diff --git a/tests/app/public_contracts/GET_notification_return_email.json b/tests/app/public_contracts/GET_notification_return_email.json
index 78318cdaa..949033e6b 100644
--- a/tests/app/public_contracts/GET_notification_return_email.json
+++ b/tests/app/public_contracts/GET_notification_return_email.json
@@ -1,128 +1,15 @@
 {
   "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
-  "description": "GET notification return schema - for SMS notifications",
+  "description": "GET notification return schema - for email notifications",
   "type" : "object",
   "properties": {
     "data": {
       "type": "object",
       "properties": {
-        "notification": {
-          "type": "object",
-          "properties": {
-            "id": {"$ref": "#/definitions/uuid"},
-            "to": {"type": "string", "format": "email"},
-            "job_row_number": {"oneOf":[
-              {"type": "number"},
-              {"type": "null"}
-            ]},
-            "template_version": {"type": "number"},
-            "billable_units": {"type": "number"},
-            "notification_type": {
-              "type": "string",
-              "enum": ["email"]
-            },
-            "created_at": {"$ref": "#/definitions/datetime"},
-            "sent_at": {"oneOf":[
-              {"$ref": "#/definitions/datetime"},
-              {"type": "null"}
-            ]},
-            "sent_by": {"oneOf":[
-              {"type": "string"},
-              {"type": "null"}
-            ]},
-            "updated_at": {"oneOf":[
-              {"$ref": "#/definitions/datetime"},
-              {"type": "null"}
-            ]},
-            "status": {
-              "type": "string",
-              "enum": [
-                "created",
-                "sending",
-                "delivered",
-                "pending",
-                "failed",
-                "technical-failure",
-                "temporary-failure",
-                "permanent-failure"
-              ]
-            },
-            "reference": {"oneOf":[
-              {"type": "string"},
-              {"type": "null"}
-            ]},
-            "template": {
-              "type": "object",
-              "properties": {
-                "id": {"$ref": "#/definitions/uuid"},
-                "name": {"type": "string"},
-                "template_type": {
-                  "type": "string",
-                  "enum": ["email"]
-                },
-                "version": {"type": "number"}
-              },
-              "additionalProperties": false,
-              "required": ["id", "name", "template_type", "version"]
-            },
-            "service": {"$ref": "#/definitions/uuid"},
-            "job": {
-              "oneOf": [
-                {
-                  "type": "object",
-                  "properties": {
-                    "id": {"$ref": "#/definitions/uuid"},
-                    "original_file_name": {"type": "string"}
-                  },
-                  "additionalProperties": false,
-                  "required": ["id", "original_file_name"]
-                },
-                {"type": "null"}
-              ]
-            },
-            "api_key": {"oneOf":[
-              {"$ref": "#/definitions/uuid"},
-              {"type": "null"}
-            ]},
-            "body": {"type": "string"},
-            "content_char_count": {"type": "null"},
-            "subject": {"type": "string"}
-          },
-          "additionalProperties": false,
-          "required": [
-            "id",
-            "to",
-            "job_row_number",
-            "template_version",
-            "billable_units",
-            "notification_type",
-            "created_at",
-            "sent_at",
-            "sent_by",
-            "updated_at",
-            "status",
-            "reference",
-            "template",
-            "service",
-            "job",
-            "api_key",
-            "body",
-            "content_char_count"
-          ]
-        }
+        "notification": {"$ref": "email_notification.json"}
       },
       "additionalProperties": false
     }
   },
-  "additionalProperties": false,
-  "definitions": {
-    "uuid": {
-      "type": "string",
-      "pattern": "^[a-fA-F0-9]{8}-[a-fA-F0-9]{4}-[a-fA-F0-9]{4}-[a-fA-F0-9]{4}-[a-fA-F0-9]{12}$"
-    },
-    "datetime": {
-      "type": "string",
-      "format": "date-time"
-    }
-  }
+  "additionalProperties": false
 }
