diff --git a/src/pages/VisProgPage/VisProg.tsx b/src/pages/VisProgPage/VisProg.tsx
index 1a3720b..7c1fa3a 100644
--- a/src/pages/VisProgPage/VisProg.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/VisProgPage/VisProg.tsx
@@ -9,8 +9,10 @@ import {
 import '@xyflow/react/dist/style.css';
 import {useEffect} from "react";
 import {useShallow} from 'zustand/react/shallow';
+import orderPhaseNodeArray from "../../utils/orderPhaseNodes.ts";
 import useProgramStore from "../../utils/programStore.ts";
 import {DndToolbar} from './visualProgrammingUI/components/DragDropSidebar.tsx';
+import type {PhaseNode} from "./visualProgrammingUI/nodes/PhaseNode.tsx";
 import useFlowStore from './visualProgrammingUI/VisProgStores.tsx';
 import type {FlowState} from './visualProgrammingUI/VisProgTypes.tsx';
 import styles from './VisProg.module.css'
@@ -165,14 +167,15 @@ function runProgram() {
  */ 
 function graphReducer() {
   const { nodes } = useFlowStore.getState();
-  return nodes
-    .filter((n) => n.type == 'phase')
+  return orderPhaseNodeArray(nodes.filter((n) => n.type == 'phase') as PhaseNode [])
     .map((n) => {
       const reducer = NodeReduces['phase'];
       return reducer(n, nodes)
     }); 
 }
 
+
+
 /**
  * houses the entire page, so also UI elements
  * that are not a part of the Visual Programming UI
diff --git a/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/EditorUndoRedo.ts b/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/EditorUndoRedo.ts
index 70c4c01..6ad705d 100644
--- a/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/EditorUndoRedo.ts
+++ b/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/EditorUndoRedo.ts
@@ -39,10 +39,10 @@ export const UndoRedo = (
    * @param {BaseFlowState} state - the current state of the editor
    * @returns {FlowSnapshot} - returns a snapshot of the current editor state
    */
-  const getSnapshot = (state : BaseFlowState) : FlowSnapshot => ({
+  const getSnapshot = (state : BaseFlowState) : FlowSnapshot => (structuredClone({
     nodes: state.nodes,
     edges: state.edges
-  });
+  }));
 
   const initialState = config(set, get, api);
 
diff --git a/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/VisProgStores.tsx b/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/VisProgStores.tsx
index 0847945..25736cd 100644
--- a/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/VisProgStores.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/VisProgStores.tsx
@@ -28,33 +28,28 @@ import { UndoRedo } from "./EditorUndoRedo.ts";
  * @param deletable - Optional flag to indicate if the node can be deleted (can be deleted by default).
  * @returns A fully initialized Node object ready to be added to the flow.
  */
-function createNode(id: string, type: string, position: XYPosition, data: Record<string, unknown>, deletable?: boolean) {
-    const defaultData = NodeDefaults[type as keyof typeof NodeDefaults]
-    return {
-      id,
-      type,
-      position,
-      deletable,
-      data: {
-        ...defaultData,
-        ...data,
-      },
-    }
+function createNode(id: string, type: string, position: XYPosition, data: Record<string, unknown>, deletable? : boolean) {
+  const defaultData = NodeDefaults[type as keyof typeof NodeDefaults]
+
+  return {
+    id: id,
+    type: type,
+    position: position,
+    data: {...defaultData, ...data},
+    deletable: deletable
   }
+}
 
 //* Initial nodes, created by using createNode. */
 const initialNodes : Node[] = [
     createNode('start', 'start', {x: 100, y: 100}, {label: "Start"}, false),
     createNode('end', 'end', {x: 500, y: 100}, {label: "End"}, false),
-    createNode('phase-1', 'phase',  {x:200, y:100}, {label: "Phase 1", children : []}),
-    createNode('norms-1', 'norm',  {x:-200, y:100}, {label: "Initial Norms", normList: ["Be a robot", "get good"], critical:false}),     
+    createNode('phase-1', 'phase',  {x:200, y:100}, {label: "Phase 1", children : [], isFirstPhase: false, nextPhaseId: null}),
+    createNode('norms-1', 'norm',  {x:-200, y:100}, {label: "Initial Norms", normList: ["Be a robot", "get good"], critical:false}),
 ];
 
