diff --git a/api_text_node.py b/api_text_node.py
index dea2f7a..44e8eec 100644
--- a/api_text_node.py
+++ b/api_text_node.py
@@ -18,5 +18,6 @@ class ApiTextOutputNode:
     CATEGORY = "Fast Preview"
 
     def send_text_to_api(self, text):
-        print(f"[Fast Preview] Sending text string to API payload: {text}")
-        return (text, {"ui": {"text": [text]}})
+        text_value = str(text)
+        print(f"[Fast Preview] Sending text string to API payload: {text_value}")
+        return {"ui": {"text": [text_value]}, "result": (text_value,)}
diff --git a/tests/test_api_text_node.py b/tests/test_api_text_node.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..227e109
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_api_text_node.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import unittest
+
+from api_text_node import ApiTextOutputNode
+
+
+class ApiTextOutputNodeTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_returns_comfy_ui_and_result_payload(self):
+        payload = ApiTextOutputNode().send_text_to_api("blue cotton shirt")
+
+        self.assertEqual(payload["ui"]["text"], ["blue cotton shirt"])
+        self.assertEqual(payload["result"], ("blue cotton shirt",))
+
+    def test_coerces_non_string_values(self):
+        payload = ApiTextOutputNode().send_text_to_api(42)
+
+        self.assertEqual(payload["ui"]["text"], ["42"])
+        self.assertEqual(payload["result"], ("42",))
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()