diff --git a/tests/app/public_contracts/GET_notification_return_sms.json b/tests/app/public_contracts/GET_notification_return_sms.json
index 804b91722..356428fde 100644
--- a/tests/app/public_contracts/GET_notification_return_sms.json
+++ b/tests/app/public_contracts/GET_notification_return_sms.json
@@ -1,127 +1,15 @@
 {
   "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
-  "description": "GET notification return schema - for SMS notifications",
+  "description": "GET notification return schema - for sms notifications",
   "type" : "object",
   "properties": {
     "data": {
       "type": "object",
       "properties": {
-        "notification": {
-          "type": "object",
-          "properties": {
-            "id": {"$ref": "#/definitions/uuid"},
-            "to": {"type": "string"},
-            "job_row_number": {"oneOf":[
-              {"type": "number"},
-              {"type": "null"}
-            ]},
-            "template_version": {"type": "number"},
-            "billable_units": {"type": "number"},
-            "notification_type": {
-              "type": "string",
-              "enum": ["sms"]
-            },
-            "created_at": {"$ref": "#/definitions/datetime"},
-            "sent_at": {"oneOf":[
-              {"$ref": "#/definitions/datetime"},
-              {"type": "null"}
-            ]},
-            "sent_by": {"oneOf":[
-              {"type": "string"},
-              {"type": "null"}
-            ]},
-            "updated_at": {"oneOf":[
-              {"$ref": "#/definitions/datetime"},
-              {"type": "null"}
-            ]},
-            "status": {
-              "type": "string",
-              "enum": [
-                "created",
-                "sending",
-                "delivered",
-                "pending",
-                "failed",
-                "technical-failure",
-                "temporary-failure",
-                "permanent-failure"
-              ]
-            },
-            "reference": {"oneOf":[
-              {"type": "string"},
-              {"type": "null"}
-            ]},
-            "template": {
-              "type": "object",
-              "properties": {
-                "id": {"$ref": "#/definitions/uuid"},
-                "name": {"type": "string"},
-                "template_type": {
-                  "type": "string",
-                  "enum": ["sms"]
-                },
-                "version": {"type": "number"}
-              },
-              "additionalProperties": false,
-              "required": ["id", "name", "template_type", "version"]
-            },
-            "service": {"$ref": "#/definitions/uuid"},
-            "job": {
-              "oneOf": [
-                {
-                  "type": "object",
-                  "properties": {
-                    "id": {"$ref": "#/definitions/uuid"},
-                    "original_file_name": {"type": "string"}
-                  },
-                  "additionalProperties": false,
-                  "required": ["id", "original_file_name"]
-                },
-                {"type": "null"}
-              ]
-            },
-            "api_key": {"oneOf":[
-              {"$ref": "#/definitions/uuid"},
-              {"type": "null"}
-            ]},
-            "body": {"type": "string"},
-            "content_char_count": {"type": "number"}
-          },
-          "additionalProperties": false,
-          "required": [
-            "id",
-            "to",
-            "job_row_number",
-            "template_version",
-            "billable_units",
-            "notification_type",
-            "created_at",
-            "sent_at",
-            "sent_by",
-            "updated_at",
-            "status",
-            "reference",
-            "template",
-            "service",
-            "job",
-            "api_key",
-            "body",
-            "content_char_count"
-          ]
-        }
+        "notification": {"$ref": "sms_notification.json"}
       },
       "additionalProperties": false
     }
   },
-  "additionalProperties": false,
-  "definitions": {
-    "uuid": {
-      "type": "string",
-      "pattern": "^[a-fA-F0-9]{8}-[a-fA-F0-9]{4}-[a-fA-F0-9]{4}-[a-fA-F0-9]{4}-[a-fA-F0-9]{12}$"
-    },
-    "datetime": {
-      "type": "string",
-      "format": "date-time"
-    }
-  }
+  "additionalProperties": false
 }
diff --git a/tests/app/public_contracts/definitions.json b/tests/app/public_contracts/definitions.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d8a2ea3ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/app/public_contracts/definitions.json