 // * Initial edges * /
-const initialEdges: Edge[] = [
-  { id: 'start-phase-1', source: 'start', target: 'phase-1' },
-  { id: 'phase-1-end', source: 'phase-1', target: 'end' },
-];
+const initialEdges: Edge[] = []; // no initial edges as edge connect events don't fire when using initial edges
 
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/components/CustomNodeHandles.tsx b/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/components/CustomNodeHandles.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..853c488
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/components/CustomNodeHandles.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import {
+  Handle,
+  useNodeConnections,
+  type HandleType,
+  type Position
+} from '@xyflow/react';
+
+
+const LimitedConnectionCountHandle = (props: {
+  node_id: string,
+  type: HandleType,
+  position: Position,
+  connection_count: number,
+  id?: string
+}) => {
+  const connections = useNodeConnections({
+    id: props.node_id,
+    handleType: props.type,
+    handleId: props.id,
+  });
+
+  return (
+    <Handle
+      {...props}
+      isConnectable={connections.length < props.connection_count}
+    />
+  );
+};
+
+export default LimitedConnectionCountHandle;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/EndNode.tsx b/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/EndNode.tsx
index 57db571..116dc01 100644
--- a/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/EndNode.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/EndNode.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 import {
-  Handle,
   type NodeProps,
   Position,
   type Node,
 } from '@xyflow/react';
+import LimitedConnectionCountHandle from "../components/CustomNodeHandles.tsx";
 import { Toolbar } from '../components/NodeComponents';
 import styles from '../../VisProg.module.css';
 
@@ -32,7 +32,13 @@ export default function EndNode(props: NodeProps<EndNode>) {
         <div className={"flex-row gap-sm"}>
         End
         </div>
-        <Handle type="target" position={Position.Left} id="target"/>
+        <LimitedConnectionCountHandle
+          node_id={props.id}
+          type="target"
+          position={Position.Left}
+          connection_count={1}
+          id="target"
+        />
       </div>
     </>
   );
diff --git a/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/PhaseNode.default.ts b/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/PhaseNode.default.ts
index 0a96d6b..73697eb 100644
--- a/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/PhaseNode.default.ts
+++ b/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/PhaseNode.default.ts
@@ -8,4 +8,6 @@ export const PhaseNodeDefaults: PhaseNodeData = {
   droppable: true,
   children: [],
   hasReduce: true,
+  nextPhaseId: null,
+  isFirstPhase: false,
 };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/PhaseNode.tsx b/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/PhaseNode.tsx
index 41679f1..9e1fb24 100644
--- a/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/PhaseNode.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/PhaseNode.tsx
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import styles from '../../VisProg.module.css';
 import { NodeReduces, NodesInPhase, NodeTypes} from '../NodeRegistry';
 import useFlowStore from '../VisProgStores';
 import { TextField } from '../../../../components/TextField';
+import LimitedConnectionCountHandle from "../components/CustomNodeHandles.tsx";
 
 /**
  * The default data dot a phase node
@@ -16,12 +17,15 @@ import { TextField } from '../../../../components/TextField';
  * @param droppable: whether this node is droppable from the drop bar (initialized as true)
  * @param children: ID's of children of this node
  * @param hasReduce: whether this node has reducing functionality (true by default)
+ * @param nextPhaseId:
  */
 export type PhaseNodeData = {
   label: string;
   droppable: boolean;
   children: string[];
   hasReduce: boolean;
+  nextPhaseId: string | "end" | null;
+  isFirstPhase: boolean;
 };
 
 export type PhaseNode = Node<PhaseNodeData>
@@ -50,9 +54,21 @@ export default function PhaseNode(props: NodeProps<PhaseNode>) {
             placeholder={"Phase ..."}
           />
         </div>
-        <Handle type="target" position={Position.Left} id="target"/>
+        <LimitedConnectionCountHandle
+          node_id={props.id}
+          type="target"
+          position={Position.Left}
+          connection_count={1}
+          id="target"
+        />
         <Handle type="target" position={Position.Bottom} id="norms"/>
-        <Handle type="source" position={Position.Right} id="source"/>
+        <LimitedConnectionCountHandle
+          node_id={props.id}
+          type="source"
+          position={Position.Right}
+          connection_count={1}
+          id="source"
+        />
       </div>
     </>
   );
@@ -65,8 +81,8 @@ export default function PhaseNode(props: NodeProps<PhaseNode>) {
  * @returns A collection of all reduced nodes in this phase, starting with this phases' reduced data.  
  */
 export function PhaseReduce(node: Node, nodes: Node[]) {
-    const thisnode = node as PhaseNode;
-    const data = thisnode.data as PhaseNodeData;
+    const thisNode = node as PhaseNode;
+    const data = thisNode.data as PhaseNodeData;
 
