diff --git a/.github/workflows/error_handling_utils_tests.yml b/.github/workflows/error_handling_utils_tests.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fe6297e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/error_handling_utils_tests.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+name: Error Handling Utils Tests
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+      environment:
+        description: "Environment to run tests against"
+        type: string
+        required: false
+        default: "dev"
+
+jobs:
+  error_handling_utils_tests:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Set up Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: '3.13'
+
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: |
+          python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+          pip install pytest pyyaml requests boto3 flask jinja2 lxml werkzeug six python-dotenv
+
+      - name: Run error handling utils tests
+        env:
+          UNIT_TEST_ONLY: "true"
+          ENVIRONMENT: ${{ inputs.environment }}
+        run: pytest --env="$ENVIRONMENT" tests/test_error_handling_utils.py
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull_request.yml b/.github/workflows/pull_request.yml
index bd7ef6e..764d51a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pull_request.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pull_request.yml
@@ -36,3 +36,31 @@ jobs:
       id: "Run during opened pull request"
       github_tag: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.ref }}
     secrets: inherit
+
+  error_handling_utils_changes:
+    if: >-
+      (github.event_name == 'pull_request' && github.event.pull_request.user.login != 'dependabot[bot]') ||
+      (github.event_name == 'pull_request_target' && github.event.pull_request.user.login == 'dependabot[bot]' && github.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name == github.repository)
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      should_run: ${{ steps.filter.outputs.error_handling_utils }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Detect relevant changes
+        id: filter
+        uses: dorny/paths-filter@de90cc6fb38fc0963ad72b210f1f284cd68cea36
+        with:
+          filters: |
+            error_handling_utils:
+              - 'tests/test_error_handling_utils.py'
+              - 'utils/data_helper.py'
+              - 'utils/dynamo_helper.py'
+              - 'utils/eligibility_api_client.py'
+              - 'tests/performance_tests/validate_inputs.py'
+
+  error_handling_utils_tests:
+    if: >-
+      needs.error_handling_utils_changes.outputs.should_run == 'true' &&
+      ((github.event_name == 'pull_request' && github.event.pull_request.user.login != 'dependabot[bot]') ||
+      (github.event_name == 'pull_request_target' && github.event.pull_request.user.login == 'dependabot[bot]' && github.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name == github.repository))
+    needs: error_handling_utils_changes
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/error_handling_utils_tests.yml
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index e9963f2..d0d9f7a 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ def eligibility_client():
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session", autouse=True)
 def upload_consumer_mapping_once():
+    if os.getenv("UNIT_TEST_ONLY", "").lower() == "true":
+        logger.info("Skipping consumer mapping upload for unit-test-only run")
+        return
     upload_consumer_mapping_file_to_s3(test_config.CONSUMER_MAPPING_FILE)
 
 
diff --git a/tests/performance_tests/validate_inputs.py b/tests/performance_tests/validate_inputs.py
index 4cc6e29..e0b289b 100644
--- a/tests/performance_tests/validate_inputs.py
+++ b/tests/performance_tests/validate_inputs.py
@@ -46,8 +46,13 @@ def parse_run_time_to_seconds(run_time: str) -> int:
 
 
 def main() -> None:
-    users = int(get_env("USERS"))
-    spawn_rate = int(get_env("SPAWN_RATE"))
+    try:
+        users = int(get_env("USERS"))
+        spawn_rate = int(get_env("SPAWN_RATE"))
+    except ValueError:
+        fail("Invalid input", "USERS must be an integer.")
+        return
+
     run_time = get_env("RUN_TIME")
 
     validate_range("users", users, 1, MAX_USERS)