habits' field"
+    print("✓ Root structure has lastUpdated and habits fields")
+
+
+def test_last_updated_format(data):
+    """Test that lastUpdated is a valid ISO timestamp"""
+    try:
+        datetime.fromisoformat(data['lastUpdated'].replace('Z', '+00:00'))
+        print("✓ lastUpdated is valid ISO timestamp")
+    except (ValueError, AttributeError) as e:
+        raise AssertionError(f"lastUpdated is not a valid ISO timestamp: {e}")
+
+
+def test_habits_is_array(data):
+    """Test that habits is an array"""
+    assert isinstance(data['habits'], list), "habits should be an array"
+    print("✓ habits is an array")
+
+
+def test_habit_schema():
+    """Test habit schema structure with sample data"""
+    # Sample habit to validate schema
+    sample_habit = {
+        "id": "habit-123",
+        "name": "Bazin",
+        "frequency": "daily",
+        "createdAt": "2026-02-10T10:57:00.000Z",
+        "completions": ["2026-02-10T10:00:00.000Z", "2026-02-09T10:00:00.000Z"]
+    }
+    
+    # Validate required fields
+    required_fields = ['id', 'name', 'frequency', 'createdAt', 'completions']
+    for field in required_fields:
+        assert field in sample_habit, f"Habit should have '{field}' field"
+    
+    # Validate types
+    assert isinstance(sample_habit['id'], str), "id should be string"
+    assert isinstance(sample_habit['name'], str), "name should be string"
+    assert sample_habit['frequency'] in ['daily', 'weekly'], "frequency should be 'daily' or 'weekly'"
+    assert isinstance(sample_habit['completions'], list), "completions should be array"
+    
+    # Validate ISO dates
+    datetime.fromisoformat(sample_habit['createdAt'].replace('Z', '+00:00'))
+    for completion in sample_habit['completions']:
+        datetime.fromisoformat(completion.replace('Z', '+00:00'))
+    
+    print("✓ Habit schema structure is valid")
+
+
+def test_initial_state(data):
+    """Test that initial file has empty habits array"""
+    assert len(data['habits']) == 0, "Initial habits array should be empty"
+    print("✓ Initial habits array is empty")
+
+
+def run_all_tests():
+    """Run all schema validation tests"""
+    print("Running habits.json schema validation tests...\n")
+    
+    try:
+        test_habits_file_exists()
+        data = test_valid_json()
+        test_root_structure(data)
+        test_last_updated_format(data)
+        test_habits_is_array(data)
+        test_habit_schema()
+        test_initial_state(data)
+        
+        print("\n✅ All tests passed!")
+        return True
+    except AssertionError as e:
+        print(f"\n❌ Test failed: {e}")
+        return False
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"\n❌ Unexpected error: {e}")
+        return False
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    success = run_all_tests()
+    exit(0 if success else 1)