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+  "description": "Common definitions - usage example: {'$ref': 'definitions.json#/uuid'} (swap quotes for double quotes)",
+  "uuid": {
+    "type": "string",
+    "pattern": "^[a-fA-F0-9]{8}-[a-fA-F0-9]{4}-[a-fA-F0-9]{4}-[a-fA-F0-9]{4}-[a-fA-F0-9]{12}$"
+  },
+  "datetime": {
+    "type": "string",
+    "format": "date-time"
+  },
+}
diff --git a/tests/app/public_contracts/email_notification.json b/tests/app/public_contracts/email_notification.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6de386eea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/app/public_contracts/email_notification.json
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+{
+  "email_notification": {
+    "description": "Single email notification schema - as returned by GET /notification and GET /notification/{}",
+    "type": "object",
+    "properties": {
+      "id": {"$ref": "definitions.json#/uuid"},
+      "to": {"type": "string", "format": "email"},
+      "job_row_number": {"oneOf":[
+        {"type": "number"},
+        {"type": "null"}
+      ]},
+      "template_version": {"type": "number"},
+      "billable_units": {"type": "number"},
+      "notification_type": {
+        "type": "string",
+        "enum": ["email"]
+      },
+      "created_at": {"$ref": "definitions.json#/datetime"},
+      "sent_at": {"oneOf":[
+        {"$ref": "definitions.json#/datetime"},
+        {"type": "null"}
+      ]},
+      "sent_by": {"oneOf":[
+        {"type": "string"},
+        {"type": "null"}
+      ]},
+      "updated_at": {"oneOf":[
+        {"$ref": "definitions.json#/datetime"},
+        {"type": "null"}
+      ]},
+      "status": {
+        "type": "string",
+        "enum": [
+          "created",
+          "sending",
+          "delivered",
+          "pending",
+          "failed",
+          "technical-failure",
+          "temporary-failure",
+          "permanent-failure"
+        ]
+      },
+      "reference": {"oneOf":[
+        {"type": "string"},
+        {"type": "null"}
+      ]},
+      "template": {
+        "type": "object",
+        "properties": {
+          "id": {"$ref": "definitions.json#/uuid"},
+          "name": {"type": "string"},
+          "template_type": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "enum": ["email"]
+          },
+          "version": {"type": "number"}
+        },
+        "additionalProperties": false,
+        "required": ["id", "name", "template_type", "version"]
+      },
+      "service": {"$ref": "definitions.json#/uuid"},
+      "job": {
+        "oneOf": [
+          {
+            "type": "object",
+            "properties": {
+              "id": {"$ref": "definitions.json#/uuid"},
+              "original_file_name": {"type": "string"}
+            },
+            "additionalProperties": false,
+            "required": ["id", "original_file_name"]
+          },
+          {"type": "null"}
+        ]
+      },
+      "api_key": {"oneOf":[
+        {"$ref": "definitions.json#/uuid"},
+        {"type": "null"}
+      ]},
+      "body": {"type": "string"},
+      "content_char_count": {"type": "null"},
+      "subject": {"type": "string"}
+    },
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "required": [
+      "id",
+      "to",
+      "job_row_number",
+      "template_version",
+      "billable_units",
+      "notification_type",
+      "created_at",
+      "sent_at",
+      "sent_by",
+      "updated_at",
+      "status",
+      "reference",
+      "template",
+      "service",
+      "job",
+      "api_key",
+      "body",
+      "content_char_count",
+      "subject"
+    ]
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tests/app/public_contracts/sms_notification.json b/tests/app/public_contracts/sms_notification.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..816a2056a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/app/public_contracts/sms_notification.json
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+{
+  "sms_notification": {
+    "description": "Single sms notification schema - as returned by GET /notification and GET /notification/{}",
+    "type": "object",
+    "properties": {
+      "id": {"$ref": "definitions.json#/uuid"},
+      "to": {"type": "string"},
+      "job_row_number": {"oneOf":[
+        {"type": "number"},
+        {"type": "null"}
+      ]},
+      "template_version": {"type": "number"},
+      "billable_units": {"type": "number"},
