diff --git a/backend/src/api/routes/admin.ts b/backend/src/api/routes/admin.ts
index 9e94b0b50..4c1bdb93f 100644
--- a/backend/src/api/routes/admin.ts
+++ b/backend/src/api/routes/admin.ts
@@ -1,21 +1,19 @@
 // import joi from "joi";
 import { Router } from "express";
 import { authenticateRequest } from "../../middlewares/auth";
-import {
-  asyncHandler,
-  checkIfUserIsAdmin,
-  validateConfiguration,
-  validateRequest,
-} from "../../middlewares/api-utils";
 import * as AdminController from "../controllers/admin";
 import { adminLimit } from "../../middlewares/rate-limit";
 import { sendForgotPasswordEmail, toggleBan } from "../controllers/user";
 import joi from "joi";
+import { validate } from "../../middlewares/configuration";
+import { checkIfUserIsAdmin } from "../../middlewares/permission";
+import { asyncHandler } from "../../middlewares/utility";
+import { validateRequest } from "../../middlewares/validation";
 
 const router = Router();
 
 router.use(
-  validateConfiguration({
+  validate({
     criteria: (configuration) => {
       return configuration.admin.endpointsEnabled;
     },
diff --git a/backend/src/api/routes/ape-keys.ts b/backend/src/api/routes/ape-keys.ts
index 0d670e113..1e49bc892 100644
--- a/backend/src/api/routes/ape-keys.ts
+++ b/backend/src/api/routes/ape-keys.ts
@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
 import joi from "joi";
 import { Router } from "express";
-import {
-  asyncHandler,
-  checkUserPermissions,
-  validateConfiguration,
-  validateRequest,
-} from "../../middlewares/api-utils";
 import { authenticateRequest } from "../../middlewares/auth";
 import * as ApeKeyController from "../controllers/ape-key";
 import * as RateLimit from "../../middlewares/rate-limit";
+import { checkUserPermissions } from "../../middlewares/permission";
+import { validate } from "../../middlewares/configuration";
+import { asyncHandler } from "../../middlewares/utility";
+import { validateRequest } from "../../middlewares/validation";
 
 const apeKeyNameSchema = joi
   .string()
@@ -30,7 +28,7 @@ const checkIfUserCanManageApeKeys = checkUserPermissions({
 const router = Router();
 
 router.use(
-  validateConfiguration({
+  validate({
     criteria: (configuration) => {
       return configuration.apeKeys.endpointsEnabled;
     },
diff --git a/backend/src/api/routes/configs.ts b/backend/src/api/routes/configs.ts
index 205885aef..c2e580b62 100644
--- a/backend/src/api/routes/configs.ts
+++ b/backend/src/api/routes/configs.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import { Router } from "express";
 import { authenticateRequest } from "../../middlewares/auth";
-import { asyncHandler, validateRequest } from "../../middlewares/api-utils";
 import configSchema from "../schemas/config-schema";
 import * as ConfigController from "../controllers/config";
 import * as RateLimit from "../../middlewares/rate-limit";
+import { asyncHandler } from "../../middlewares/utility";
+import { validateRequest } from "../../middlewares/validation";
 
 const router = Router();
 
diff --git a/backend/src/api/routes/configuration.ts b/backend/src/api/routes/configuration.ts
index 17df5bf95..54cc3a963 100644
--- a/backend/src/api/routes/configuration.ts
+++ b/backend/src/api/routes/configuration.ts
@@ -1,14 +1,11 @@
 import joi from "joi";
 import { Router } from "express";
-import {
-  asyncHandler,
-  checkIfUserIsAdmin,
-  useInProduction,
-  validateRequest,
-} from "../../middlewares/api-utils";
 import * as ConfigurationController from "../controllers/configuration";
 import { authenticateRequest } from "../../middlewares/auth";
 import { adminLimit } from "../../middlewares/rate-limit";
+import { asyncHandler, useInProduction } from "../../middlewares/utility";
+import { checkIfUserIsAdmin } from "../../middlewares/permission";
+import { validateRequest } from "../../middlewares/validation";
 
