diff --git a/src/pkg/backup/backup_bases_test.go b/src/pkg/backup/backup_bases_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f58d2ea13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pkg/backup/backup_bases_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+package backup
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/alcionai/clues"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/suite"
+
+	"github.com/alcionai/corso/src/internal/tester"
+	"github.com/alcionai/corso/src/pkg/path"
+)
+
+type BackupBasesUnitSuite struct {
+	tester.Suite
+}
+
+func TestBackupBasesUnitSuite(t *testing.T) {
+	suite.Run(t, &BackupBasesUnitSuite{Suite: tester.NewUnitSuite(t)})
+}
+
+func (suite *BackupBasesUnitSuite) TestReasonSerialization() {
+	table := []struct {
+		name           string
+		input          string
+		expectErr      assert.ErrorAssertionFunc
+		expectService  path.ServiceType
+		expectCategory path.CategoryType
+	}{
+		{
+			name:           "ProperFormat",
+			input:          serviceCatString(path.ExchangeService, path.EmailCategory),
+			expectErr:      assert.NoError,
+			expectService:  path.ExchangeService,
+			expectCategory: path.EmailCategory,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "MissingPrefix",
+			input: strings.TrimPrefix(
+				serviceCatString(path.ExchangeService, path.EmailCategory),
+				serviceCatPrefix),
+			expectErr: assert.Error,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "MissingSeparator",
+			input: strings.ReplaceAll(
+				serviceCatString(path.ExchangeService, path.EmailCategory),
+				separator,
+				""),
+			expectErr: assert.Error,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, test := range table {
+		suite.Run(test.name, func() {
+			t := suite.T()
+
+			service, cat, err := serviceCatStringToTypes(test.input)
+			test.expectErr(t, err, clues.ToCore(err))
+
+			if err != nil {
+				return
+			}
+
+			assert.Equal(t, test.expectService, service)
+			assert.Equal(t, test.expectCategory, cat)
+		})
+	}
+}