diff --git a/api/app/services/validation_service.py b/api/app/services/validation_service.py
index 88c2242..0f97dde 100644
--- a/api/app/services/validation_service.py
+++ b/api/app/services/validation_service.py
@@ -1,11 +1,77 @@
 import asyncio
 import logging
+from datetime import datetime
 from .. import database
 from . import sqlite_service
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
+def validate_structural(order: dict) -> tuple[bool, str | None, str | None]:
+    """Pre-flight structural validator used by save_orders_batch.
+
+    Returns (True, None, None) on pass, (False, error_type, error_msg) on fail.
+    Rules are intentionally minimal — only catches malformed payloads that
+    would crash downstream inserts. Semantic checks (SKU existence, price
+    comparison, etc.) are handled in later phases.
+    """
+    if not isinstance(order, dict):
+        return False, "MISSING_FIELD", f"order is not a dict: {type(order).__name__}"
+
+    order_number = order.get("order_number")
+    if order_number is None or str(order_number).strip() == "":
+        return False, "MISSING_FIELD", "order_number is missing or empty"
+
+    raw_date = order.get("order_date")
+    if raw_date in (None, ""):
+        return False, "INVALID_DATE", "order_date is missing or empty"
+    if isinstance(raw_date, datetime):
+        pass
+    elif isinstance(raw_date, str):
+        parsed = None
+        for fmt in ("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S", "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S", "%Y-%m-%d"):
+            try:
+                parsed = datetime.strptime(raw_date, fmt)
+                break
+            except ValueError:
+                continue
+        if parsed is None:
+            try:
+                parsed = datetime.fromisoformat(raw_date.replace("Z", "+00:00"))
+            except ValueError:
+                return False, "INVALID_DATE", f"order_date not parseable: {raw_date!r}"
+    else:
+        return False, "INVALID_DATE", f"order_date wrong type: {type(raw_date).__name__}"
+
+    items = order.get("items")
+    if not items or not isinstance(items, list):
+        return False, "EMPTY_ITEMS", "items missing or not a non-empty list"
+
+    for idx, item in enumerate(items):
+        if not isinstance(item, dict):
+            return False, "EMPTY_ITEMS", f"item[{idx}] is not a dict"
+
+        qty_raw = item.get("quantity")
+        if qty_raw is None or qty_raw == "":
+            return False, "INVALID_QUANTITY", f"item[{idx}] quantity missing"
+        try:
+            qty = float(qty_raw)
+        except (TypeError, ValueError):
+            return False, "INVALID_QUANTITY", f"item[{idx}] quantity not numeric: {qty_raw!r}"
+        if qty <= 0:
+            return False, "INVALID_QUANTITY", f"item[{idx}] quantity not > 0: {qty}"
+
+        price_raw = item.get("price")
+        if price_raw is None or price_raw == "":
+            return False, "INVALID_PRICE", f"item[{idx}] price missing"
+        try:
+            float(price_raw)
+        except (TypeError, ValueError):
+            return False, "INVALID_PRICE", f"item[{idx}] price not numeric: {price_raw!r}"
+
+    return True, None, None
+
+
 async def reconcile_unresolved_missing_skus(conn=None) -> dict:
     """Revalidate all resolved=0 SKUs in missing_skus against Oracle.
     Fail-soft: logs warning and returns zero if Oracle is unavailable.
diff --git a/api/tests/test_validate_structural.py b/api/tests/test_validate_structural.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0956b5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/tests/test_validate_structural.py
@@ -0,0 +1,166 @@
+"""Unit tests for validation_service.validate_structural().
+
+Structural pre-flight validator — only catches malformed payloads that
+would crash downstream inserts. Does NOT check SKU existence (handled
+by validate_skus) or duplicate SKUs (handled by _dedup_items_by_sku).
+"""
+import os
+import sys
+import pytest
+
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), ".."))