     // node typings that are not in phase
     const nodesNotInPhase: string[] = Object.entries(NodesInPhase)
@@ -85,8 +101,8 @@ export function PhaseReduce(node: Node, nodes: Node[]) {
 
     // Build the result object
     const result: Record<string, unknown> = {
-        id: thisnode.id,
-        label: data.label,
+      id: thisNode.id,
+      label: data.label,
     };
 
     nodesInPhase.forEach((type) => {
@@ -109,13 +125,19 @@ export function PhaseReduce(node: Node, nodes: Node[]) {
  * @param _sourceNodeId the source of the received connection
  */
 export function PhaseConnectionTarget(_thisNode: Node, _sourceNodeId: string) {
-  const node = _thisNode as PhaseNode
-  const data = node.data as PhaseNodeData
-  // we only add none phase nodes to the children
-  if (!(useFlowStore.getState().nodes.find((node) => node.id === _sourceNodeId && node.type === 'phase'))) {
-    data.children.push(_sourceNodeId)
-  }
+  const data = _thisNode.data as PhaseNodeData
 
+  const nodes = useFlowStore.getState().nodes;
+  const sourceNode = nodes.find((node) => node.id === _sourceNodeId)!
+  switch (sourceNode.type) {
+    case "phase": break;
+    case "start": data.isFirstPhase = true; break;
+    // we only add none phase or start nodes to the children
+    // endNodes cannot be the source of an outgoing connection
+    // so we don't need to cover them with a special case
+    // before handling the default behavior
+    default: data.children.push(_sourceNodeId); break;
+  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -124,7 +146,19 @@ export function PhaseConnectionTarget(_thisNode: Node, _sourceNodeId: string) {
  * @param _targetNodeId the target of the created connection
  */
 export function PhaseConnectionSource(_thisNode: Node, _targetNodeId: string) {
-  // no additional connection logic exists yet
+  const data = _thisNode.data as PhaseNodeData
+  const nodes = useFlowStore.getState().nodes;
+
+  const targetNode = nodes.find((node) => node.id === _targetNodeId)
+  if (!targetNode) {throw new Error("Source node not found")}
+
+  // we set the nextPhaseId to the next target's id if the target is a phaseNode,
+  // or "end" if the target node is the end node
+  switch (targetNode.type) {
+    case 'phase': data.nextPhaseId = _targetNodeId; break;
+    case 'end': data.nextPhaseId = "end"; break;
+    default: break;
+  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -133,9 +167,23 @@ export function PhaseConnectionSource(_thisNode: Node, _targetNodeId: string) {
  * @param _sourceNodeId the source of the disconnected connection
  */
 export function PhaseDisconnectionTarget(_thisNode: Node, _sourceNodeId: string) {
-  const node = _thisNode as PhaseNode
-  const data = node.data as PhaseNodeData
-  data.children = data.children.filter((child) => { if (child != _sourceNodeId) return child; });
+  const data = _thisNode.data as PhaseNodeData
+
+  const nodes = useFlowStore.getState().nodes;
+  const sourceNode = nodes.find((node) => node.id === _sourceNodeId)
+  const sourceType = sourceNode ? sourceNode.type : "deleted";
+  switch (sourceType) {
+    case "phase": break;
+    case "start": data.isFirstPhase = false; break;
+    // we only add none phase or start nodes to the children
+    // endNodes cannot be the source of an outgoing connection
+    // so we don't need to cover them with a special case
+    // before handling the default behavior
+    default:
+      data.children = data.children.filter((child) => { if (child != _sourceNodeId) return child; });
+      break;
+  }
+
 }
 