 const router = Router();
 
diff --git a/backend/src/api/routes/dev.ts b/backend/src/api/routes/dev.ts
index 2ea6516cf..2c2dd2a42 100644
--- a/backend/src/api/routes/dev.ts
+++ b/backend/src/api/routes/dev.ts
@@ -1,17 +1,15 @@
 import { Router } from "express";
-import {
-  asyncHandler,
-  validateConfiguration,
-  validateRequest,
-} from "../../middlewares/api-utils";
 import joi from "joi";
 import { createTestData } from "../controllers/dev";
 import { isDevEnvironment } from "../../utils/misc";
+import { validate } from "../../middlewares/configuration";
+import { validateRequest } from "../../middlewares/validation";
+import { asyncHandler } from "../../middlewares/utility";
 
 const router = Router();
 
 router.use(
-  validateConfiguration({
+  validate({
     criteria: () => {
       return isDevEnvironment();
     },
diff --git a/backend/src/api/routes/index.ts b/backend/src/api/routes/index.ts
index 44c92c133..57c613896 100644
--- a/backend/src/api/routes/index.ts
+++ b/backend/src/api/routes/index.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import configuration from "./configuration";
 import { version } from "../../version";
 import leaderboards from "./leaderboards";
 import addSwaggerMiddlewares from "./swagger";
-import { asyncHandler } from "../../middlewares/api-utils";
+import { asyncHandler } from "../../middlewares/utility";
 import { MonkeyResponse } from "../../utils/monkey-response";
 import { recordClientVersion } from "../../utils/prometheus";
 import {
diff --git a/backend/src/api/routes/leaderboards.ts b/backend/src/api/routes/leaderboards.ts
index 0624bc481..9b2705e3a 100644
--- a/backend/src/api/routes/leaderboards.ts
+++ b/backend/src/api/routes/leaderboards.ts
@@ -4,11 +4,9 @@ import * as RateLimit from "../../middlewares/rate-limit";
 import { withApeRateLimiter } from "../../middlewares/ape-rate-limit";
 import { authenticateRequest } from "../../middlewares/auth";
 import * as LeaderboardController from "../controllers/leaderboard";
-import {
-  asyncHandler,
-  validateRequest,
-  validateConfiguration,
-} from "../../middlewares/api-utils";
+import { validate } from "../../middlewares/configuration";
+import { validateRequest } from "../../middlewares/validation";
+import { asyncHandler } from "../../middlewares/utility";
 
 const BASE_LEADERBOARD_VALIDATION_SCHEMA = {
   language: joi
@@ -39,7 +37,7 @@ const DAILY_LEADERBOARD_VALIDATION_SCHEMA = {
 
 const router = Router();
 
-const requireDailyLeaderboardsEnabled = validateConfiguration({
+const requireDailyLeaderboardsEnabled = validate({
   criteria: (configuration) => {
     return configuration.dailyLeaderboards.enabled;
   },
@@ -98,7 +96,7 @@ const WEEKLY_XP_LEADERBOARD_VALIDATION_SCHEMA = {
   weeksBefore: joi.number().min(1).max(1),
 };
 
-const requireWeeklyXpLeaderboardEnabled = validateConfiguration({
+const requireWeeklyXpLeaderboardEnabled = validate({
   criteria: (configuration) => {
     return configuration.leaderboards.weeklyXp.enabled;
   },
diff --git a/backend/src/api/routes/presets.ts b/backend/src/api/routes/presets.ts
index c8e99d457..c33ce3afe 100644
--- a/backend/src/api/routes/presets.ts
+++ b/backend/src/api/routes/presets.ts
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@ import { authenticateRequest } from "../../middlewares/auth";
 import * as PresetController from "../controllers/preset";
 import * as RateLimit from "../../middlewares/rate-limit";
 import configSchema from "../schemas/config-schema";
-import { asyncHandler, validateRequest } from "../../middlewares/api-utils";
 import { Router } from "express";
+import { asyncHandler } from "../../middlewares/utility";
+import { validateRequest } from "../../middlewares/validation";
 
 const router = Router();
 