+      "notification_type": {
+        "type": "string",
+        "enum": ["sms"]
+      },
+      "created_at": {"$ref": "definitions.json#/datetime"},
+      "sent_at": {"oneOf":[
+        {"$ref": "definitions.json#/datetime"},
+        {"type": "null"}
+      ]},
+      "sent_by": {"oneOf":[
+        {"type": "string"},
+        {"type": "null"}
+      ]},
+      "updated_at": {"oneOf":[
+        {"$ref": "definitions.json#/datetime"},
+        {"type": "null"}
+      ]},
+      "status": {
+        "type": "string",
+        "enum": [
+          "created",
+          "sending",
+          "delivered",
+          "pending",
+          "failed",
+          "technical-failure",
+          "temporary-failure",
+          "permanent-failure"
+        ]
+      },
+      "reference": {"oneOf":[
+        {"type": "string"},
+        {"type": "null"}
+      ]},
+      "template": {
+        "type": "object",
+        "properties": {
+          "id": {"$ref": "definitions.json#/uuid"},
+          "name": {"type": "string"},
+          "template_type": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "enum": ["sms"]
+          },
+          "version": {"type": "number"}
+        },
+        "additionalProperties": false,
+        "required": ["id", "name", "template_type", "version"]
+      },
+      "service": {"$ref": "definitions.json#/uuid"},
+      "job": {
+        "oneOf": [
+          {
+            "type": "object",
+            "properties": {
+              "id": {"$ref": "definitions.json#/uuid"},
+              "original_file_name": {"type": "string"}
+            },
+            "additionalProperties": false,
+            "required": ["id", "original_file_name"]
+          },
+          {"type": "null"}
+        ]
+      },
+      "api_key": {"oneOf":[
+        {"$ref": "definitions.json#/uuid"},
+        {"type": "null"}
+      ]},
+      "body": {"type": "string"},
+      "content_char_count": {"type": "null"}
+    },
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "required": [
+      "id",
+      "to",
+      "job_row_number",
+      "template_version",
+      "billable_units",
+      "notification_type",
+      "created_at",
+      "sent_at",
+      "sent_by",
+      "updated_at",
+      "status",
+      "reference",
+      "template",
+      "service",
+      "job",
+      "api_key",
+      "body",
+      "content_char_count"
+    ]
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tests/app/public_contracts/test_GET_notification.py b/tests/app/public_contracts/test_GET_notification.py
index d048e34e2..a9cb0fce4 100644
--- a/tests/app/public_contracts/test_GET_notification.py
+++ b/tests/app/public_contracts/test_GET_notification.py
@@ -5,26 +5,25 @@ import jsonschema
 
 from tests import create_authorization_header
 
+def validate(json_string, schema_filename):
+    resolver = jsonschema.RefResolver('file://' + os.path.dirname(__file__) + '/', None)
+    with open(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), schema_filename)) as schema:
+        jsonschema.validate(
+            json.loads(json_string),
+            json.load(schema),
+            format_checker=jsonschema.FormatChecker(),
+            resolver=resolver
+        )
 
 def test_get_sms_contract(client, sample_notification):
     auth_header = create_authorization_header(service_id=sample_notification.service_id)
     response = client.get('/notifications/{}'.format(sample_notification.id), headers=[auth_header])
 
-    with open(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), './GET_notification_return_sms.json')) as schema:
-        jsonschema.validate(
-            json.loads(response.get_data(as_text=True)),
-            json.load(schema),
-            format_checker=jsonschema.FormatChecker()
-        )
+    validate(response.get_data(as_text=True), './GET_notification_return_sms.json')
 
 
 def test_get_email_contract(client, sample_email_notification):
     auth_header = create_authorization_header(service_id=sample_email_notification.service_id)
     response = client.get('/notifications/{}'.format(sample_email_notification.id), headers=[auth_header])
 
-    with open(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), './GET_notification_return_email.json')) as schema:
-        jsonschema.validate(
-            json.loads(response.get_data(as_text=True)),
-            json.load(schema),
-            format_checker=jsonschema.FormatChecker()
-        )
+    validate(response.get_data(as_text=True), './GET_notification_return_email.json')