diff --git a/hopper/api_tests/requests.http b/api_tests/requests.http
similarity index 100%
rename from hopper/api_tests/requests.http
rename to api_tests/requests.http
diff --git a/hopper/api/views.py b/hopper/api/views.py
index 918e340..e6a31cf 100644
--- a/hopper/api/views.py
+++ b/hopper/api/views.py
@@ -53,7 +53,9 @@ async def get_game_info(
     )
 
 
-@router.post("/game", response_model=StartGameResponseDto)
+@router.post(
+    "/game", response_model=StartGameResponseDto, status_code=status.HTTP_201_CREATED
+)
 async def start_game(
     body: StartGameRequestDto,
     engine: GameEngine = Depends(get_game_engine),
@@ -72,7 +74,6 @@ async def start_game(
 @router.get(
     "/player/{uuid}",
     response_model=PlayerInfoResponseDto,
-    status_code=status.HTTP_201_CREATED,
     responses={
         status.HTTP_403_FORBIDDEN: {
             "model": ErrorResponseDto,
diff --git a/hopper/engine.py b/hopper/engine.py
index 03b4f8f..a0c9cc0 100644
--- a/hopper/engine.py
+++ b/hopper/engine.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from typing import Optional
 
 from hopper.enums import Direction, PlayerMoveResult
 from hopper.errors import Collision, PositionOutOfBounds
+from hopper.interfaces import SendGameStateInterface
 from hopper.models.board import (
     BOARD_DUMP_CHARS,
     BoardLayout,
@@ -17,12 +18,13 @@ from hopper.models.board import (
 )
 from hopper.models.player import Player, PlayerList, Position
 from hopper.watchdog import InactivityWatchdog
-from hopper.ws_server import WSServer
 from settings import settings
 
 
 class GameEngine:
-    def __init__(self, board: GameBoard, ws_server: Optional[WSServer] = None) -> None:
+    def __init__(
+        self, board: GameBoard, ws_server: Optional[SendGameStateInterface] = None
+    ) -> None:
         self.board = board
         self.ws_server = ws_server
         self.players = PlayerList()
@@ -163,7 +165,7 @@ class GameEngineFactory:
         board_width: int,
         board_height: int,
         obstacle_count: int = 0,
-        ws_server: Optional[WSServer] = None,
+        ws_server: Optional[SendGameStateInterface] = None,
     ) -> GameEngine:
         board = GameBoard(
             width=board_width,
@@ -188,7 +190,9 @@ class GameEngineFactory:
         return game
 
     @staticmethod
-    def create_default(ws_server: Optional[WSServer] = None) -> GameEngine:
+    def create_default(
+        ws_server: Optional[SendGameStateInterface] = None,
+    ) -> GameEngine:
         return GameEngineFactory.create(
             board_width=settings.board.WIDTH,
             board_height=settings.board.HEIGHT,
diff --git a/hopper/interfaces.py b/hopper/interfaces.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4a5a0e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hopper/interfaces.py
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+from typing import Protocol
+
+
+class SendGameStateInterface(Protocol):
+    async def send_game_state(self) -> None:
+        ...
diff --git a/hopper/watchdog.py b/hopper/watchdog.py
index d6df4f2..9bf59b8 100644
--- a/hopper/watchdog.py
+++ b/hopper/watchdog.py
@@ -5,14 +5,18 @@ import time
 from threading import Thread
 from typing import Optional
 
+from hopper.interfaces import SendGameStateInterface
 from hopper.models.player import PlayerList
-from hopper.ws_server import WSServer
 from settings import settings
 
 
 class InactivityWatchdog(Thread):
     def __init__(
-        self, players: PlayerList, ws_server: Optional[WSServer] = None, *args, **kwargs
+        self,
+        players: PlayerList,
+        ws_server: Optional[SendGameStateInterface] = None,
+        *args,
+        **kwargs,
     ) -> None:
         self.players = players
         self.ws_server = ws_server
diff --git a/hopper/ws_server.py b/hopper/ws_server.py
index e87866f..43ef659 100644
--- a/hopper/ws_server.py
+++ b/hopper/ws_server.py
@@ -12,20 +12,20 @@ from settings import settings
 
 
 class WSServer(Thread):
-    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs) -> None:
-        self.connected_clients = set[WebSocketServerProtocol]()
-        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
-
     async def handler(self, websocket: WebSocketServerProtocol) -> None:
+        """New handler instance spawns for each connected client"""
         self.connected_clients.add(websocket)
         logging.info(f"Add client: {websocket.id}")
 
         try:
+            # send initial game state to connected client
             await self.send_game_state_to_client(websocket)
+            # loop and do nothing while client is connected
             connected = True
             while connected:
                 try:
-                    message = await websocket.recv()
+                    # we're expecting nothing from client, but read if client sends a message
+                    await websocket.recv()
                 except ConnectionClosedOK:
                     connected = False
         finally:
@@ -49,11 +49,13 @@ class WSServer(Thread):
     async def send_game_state_to_client(
         self, websocket: WebSocketServerProtocol
     ) -> None:
+        """Send game state to the client"""
         message = self._create_game_state_message()
         logging.debug(f"Sending game state to client: {websocket.id}")
         await websocket.send(message)
 
     async def send_game_state(self) -> None:
+        """Broadcast game state to all connected clients"""
         if not self.connected_clients:
             return
 
@@ -77,4 +79,5 @@ class WSServer(Thread):
             await asyncio.Future()  # run forever
 
     def run(self) -> None:
+        self.connected_clients = set[WebSocketServerProtocol]()
         asyncio.run(self.run_async())