diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-and-build.yml b/.github/workflows/test-and-build.yml
index ca634384..2dd8613e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-and-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-and-build.yml
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ jobs:
           ~/go/pkg/mod
         key: ${{ runner.os }}-go-${{ hashFiles('**/go.sum') }}
 
+    - name: Check go mod tidy
+      run: make check-go-mod-tidy
+
     - name: Build Rust library
       run: make rust
 
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 4264f330..03f4f3e6 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -222,6 +222,10 @@ pre-commit run --all-files
 - Use meaningful variable and function names
 - Add comments for exported functions and types
 - Write unit tests for new functionality
+- **Keep Go modules tidy:** Run `go mod tidy` in the appropriate directory after adding or removing dependencies
+  - For `candle-binding`: `cd candle-binding && go mod tidy`
+  - For `src/semantic-router`: `cd src/semantic-router && go mod tidy`
+  - The CI will automatically check that `go.mod` and `go.sum` files are tidy using `make check-go-mod-tidy`
 
 ### Rust Code
 - Follow Rust formatting (`cargo fmt`)
@@ -242,6 +246,11 @@ pre-commit run --all-files
    python e2e-tests/run_all_tests.py
    ```
 
+   The `make test` command includes:
+   - `go vet` for static analysis
+   - `check-go-mod-tidy` for Go module dependency verification
+   - Unit tests for all components
+
 2. **Create a pull request** with:
    - Clear description of changes
    - Reference to any related issues
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d8526242..9f3f4258 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -61,6 +61,24 @@ vet:
 	@cd candle-binding && go vet ./...
 	@cd src/semantic-router && go vet ./...
 
+# Check go mod tidy for all Go modules
+check-go-mod-tidy:
+	@echo "Checking go mod tidy for all Go modules..."
+	@echo "Checking candle-binding..."
+	@cd candle-binding && go mod tidy && \
+		(git diff --exit-code go.mod 2>/dev/null || (echo "ERROR: go.mod file is not tidy in candle-binding. Please run 'go mod tidy' in candle-binding directory and commit the changes." && git diff go.mod && exit 1)) && \
+		(test ! -f go.sum || git diff --exit-code go.sum 2>/dev/null || (echo "ERROR: go.sum file is not tidy in candle-binding. Please run 'go mod tidy' in candle-binding directory and commit the changes." && git diff go.sum && exit 1))
+	@echo "✅ candle-binding go mod tidy check passed"
+	@echo "Checking src/semantic-router..."
+	@cd src/semantic-router && go mod tidy && \
+		if ! git diff --exit-code go.mod go.sum; then \
+			echo "ERROR: go.mod or go.sum files are not tidy in src/semantic-router. Please run 'go mod tidy' in src/semantic-router directory and commit the changes."; \
+			git diff go.mod go.sum; \
+			exit 1; \
+		fi
+	@echo "✅ src/semantic-router go mod tidy check passed"
+	@echo "✅ All go mod tidy checks passed"
+
 # Test the Rust library
 test-binding: rust
 	@echo "Running Go tests with static library..."
@@ -92,7 +110,7 @@ test-semantic-router: build-router
 		cd src/semantic-router && CGO_ENABLED=1 go test -v ./...
 
 # Test the Rust library and the Go binding
-test: vet download-models test-binding test-semantic-router
+test: vet check-go-mod-tidy download-models test-binding test-semantic-router
 
 # Clean built artifacts
 clean:
diff --git a/src/semantic-router/go.mod b/src/semantic-router/go.mod
index 0e6aaf98..7c4e59f7 100644
--- a/src/semantic-router/go.mod
+++ b/src/semantic-router/go.mod
@@ -10,11 +10,13 @@ replace (
 
 require (
 	github.com/envoyproxy/go-control-plane/envoy v1.32.4
+	github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify v1.7.0
 	github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2 v2.23.4
 	github.com/onsi/gomega v1.38.0
 	github.com/openai/openai-go v1.12.0
 	github.com/prometheus/client_golang v1.23.0
 	github.com/vllm-project/semantic-router/candle-binding v0.0.0-00010101000000-000000000000
+	go.uber.org/zap v1.27.0
 	google.golang.org/grpc v1.71.1
 	gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1
 )
@@ -24,7 +26,6 @@ require (
 	github.com/cespare/xxhash/v2 v2.3.0 // indirect
 	github.com/cncf/xds/go v0.0.0-20241223141626-cff3c89139a3 // indirect
 	github.com/envoyproxy/protoc-gen-validate v1.2.1 // indirect
-	github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify v1.7.0 // indirect
 	github.com/go-logr/logr v1.4.2 // indirect
 	github.com/go-task/slim-sprig/v3 v3.0.0 // indirect
 	github.com/google/go-cmp v0.7.0 // indirect
@@ -41,7 +42,6 @@ require (
 	github.com/tidwall/sjson v1.2.5 // indirect
 	go.uber.org/automaxprocs v1.6.0 // indirect
 	go.uber.org/multierr v1.10.0 // indirect
-	go.uber.org/zap v1.27.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/net v0.41.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/sys v0.33.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/text v0.26.0 // indirect