 /**
@@ -144,5 +192,12 @@ export function PhaseDisconnectionTarget(_thisNode: Node, _sourceNodeId: string)
  * @param _targetNodeId the target of the diconnected connection
  */
 export function PhaseDisconnectionSource(_thisNode: Node, _targetNodeId: string) {
-  // no additional connection logic exists yet
+  const data = _thisNode.data as PhaseNodeData
+  const nodes = useFlowStore.getState().nodes;
+
+  // if the target is a phase or end node set the nextPhaseId to null,
+  // as we are no longer connected to a subsequent phaseNode or to the endNode
+  if (nodes.some((node) => node.id === _targetNodeId && ['phase', 'end'].includes(node.type!))){
+    data.nextPhaseId = null;
+  }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/StartNode.tsx b/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/StartNode.tsx
index 92ca6ed..13f3fc8 100644
--- a/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/StartNode.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/StartNode.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 import {
-  Handle,
   type NodeProps,
   Position,
   type Node,
 } from '@xyflow/react';
+import LimitedConnectionCountHandle from "../components/CustomNodeHandles.tsx";
 import { Toolbar } from '../components/NodeComponents';
 import styles from '../../VisProg.module.css';
 
@@ -31,7 +31,13 @@ export default function StartNode(props: NodeProps<StartNode>) {
         <div className={"flex-row gap-sm"}>
           Start
         </div>
-        <Handle type="source" position={Position.Right} id="source"/>
+        <LimitedConnectionCountHandle
+          node_id={props.id}
+          type="source"
+          position={Position.Right}
+          connection_count={1}
+          id="source"
+        />
       </div>
     </>
   );
diff --git a/src/utils/orderPhaseNodes.ts b/src/utils/orderPhaseNodes.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..00b7a26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/orderPhaseNodes.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import type {PhaseNode} from "../pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/PhaseNode.tsx";
+
+/**
+ * takes an array of phaseNodes and orders them according to their nextPhaseId attributes,
+ * starting with the phase that has isFirstPhase = true
+ *
+ * @param {PhaseNode[]} nodes an unordered phaseNode array
+ * @returns {PhaseNode[]} the ordered phaseNode array
+ */
+export default function orderPhaseNodeArray(nodes: PhaseNode[]) : PhaseNode[] {
+  // find the first phaseNode of the sequence
+  const start = nodes.find(node => node.data.isFirstPhase);
+  if (!start) {
+    throw new Error('No phaseNode with isFirstObject = true found');
+  }
+
+  // prepare for ordering of phaseNodes
+  const orderedPhaseNodes: PhaseNode[] = [];
+  const IdMap = new Map(nodes.map(node => [node.id, node]));
+  let currentNode: PhaseNode | undefined = start;
+
+  // populate orderedPhaseNodes array with the phaseNodes in the correct order
+  while (currentNode) {
+    orderedPhaseNodes.push(currentNode);
+
+    if (!currentNode.data.nextPhaseId) {
+      throw new Error("Incomplete phase sequence, program does not reach the end node");
+    }
+
+    if (currentNode.data.nextPhaseId === "end") break;
+
+    currentNode = IdMap.get(currentNode.data.nextPhaseId);
+
+    if (!currentNode) {
+      throw new Error(`Incomplete phase sequence, phaseNode with id "${orderedPhaseNodes.at(-1)?.data.nextPhaseId}" not found`);
+    }
+  }
+
+  return orderedPhaseNodes;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/pages/visProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/EditorUndoRedo.test.ts b/test/pages/visProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/EditorUndoRedo.test.ts
index 76e7e96..f7233d8 100644
--- a/test/pages/visProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/EditorUndoRedo.test.ts
+++ b/test/pages/visProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/EditorUndoRedo.test.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ import useFlowStore from '../../../../src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/
 import { mockReactFlow } from '../../../setupFlowTests.ts';
 
 
+
+
+
 beforeAll(() => {
   mockReactFlow();
 });
diff --git a/test/pages/visProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/PhaseNode.test.tsx b/test/pages/visProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/PhaseNode.test.tsx
index 01de131..b94feaa 100644
--- a/test/pages/visProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/PhaseNode.test.tsx
+++ b/test/pages/visProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/PhaseNode.test.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
+import type { Node, Edge, Connection } from '@xyflow/react'
 import useFlowStore from '../../../../../src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/VisProgStores';
-import type { PhaseNodeData } from "../../../../../src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/PhaseNode";
-import { getByTestId, render } from '@testing-library/react';
+import type {PhaseNode, PhaseNodeData} from "../../../../../src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/PhaseNode";
+import {act, getByTestId, render} from '@testing-library/react';
 import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event';
 import VisProgPage from '../../../../../src/pages/VisProgPage/VisProg';
+import {mockReactFlow} from "../../../../setupFlowTests.ts";
 