diff --git a/backend/src/api/routes/psas.ts b/backend/src/api/routes/psas.ts
index 10a228949..6fbbd6759 100644
--- a/backend/src/api/routes/psas.ts
+++ b/backend/src/api/routes/psas.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { Router } from "express";
 import * as PsaController from "../controllers/psa";
 import * as RateLimit from "../../middlewares/rate-limit";
-import { asyncHandler } from "../../middlewares/api-utils";
+import { asyncHandler } from "../../middlewares/utility";
 
 const router = Router();
 
diff --git a/backend/src/api/routes/public.ts b/backend/src/api/routes/public.ts
index 7acc826b9..86491c6b3 100644
--- a/backend/src/api/routes/public.ts
+++ b/backend/src/api/routes/public.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import { Router } from "express";
 import * as PublicController from "../controllers/public";
 import * as RateLimit from "../../middlewares/rate-limit";
-import { asyncHandler, validateRequest } from "../../middlewares/api-utils";
+import { asyncHandler } from "../../middlewares/utility";
 import joi from "joi";
+import { validateRequest } from "../../middlewares/validation";
 
 const GET_MODE_STATS_VALIDATION_SCHEMA = {
   language: joi
diff --git a/backend/src/api/routes/quotes.ts b/backend/src/api/routes/quotes.ts
index dc26d4deb..19a4f7604 100644
--- a/backend/src/api/routes/quotes.ts
+++ b/backend/src/api/routes/quotes.ts
@@ -3,12 +3,10 @@ import { authenticateRequest } from "../../middlewares/auth";
 import { Router } from "express";
 import * as QuoteController from "../controllers/quote";
 import * as RateLimit from "../../middlewares/rate-limit";
-import {
-  asyncHandler,
-  checkUserPermissions,
-  validateConfiguration,
-  validateRequest,
-} from "../../middlewares/api-utils";
+import { checkUserPermissions } from "../../middlewares/permission";
+import { asyncHandler } from "../../middlewares/utility";
+import { validate } from "../../middlewares/configuration";
+import { validateRequest } from "../../middlewares/validation";
 
 const router = Router();
 
@@ -40,7 +38,7 @@ router.get(
 
 router.post(
   "/",
-  validateConfiguration({
+  validate({
     criteria: (configuration) => {
       return configuration.quotes.submissionsEnabled;
     },
@@ -140,7 +138,7 @@ const withCustomMessages = joi.string().messages({
 
 router.post(
   "/report",
-  validateConfiguration({
+  validate({
     criteria: (configuration) => {
       return configuration.quotes.reporting.enabled;
     },
diff --git a/backend/src/api/routes/results.ts b/backend/src/api/routes/results.ts
index 1d147b7ad..92328c072 100644
--- a/backend/src/api/routes/results.ts
+++ b/backend/src/api/routes/results.ts
@@ -1,15 +1,13 @@
 import * as ResultController from "../controllers/result";
 import resultSchema from "../schemas/result-schema";
-import {
-  asyncHandler,
-  validateRequest,
-  validateConfiguration,
-} from "../../middlewares/api-utils";
 import * as RateLimit from "../../middlewares/rate-limit";
 import { Router } from "express";
 import { authenticateRequest } from "../../middlewares/auth";
 import joi from "joi";
 import { withApeRateLimiter } from "../../middlewares/ape-rate-limit";
+import { validateRequest } from "../../middlewares/validation";
+import { asyncHandler } from "../../middlewares/utility";
+import { validate } from "../../middlewares/configuration";
 
 const router = Router();
 