+
+from app.services.validation_service import validate_structural
+
+
+def _valid_order(**overrides):
+    base = {
+        "order_number": "123456",
+        "order_date": "2026-04-22 10:00:00",
+        "items": [{"sku": "ABC", "quantity": 2, "price": 15.50}],
+    }
+    base.update(overrides)
+    return base
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_valid_order_passes():
+    ok, err_type, err_msg = validate_structural(_valid_order())
+    assert ok is True
+    assert err_type is None
+    assert err_msg is None
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_missing_order_number():
+    ok, err_type, _ = validate_structural(_valid_order(order_number=""))
+    assert ok is False
+    assert err_type == "MISSING_FIELD"
+
+    ok, err_type, _ = validate_structural(_valid_order(order_number=None))
+    assert ok is False
+    assert err_type == "MISSING_FIELD"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_non_dict_order():
+    ok, err_type, _ = validate_structural("not a dict")
+    assert ok is False
+    assert err_type == "MISSING_FIELD"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_invalid_date_unparseable():
+    ok, err_type, _ = validate_structural(_valid_order(order_date="not-a-date"))
+    assert ok is False
+    assert err_type == "INVALID_DATE"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_invalid_date_missing():
+    ok, err_type, _ = validate_structural(_valid_order(order_date=None))
+    assert ok is False
+    assert err_type == "INVALID_DATE"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_date_iso_format_passes():
+    ok, _, _ = validate_structural(_valid_order(order_date="2026-04-22T10:00:00"))
+    assert ok is True
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_empty_items():
+    ok, err_type, _ = validate_structural(_valid_order(items=[]))
+    assert ok is False
+    assert err_type == "EMPTY_ITEMS"
+
+    ok, err_type, _ = validate_structural(_valid_order(items=None))
+    assert ok is False
+    assert err_type == "EMPTY_ITEMS"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_items_not_list():
+    ok, err_type, _ = validate_structural(_valid_order(items="ABC"))
+    assert ok is False
+    assert err_type == "EMPTY_ITEMS"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_item_not_dict():
+    ok, err_type, _ = validate_structural(_valid_order(items=["just-a-string"]))
+    assert ok is False
+    assert err_type == "EMPTY_ITEMS"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_invalid_quantity_zero():
+    ok, err_type, _ = validate_structural(
+        _valid_order(items=[{"sku": "A", "quantity": 0, "price": 1}])
+    )
+    assert ok is False
+    assert err_type == "INVALID_QUANTITY"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_invalid_quantity_negative():
+    ok, err_type, _ = validate_structural(
+        _valid_order(items=[{"sku": "A", "quantity": -3, "price": 1}])
+    )
+    assert ok is False
+    assert err_type == "INVALID_QUANTITY"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_invalid_quantity_non_numeric():
+    ok, err_type, _ = validate_structural(
+        _valid_order(items=[{"sku": "A", "quantity": "abc", "price": 1}])
+    )
+    assert ok is False
+    assert err_type == "INVALID_QUANTITY"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_invalid_quantity_missing():
+    ok, err_type, _ = validate_structural(
+        _valid_order(items=[{"sku": "A", "price": 1}])
+    )
+    assert ok is False
+    assert err_type == "INVALID_QUANTITY"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_invalid_price_non_numeric():
+    ok, err_type, _ = validate_structural(
+        _valid_order(items=[{"sku": "A", "quantity": 1, "price": "NaN-text"}])
+    )
+    assert ok is False
+    assert err_type == "INVALID_PRICE"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_invalid_price_missing():
+    ok, err_type, _ = validate_structural(
+        _valid_order(items=[{"sku": "A", "quantity": 1}])
+    )
+    assert ok is False
+    assert err_type == "INVALID_PRICE"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_price_zero_allowed():
+    """Complex sets can legitimately have price=0 on one leg."""
+    ok, _, _ = validate_structural(
+        _valid_order(items=[{"sku": "A", "quantity": 1, "price": 0}])
+    )
+    assert ok is True
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_sku_null_passes_structural():
+    """SKU validation is handled downstream, NOT here."""
+    ok, _, _ = validate_structural(
+        _valid_order(items=[{"sku": None, "quantity": 1, "price": 1}])
+    )
+    assert ok is True