 
 class ResizeObserver {
@@ -98,4 +100,195 @@ describe('PhaseNode', () => {
     expect(p1_data.children.length == 1);
     expect(p2_data.children.length == 2);
   });
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+});
+
+// --| Helper functions |--
+
+function createPhaseNode(
+  id: string,
+  overrides: Partial<PhaseNodeData> = {},
+): Node<PhaseNodeData> {
+  return {
+    id: id,
+    type: 'phase',
+    position: { x: 0, y: 0 },
+    data: {
+      label: 'Phase',
+      droppable: true,
+      children: [],
+      hasReduce: true,
+      nextPhaseId: null,
+      isFirstPhase: false,
+      ...overrides,
+    },
+  }
+}
+
+function createNode(id: string, type: string): Node {
+  return {
+    id: id,
+    type: type,
+    position: { x: 0, y: 0 },
+    data: {},
+  }
+}
+
+function connect(source: string, target: string): Connection {
+  return {
+    source: source,
+    target: target,
+    sourceHandle: null,
+    targetHandle: null
+  };
+}
+
+function edge(source: string, target: string): Edge {
+  return {
+    id: `${source}-${target}`,
+    source: source,
+    target: target,
+  }
+}
+
+// --| Connection Tests |--
+
+describe('PhaseNode Connection logic', () => {
+  beforeAll(() => {
+    mockReactFlow();
+  });
+
+  describe('PhaseConnections', () => {
+    test('connecting start => phase sets isFirstPhase to true', () => {
+      const phase = createPhaseNode('phase-1')
+      const start = createNode('start', 'start')
+
+      useFlowStore.setState({ nodes: [phase, start] })
+
+      // verify it starts of false
+      expect(phase.data.isFirstPhase).toBe(false);
+
+      act(() => {
+        useFlowStore.getState().onConnect(connect('start', 'phase-1'))
+      })
+
+      const updatedPhase = useFlowStore
+        .getState()
+        .nodes.find((n) => n.id === 'phase-1') as PhaseNode
+
+      expect(updatedPhase.data.isFirstPhase).toBe(true)
+    })
+
+    test('connecting task => phase adds child', () => {
+      const phase = createPhaseNode('phase-1')
+      const norm = createNode('norm-1', 'norm')
+
+      useFlowStore.setState({ nodes: [phase, norm] })
+
+      act(() => {
+        useFlowStore.getState().onConnect(connect('norm-1', 'phase-1'))
+      })
+
+      const updatedPhase = useFlowStore
+        .getState()
+        .nodes.find((n) => n.id === 'phase-1') as PhaseNode
+
+      expect(updatedPhase.data.children).toEqual(['norm-1'])
+    })
+
+    test('connecting phase => phase sets nextPhaseId', () => {
+      const p1 = createPhaseNode('phase-1')
+      const p2 = createPhaseNode('phase-2')
+
+      useFlowStore.setState({ nodes: [p1, p2] })
+
+      act(() => {
+        useFlowStore.getState().onConnect(connect('phase-1', 'phase-2'))
+      })
+
+      const updatedP1 = useFlowStore
+        .getState()
+        .nodes.find((n) => n.id === 'phase-1') as PhaseNode
+
+      expect(updatedP1.data.nextPhaseId).toBe('phase-2')
+    })
+
+    test('connecting phase to end => phase sets nextPhaseId to "end"', () => {
+      const phase = createPhaseNode('phase-1')
+      const end = createNode('end', 'end')
+
+      useFlowStore.setState({ nodes: [phase, end] })
+
+      act(() => {
+        useFlowStore.getState().onConnect(connect('phase-1', 'end'))
+      })
+
+      const updatedPhase = useFlowStore
+        .getState()
+        .nodes.find((n) => n.id === 'phase-1') as PhaseNode
+
+      expect(updatedPhase.data.nextPhaseId).toBe('end')
+    })
+  })
+
+  describe('PhaseDisconnections', () => {
+    test('disconnecting task => phase removes child', () => {
+      const phase = createPhaseNode('phase-1', { children: ['norm-1'] })
+      const norm = createNode('norm-1', 'norm')
+
+      useFlowStore.setState({
+        nodes: [phase, norm],
+        edges: [edge('norm-1', 'phase-1')]
+      })
+
+      act(() => {
+        useFlowStore.getState().onEdgesDelete([edge('norm-1', 'phase-1')])
+      })
+
+      const updatedPhase = useFlowStore
+        .getState()
+        .nodes.find((n) => n.id === 'phase-1') as PhaseNode
+
+      expect(updatedPhase.data.children).toEqual([])
+    })
+
+    test('disconnecting start => phase sets isFirstPhase to false', () => {
+      const phase = createPhaseNode('phase-1', { isFirstPhase: true })
+      const start = createNode('start', 'start')
+
+      useFlowStore.setState({
+        nodes: [phase, start],
+        edges: [edge('start', 'phase-1')]
+      })
+
+      act(() => {
+        useFlowStore.getState().onEdgesDelete([edge('start', 'phase-1')])
+      })
+
+      const updatedPhase = useFlowStore
+        .getState()
+        .nodes.find((n) => n.id === 'phase-1') as PhaseNode
+
+      expect(updatedPhase.data.isFirstPhase).toBe(false)
+    })
+
+    test('disconnecting phase => phase sets nextPhaseId to null', () => {
+      const p1 = createPhaseNode('phase-1', { nextPhaseId: 'phase-2' })
+      const p2 = createPhaseNode('phase-2')
+
+      useFlowStore.setState({
+        nodes: [p1, p2],
+        edges: [edge('phase-1', 'phase-2')]
+      })
+
+      act(() => {
+        useFlowStore.getState().onEdgesDelete([edge('phase-1', 'phase-2')])
+      })
+
+      const updatedP1 = useFlowStore
+        .getState()
+        .nodes.find((n) => n.id === 'phase-1') as PhaseNode
+
+      expect(updatedP1.data.nextPhaseId).toBeNull()
+    })
+  })
+})
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/pages/visProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/UniversalNodes.test.tsx b/test/pages/visProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/UniversalNodes.test.tsx
index c023722..25a50b2 100644
--- a/test/pages/visProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/UniversalNodes.test.tsx
+++ b/test/pages/visProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/UniversalNodes.test.tsx
@@ -13,19 +13,17 @@ describe('NormNode', () => {
     jest.clearAllMocks();
   });
 
