diff --git a/src/server.test.ts b/src/server.test.ts
index 8aae978..ae1fe45 100644
--- a/src/server.test.ts
+++ b/src/server.test.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,19 @@ describe("API endpoints", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("POST /echo accepts a 500-character message", async () => {
+    const message = "a".repeat(500);
+
+    const response = await app.inject({
+      method: "POST",
+      url: "/echo",
+      payload: { message },
+    });
+
+    assert.equal(response.statusCode, 200);
+    assert.deepEqual(response.json(), { message });
+  });
+
   it("POST /echo rejects an empty message", async () => {
     const response = await app.inject({
       method: "POST",
@@ -67,6 +80,21 @@ describe("API endpoints", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("POST /echo rejects a message longer than 500 characters", async () => {
+    const message = "a".repeat(501);
+
+    const response = await app.inject({
+      method: "POST",
+      url: "/echo",
+      payload: { message },
+    });
+
+    assert.equal(response.statusCode, 400);
+    assert.deepEqual(response.json(), {
+      error: "Invalid request body",
+    });
+  });
+
   it("returns 404 for an unknown endpoint", async () => {
     const response = await app.inject({
       method: "GET",
diff --git a/src/server.ts b/src/server.ts
index 3b5118a..2587f6f 100644
--- a/src/server.ts
+++ b/src/server.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 import Fastify from "fastify";
 import { z } from "zod";
 
+const echoSchema = z.object({
+  message: z.string().min(1).max(500),
+});
+
 export const buildApp = () => {
   const app = Fastify({
     logger: true,
@@ -18,11 +22,7 @@ export const buildApp = () => {
   }));
 
   app.post("/echo", async (request, reply) => {
-    const schema = z.object({
-      message: z.string().min(1).max(500),
-    });
-
-    const result = schema.safeParse(request.body);
+    const result = echoSchema.safeParse(request.body);
 
     if (!result.success) {
       return reply.code(400).send({