diff --git a/alchemiscale/storage/models.py b/alchemiscale/storage/models.py
index b9090160..fae7af93 100644
--- a/alchemiscale/storage/models.py
+++ b/alchemiscale/storage/models.py
@@ -159,6 +159,10 @@ class TaskRestartPattern(GufeTokenizable):
     max_retries: int
 
     def __init__(self, pattern: str, max_retries: int):
+
+        if not isinstance(pattern, str) or pattern == "":
+            raise ValueError("`pattern` must be a non-empty string")
+
         self.pattern = pattern
 
         if not isinstance(max_retries, int) or max_retries <= 0:
@@ -189,6 +193,17 @@ def __eq__(self, other):
 class Traceback(GufeTokenizable):
 
     def __init__(self, tracebacks: List[str]):
+        value_error = ValueError(
+            "`tracebacks` must be a non-empty list of string values"
+        )
+        if not isinstance(tracebacks, list) or tracebacks == []:
+            raise value_error
+        else:
+            # in the case where tracebacks is not an iterable, this will raise a TypeError
+            all_string_values = all([isinstance(value, str) for value in tracebacks])
+            if not all_string_values or "" in tracebacks:
+                raise value_error
+
         self.tracebacks = tracebacks
 
     def _gufe_tokenize(self):
diff --git a/alchemiscale/tests/unit/test_storage_models.py b/alchemiscale/tests/unit/test_storage_models.py
index 68c9b8c7..02fe188e 100644
--- a/alchemiscale/tests/unit/test_storage_models.py
+++ b/alchemiscale/tests/unit/test_storage_models.py
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 import pytest
 
-from alchemiscale.storage.models import NetworkStateEnum, NetworkMark
+from alchemiscale.storage.models import (
+    NetworkStateEnum,
+    NetworkMark,
+    TaskRestartPattern,
+    Traceback,
+)
 from alchemiscale import ScopedKey
 
 
@@ -42,33 +47,113 @@ def test_suggested_states_message(self):
 
 class TestTaskRestartPattern(object):
 
-    @pytest.mark.xfail(raises=NotImplementedError)
+    pattern_value_error = "`pattern` must be a non-empty string"
+    max_retries_value_error = "`max_retries` must have a positive integer value."
+
     def test_empty_pattern(self):
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=self.pattern_value_error):
+            _ = TaskRestartPattern("", 3)
+
+    def test_non_string_pattern(self):
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=self.pattern_value_error):
+            _ = TaskRestartPattern(None, 3)
+
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=self.pattern_value_error):
+            _ = TaskRestartPattern([], 3)
+
+    def test_non_positive_max_retries(self):
 
-    @pytest.mark.xfail(raises=NotImplementedError)
-    def test_negative_max_retries(self):
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=self.max_retries_value_error):
+            TaskRestartPattern("Example pattern", 0)
+
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=self.max_retries_value_error):
+            TaskRestartPattern("Example pattern", -1)
 
-    @pytest.mark.xfail(raises=NotImplementedError)
     def test_non_int_max_retries(self):
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=self.max_retries_value_error):
+            TaskRestartPattern("Example pattern", 4.0)
 
-    @pytest.mark.xfail(raises=NotImplementedError)
     def test_to_dict(self):
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        trp = TaskRestartPattern("Example pattern", 3)
+        dict_trp = trp.to_dict()
+
+        assert len(dict_trp.keys()) == 5
+
+        assert dict_trp.pop("__qualname__") == "TaskRestartPattern"
+        assert dict_trp.pop("__module__") == "alchemiscale.storage.models"
+
+        # light test of the version key
+        try:
+            dict_trp.pop(":version:")
+        except KeyError:
+            raise AssertionError("expected to find :version:")
+
+        expected = {"pattern": "Example pattern", "max_retries": 3}
+
+        assert expected == dict_trp
 
-    @pytest.mark.xfail(raises=NotImplementedError)
     def test_from_dict(self):
-        raise NotImplementedError
+
+        original_pattern = "Example pattern"
+        original_max_retries = 3
+
+        trp_orig = TaskRestartPattern(original_pattern, original_max_retries)
+        trp_dict = trp_orig.to_dict()
+        trp_reconstructed: TaskRestartPattern = TaskRestartPattern.from_dict(trp_dict)
+
+        assert trp_reconstructed.pattern == original_pattern
+        assert trp_reconstructed.max_retries == original_max_retries
 
 
 class TestTraceback(object):
 
-    @pytest.mark.xfail(raises=NotImplementedError)
+    valid_entry = ["traceback1", "traceback2", "traceback3"]
+    tracebacks_value_error = "`tracebacks` must be a non-empty list of string values"
+
+    def test_empty_string_element(self):
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=self.tracebacks_value_error):
+            Traceback(self.valid_entry + [""])
+
+    def test_non_list_parameter(self):
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=self.tracebacks_value_error):
+            Traceback(None)
+
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=self.tracebacks_value_error):
+            Traceback(100)
+
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=self.tracebacks_value_error):
+            Traceback("not a list, but still an iterable that yields strings")
+
+    def test_list_non_string_elements(self):
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=self.tracebacks_value_error):
+            Traceback(self.valid_entry + [None])
+
+    def test_empty_list(self):
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=self.tracebacks_value_error):
+            Traceback([])
+
     def test_to_dict(self):
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        tb = Traceback(self.valid_entry)
+        tb_dict = tb.to_dict()
+
+        assert len(tb_dict) == 4
+
+        assert tb_dict.pop("__qualname__") == "Traceback"
+        assert tb_dict.pop("__module__") == "alchemiscale.storage.models"
+
+        # light test of the version key
+        try:
+            tb_dict.pop(":version:")
+        except KeyError:
+            raise AssertionError("expected to find :version:")
+
+        expected = {"tracebacks": self.valid_entry}
+
+        assert expected == tb_dict
 
-    @pytest.mark.xfail(raises=NotImplementedError)
     def test_from_dict(self):
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        tb_orig = Traceback(self.valid_entry)
+        tb_dict = tb_orig.to_dict()
+        tb_reconstructed: TaskRestartPattern = TaskRestartPattern.from_dict(tb_dict)
+
+        assert tb_reconstructed.tracebacks == self.valid_entry