-  function createNode(id: string, type: string, position: XYPosition, data: Record<string, unknown>, deletable?: boolean) {
+  function createNode(id: string, type: string, position: XYPosition, data: Record<string, unknown>, deletable? : boolean) {
     const defaultData = NodeDefaults[type as keyof typeof NodeDefaults]
+
     return {
-      id,
-      type,
-      position,
-      deletable,
-      data: {
-        ...defaultData,
-        ...data,
-      },
+      id: id,
+      type: type,
+      position: position,
+      data: {...defaultData, ...data},
+      deletable: deletable
     }
-  }  
+  }
 
 
     /**
@@ -47,34 +45,34 @@ describe('NormNode', () => {
     
   describe('Rendering', () => {
     test.each(getAllTypes())('it should render %s node with the default data', (nodeType) => {
-    const lengthBefore = screen.getAllByText(/.*/).length;
+      const lengthBefore = screen.getAllByText(/.*/).length;
 
-    const newNode = createNode(nodeType + "1", nodeType, {x: 200, y:200}, {});
+      const newNode = createNode(nodeType + "1", nodeType, {x: 200, y:200}, {});
 
-    const found = Object.entries(NodeTypes).find(([t]) => t === nodeType);
-    const uiElement = found ? found[1] : null;
+      const found = Object.entries(NodeTypes).find(([t]) => t === nodeType);
+      const uiElement = found ? found[1] : null;
 
-    expect(uiElement).not.toBeNull();
-    const props = {
-      id: newNode.id,
-      type: newNode.type as string,
-      data: newNode.data as any,
-      selected: false,
-      isConnectable: true,
-      zIndex: 0,
-      dragging: false,
-      selectable: true,
-      deletable: true,
-      draggable: true,
-      positionAbsoluteX: 0,
-      positionAbsoluteY: 0,
-    };
+      expect(uiElement).not.toBeNull();
+      const props = {
+        id: newNode.id,
+        type: newNode.type as string,
+        data: newNode.data as any,
+        selected: false,
+        isConnectable: true,
+        zIndex: 0,
+        dragging: false,
+        selectable: true,
+        deletable: true,
+        draggable: true,
+        positionAbsoluteX: 0,
+        positionAbsoluteY: 0,
+      };
 
-    renderWithProviders(createElement(uiElement as React.ComponentType<any>, props));
-    const lengthAfter = screen.getAllByText(/.*/).length;
+      renderWithProviders(createElement(uiElement as React.ComponentType<any>, props));
+      const lengthAfter = screen.getAllByText(/.*/).length;
 
