diff --git a/internal/tracking/factory/factory_test.go b/internal/tracking/factory/factory_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..781aa16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/tracking/factory/factory_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,213 @@
+package factory_test
+
+import (
+	"log/slog"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/jfraeys/fetch_ml/internal/container"
+	"github.com/jfraeys/fetch_ml/internal/logging"
+	"github.com/jfraeys/fetch_ml/internal/tracking"
+	"github.com/jfraeys/fetch_ml/internal/tracking/factory"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+// helper to create a test logger
+func testLogger() *logging.Logger {
+	return logging.NewLogger(slog.LevelInfo, false)
+}
+
+// TestNewPluginLoader tests plugin loader creation
+func TestNewPluginLoader(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	logger := testLogger()
+	podman := &container.PodmanManager{}
+
+	loader := factory.NewPluginLoader(logger, podman)
+	require.NotNil(t, loader)
+}
+
+// TestRegisterFactory tests factory registration
+func TestRegisterFactory(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	logger := testLogger()
+	podman := &container.PodmanManager{}
+
+	loader := factory.NewPluginLoader(logger, podman)
+
+	// Register a custom factory
+	customFactory := func(l *logging.Logger, p *container.PodmanManager, cfg factory.PluginConfig) (tracking.Plugin, error) {
+		return nil, nil // Return nil for simplicity
+	}
+
+	loader.RegisterFactory("custom", customFactory)
+	// Should not panic
+}
+
+// TestLoadPluginsEmpty tests loading empty plugins
+func TestLoadPluginsEmpty(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	logger := testLogger()
+	podman := &container.PodmanManager{}
+
+	loader := factory.NewPluginLoader(logger, podman)
+	registry := tracking.NewRegistry(logger)
+
+	emptyPlugins := make(map[string]factory.PluginConfig)
+	err := loader.LoadPlugins(emptyPlugins, registry)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+}
+
+// TestLoadPluginsDisabled tests that disabled plugins are skipped
+func TestLoadPluginsDisabled(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	logger := testLogger()
+	podman := &container.PodmanManager{}
+
+	loader := factory.NewPluginLoader(logger, podman)
+	registry := tracking.NewRegistry(logger)
+
+	plugins := map[string]factory.PluginConfig{
+		"mlflow": {
+			Enabled: false,
+			Image:   "mlflow:latest",
+		},
+	}
+
+	err := loader.LoadPlugins(plugins, registry)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	// Disabled plugin should not be registered
+}
+
+// TestLoadPluginsUnknown tests that unknown plugins are skipped with warning
+func TestLoadPluginsUnknown(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	logger := testLogger()
+	podman := &container.PodmanManager{}
+
+	loader := factory.NewPluginLoader(logger, podman)
+	registry := tracking.NewRegistry(logger)
+
+	plugins := map[string]factory.PluginConfig{
+		"unknown-plugin": {
+			Enabled: true,
+			Image:   "unknown:latest",
+		},
+	}
+
+	err := loader.LoadPlugins(plugins, registry)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	// Unknown plugin should be skipped but not cause error
+}
+
+// TestPluginConfigStructure tests plugin config fields
+func TestPluginConfigStructure(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	config := factory.PluginConfig{
+		Settings:     map[string]any{"key": "value"},
+		Image:        "test-image:latest",
+		Mode:         "sidecar",
+		LogBasePath:  "/var/log",
+		ArtifactPath: "/artifacts",
+		Enabled:      true,
+	}
+
+	assert.Equal(t, "test-image:latest", config.Image)
+	assert.Equal(t, "sidecar", config.Mode)
+	assert.Equal(t, "/var/log", config.LogBasePath)
+	assert.Equal(t, "/artifacts", config.ArtifactPath)
+	assert.True(t, config.Enabled)
+	assert.Equal(t, "value", config.Settings["key"])
+}
+
+// TestPluginFactoryType tests the factory function type
+func TestPluginFactoryType(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	// Verify factory function signature
+	var _ factory.PluginFactory = func(
+		logger *logging.Logger,
+		podman *container.PodmanManager,
+		cfg factory.PluginConfig,
+	) (tracking.Plugin, error) {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+}
+
+// TestLoadPluginsMLflow tests loading MLflow plugin config
+func TestLoadPluginsMLflow(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	logger := testLogger()
+	podman := &container.PodmanManager{}
+
+	loader := factory.NewPluginLoader(logger, podman)
+	registry := tracking.NewRegistry(logger)
+
+	// MLflow plugin config (disabled to avoid actual container creation)
+	plugins := map[string]factory.PluginConfig{
+		"mlflow": {
+			Enabled:      false, // Disabled to avoid container operations
+			Image:        "mlflow:latest",
+			ArtifactPath: "/artifacts",
+			Mode:         "sidecar",
+			Settings:     map[string]any{"port": 5000},
+		},
+	}
+
+	err := loader.LoadPlugins(plugins, registry)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+}
+
+// TestLoadPluginsTensorBoard tests loading TensorBoard plugin config
+func TestLoadPluginsTensorBoard(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	logger := testLogger()
+	podman := &container.PodmanManager{}
+
+	loader := factory.NewPluginLoader(logger, podman)
+	registry := tracking.NewRegistry(logger)
+
+	// TensorBoard plugin config (disabled)
+	plugins := map[string]factory.PluginConfig{
+		"tensorboard": {
+			Enabled:     false,
+			Image:       "tensorboard:latest",
+			LogBasePath: "/logs",
+			Mode:        "sidecar",
+		},
+	}
+
+	err := loader.LoadPlugins(plugins, registry)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+}
+
+// TestLoadPluginsWandb tests loading Wandb plugin config
+func TestLoadPluginsWandb(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	logger := testLogger()
+	podman := &container.PodmanManager{}
+
+	loader := factory.NewPluginLoader(logger, podman)
+	registry := tracking.NewRegistry(logger)
+
+	// Wandb plugin config (disabled)
+	plugins := map[string]factory.PluginConfig{
+		"wandb": {
+			Enabled: true, // Wandb doesn't require podman
+			Image:   "wandb:latest",
+			Mode:    "native",
+		},
+	}
+
+	err := loader.LoadPlugins(plugins, registry)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+}