@@ -31,7 +29,7 @@ router.get(
 
 router.post(
   "/",
-  validateConfiguration({
+  validate({
     criteria: (configuration) => {
       return configuration.results.savingEnabled;
     },
diff --git a/backend/src/api/routes/users.ts b/backend/src/api/routes/users.ts
index bce4515ac..79e5d0658 100644
--- a/backend/src/api/routes/users.ts
+++ b/backend/src/api/routes/users.ts
@@ -2,16 +2,14 @@ import joi from "joi";
 import { authenticateRequest } from "../../middlewares/auth";
 import { Router } from "express";
 import * as UserController from "../controllers/user";
-import {
-  asyncHandler,
-  validateRequest,
-  validateConfiguration,
-  checkUserPermissions,
-} from "../../middlewares/api-utils";
 import * as RateLimit from "../../middlewares/rate-limit";
 import { withApeRateLimiter } from "../../middlewares/ape-rate-limit";
 import { containsProfanity, isUsernameValid } from "../../utils/validation";
 import filterSchema from "../schemas/filter-schema";
+import { asyncHandler } from "../../middlewares/utility";
+import { validate } from "../../middlewares/configuration";
+import { validateRequest } from "../../middlewares/validation";
+import { checkUserPermissions } from "../../middlewares/permission";
 
 const router = Router();
 
@@ -103,7 +101,7 @@ router.get(
 
 router.post(
   "/signup",
-  validateConfiguration({
+  validate({
     criteria: (configuration) => {
       return configuration.users.signUp;
     },
@@ -243,7 +241,7 @@ router.post(
   asyncHandler(UserController.optOutOfLeaderboards)
 );
 
-const requireFilterPresetsEnabled = validateConfiguration({
+const requireFilterPresetsEnabled = validate({
   criteria: (configuration) => {
     return configuration.results.filterPresets.enabled;
   },
@@ -389,7 +387,7 @@ router.patch(
   asyncHandler(UserController.editCustomTheme)
 );
 
-const requireDiscordIntegrationEnabled = validateConfiguration({
+const requireDiscordIntegrationEnabled = validate({
   criteria: (configuration) => {
     return configuration.users.discordIntegration.enabled;
   },
@@ -498,7 +496,7 @@ router.delete(
   asyncHandler(UserController.removeFavoriteQuote)
 );
 
-const requireProfilesEnabled = validateConfiguration({
+const requireProfilesEnabled = validate({
   criteria: (configuration) => {
     return configuration.users.profiles.enabled;
   },
@@ -577,7 +575,7 @@ router.patch(
 
 const mailIdSchema = joi.array().items(joi.string().guid()).min(1).default([]);
 
-const requireInboxEnabled = validateConfiguration({
+const requireInboxEnabled = validate({
   criteria: (configuration) => {
     return configuration.users.inbox.enabled;
   },
@@ -612,7 +610,7 @@ const withCustomMessages = joi.string().messages({
 
 router.post(
   "/report",
-  validateConfiguration({
+  validate({
     criteria: (configuration) => {
       return configuration.quotes.reporting.enabled;
     },
diff --git a/backend/src/api/routes/webhooks.ts b/backend/src/api/routes/webhooks.ts
index f594009fb..d0e774d09 100644
--- a/backend/src/api/routes/webhooks.ts
+++ b/backend/src/api/routes/webhooks.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // import joi from "joi";
 import { Router } from "express";
 import { authenticateGithubWebhook } from "../../middlewares/auth";
-import { asyncHandler } from "../../middlewares/api-utils";
+import { asyncHandler } from "../../middlewares/utility";
 import { webhookLimit } from "../../middlewares/rate-limit";
 import { githubRelease } from "../controllers/webhooks";
 