-    expect(lengthBefore + 1 === lengthAfter);
-  });
+      expect(lengthBefore + 1 === lengthAfter);
+    });
   
   });
 
diff --git a/test/utils/orderPhaseNodes.test.ts b/test/utils/orderPhaseNodes.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5020378
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/utils/orderPhaseNodes.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+import type {PhaseNode} from "../../src/pages/VisProgPage/visualProgrammingUI/nodes/PhaseNode.tsx";
+import orderPhaseNodeArray from "../../src/utils/orderPhaseNodes.ts";
+
+function createPhaseNode(
+  id: string,
+  isFirst: boolean = false,
+  nextPhaseId: string | null = null
+): PhaseNode {
+  return {
+    id: id,
+    type: 'phase',
+    position: { x: 0, y: 0 },
+    data: {
+      label: 'Phase',
+      droppable: true,
+      children: [],
+      hasReduce: true,
+      nextPhaseId: nextPhaseId,
+      isFirstPhase: isFirst,
+    },
+  }
+}
+
+describe("orderPhaseNodes", () => {
+  test.each([
+    {
+      testCase: {
+        testName: "Throws correct error when there is no first phase (empty input array)",
+        input: [],
+        expected: "No phaseNode with isFirstObject = true found"
+      }
+    },{
+      testCase: {
+        testName: "Throws correct error when there is no first phase",
+        input: [
+          createPhaseNode("phase-1", false, "phase-2"),
+          createPhaseNode("phase-2", false, "phase-3"),
+          createPhaseNode("phase-3", false, "end")
+        ],
+        expected: "No phaseNode with isFirstObject = true found"
+      }
+    },{
+      testCase: {
+        testName: "Throws correct error when the program doesn't lead to an end node (missing phase-phase connection)",
+        input: [
+          createPhaseNode("phase-1", true, "phase-2"),
+          createPhaseNode("phase-2", false, null),
+          createPhaseNode("phase-3", false, "end")
+        ],
+        expected: "Incomplete phase sequence, program does not reach the end node"
+      }
+    },{
+      testCase: {
+        testName: "Throws correct error when the program doesn't lead to an end node (missing phase-end connection)",
+        input: [
+          createPhaseNode("phase-1", true, "phase-2"),
+          createPhaseNode("phase-2", false, "phase-3"),
+          createPhaseNode("phase-3", false, null)
+        ],
+        expected: "Incomplete phase sequence, program does not reach the end node"
+      }
+    },{
+      testCase: {
+        testName: "Throws correct error when the program leads to a non-existent phase",
+        input: [
+          createPhaseNode("phase-1", true, "phase-2"),
+          createPhaseNode("phase-2", false, "phase-3"),
+          createPhaseNode("phase-3", false, "phase-4")
+        ],
+        expected: "Incomplete phase sequence, phaseNode with id \"phase-4\" not found"
+      }
+    }
+  ])(`Error Handling: $testCase.testName`, ({testCase}) => {
+    expect(() => { orderPhaseNodeArray(testCase.input) }).toThrow(testCase.expected);
+  })
+  test.each([
+    {
+      testCase: {
+        testName: "Already correctly ordered phases stay ordered",
+        input: [
+          createPhaseNode("phase-1", true, "phase-2"),
+          createPhaseNode("phase-2", false, "phase-3"),
+          createPhaseNode("phase-3", false, "end")
+        ],
+        expected: [
+          createPhaseNode("phase-1", true, "phase-2"),
+          createPhaseNode("phase-2", false, "phase-3"),
+          createPhaseNode("phase-3", false, "end")
+        ]
+      }
+    },{
+      testCase: {
+        testName: "Incorrectly ordered phases get ordered correctly",
+        input: [
+          createPhaseNode("phase-3", false, "end"),
+          createPhaseNode("phase-1", true, "phase-2"),
+          createPhaseNode("phase-2", false, "phase-3"),
+        ],
+        expected: [
+          createPhaseNode("phase-1", true, "phase-2"),
+          createPhaseNode("phase-2", false, "phase-3"),
+          createPhaseNode("phase-3", false, "end")
+        ]
+      }
+    }
+  ])(`Functional: $testCase.testName`, ({testCase}) => {
+    const output = orderPhaseNodeArray(testCase.input);
+    expect(output).toEqual(testCase.expected);
+  })
+})
\ No newline at end of file