diff --git a/backend/src/middlewares/api-utils.ts b/backend/src/middlewares/api-utils.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 347425a5f..000000000
--- a/backend/src/middlewares/api-utils.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,209 +0,0 @@
-import _ from "lodash";
-import joi from "joi";
-import MonkeyError from "../utils/error";
-import { Response, NextFunction, RequestHandler } from "express";
-import { handleMonkeyResponse, MonkeyResponse } from "../utils/monkey-response";
-import { getUser } from "../dal/user";
-import { isAdmin } from "../dal/admin-uids";
-import { isDevEnvironment } from "../utils/misc";
-
-type ValidationOptions<T> = {
-  criteria: (data: T) => boolean;
-  invalidMessage?: string;
-};
-
-const emptyMiddleware = (
-  _req: MonkeyTypes.Request,
-  _res: Response,
-  next: NextFunction
-): void => next();
-
-/**
- * This utility checks that the server's configuration matches
- * the criteria.
- */
-function validateConfiguration(
-  options: ValidationOptions<SharedTypes.Configuration>
-): RequestHandler {
-  const {
-    criteria,
-    invalidMessage = "This service is currently unavailable.",
-  } = options;
-
-  return (req: MonkeyTypes.Request, _res: Response, next: NextFunction) => {
-    const configuration = req.ctx.configuration;
-
-    const validated = criteria(configuration);
-    if (!validated) {
-      throw new MonkeyError(503, invalidMessage);
-    }
-
-    next();
-  };
-}
-
-/**
- * Check if the user is an admin before handling request.
- * Note that this middleware must be used after authentication in the middleware stack.
- */
-function checkIfUserIsAdmin(): RequestHandler {
-  return async (
-    req: MonkeyTypes.Request,
-    _res: Response,
-    next: NextFunction
-  ) => {
-    try {
-      const { uid } = req.ctx.decodedToken;
-      const admin = await isAdmin(uid);
-
-      if (!admin) {
-        throw new MonkeyError(403, "You don't have permission to do this.");
-      }
-    } catch (error) {
-      next(error);
-    }
-
-    next();
-  };
-}
-
-/**
- * Check user permissions before handling request.
- * Note that this middleware must be used after authentication in the middleware stack.
- */
-function checkUserPermissions(
-  options: ValidationOptions<MonkeyTypes.DBUser>
-): RequestHandler {
-  const { criteria, invalidMessage = "You don't have permission to do this." } =
-    options;
-
-  return async (
-    req: MonkeyTypes.Request,
-    _res: Response,
-    next: NextFunction
-  ) => {
-    try {
-      const { uid } = req.ctx.decodedToken;
-
-      const userData = await getUser(uid, "check user permissions");
-      const hasPermission = criteria(userData);
-
-      if (!hasPermission) {
-        throw new MonkeyError(403, invalidMessage);
-      }
-    } catch (error) {
-      next(error);
-    }
-
-    next();
-  };
-}
-
-type AsyncHandler = (
-  req: MonkeyTypes.Request,
-  res?: Response
-) => Promise<MonkeyResponse>;
-
-/**
- * This utility serves as an alternative to wrapping express handlers with try/catch statements.
- * Any routes that use an async handler function should wrap the handler with this function.
- * Without this, any errors thrown will not be caught by the error handling middleware, and
- * the app will hang!
- */
-function asyncHandler(handler: AsyncHandler): RequestHandler {
-  return async (
-    req: MonkeyTypes.Request,
-    res: Response,
-    next: NextFunction
-  ) => {
-    try {
-      const handlerData = await handler(req, res);
-      return handleMonkeyResponse(handlerData, res);
-    } catch (error) {
-      next(error);
-    }
-  };
-}
-
-type ValidationSchema = {
-  body?: object;
-  query?: object;
-  params?: object;
-  headers?: object;
-};
-
-type ValidationSchemaOption = {
-  allowUnknown?: boolean;
-};
-
-type ValidationHandlingOptions = {
-  validationErrorMessage?: string;
-};
-
-type ValidationSchemaOptions = {
-  [schema in keyof ValidationSchema]?: ValidationSchemaOption;
-} & ValidationHandlingOptions;
-
-const VALIDATION_SCHEMA_DEFAULT_OPTIONS: ValidationSchemaOptions = {
-  body: { allowUnknown: false },
-  headers: { allowUnknown: true },
-  params: { allowUnknown: false },
-  query: { allowUnknown: false },
-};
-
-function validateRequest(
-  validationSchema: ValidationSchema,
-  validationOptions: ValidationSchemaOptions = VALIDATION_SCHEMA_DEFAULT_OPTIONS
-): RequestHandler {
-  const options = {
-    ...VALIDATION_SCHEMA_DEFAULT_OPTIONS,
-    ...validationOptions,
-  };
-  const { validationErrorMessage } = options;
-  const normalizedValidationSchema: ValidationSchema = _.omit(
-    validationSchema,
-    "validationErrorMessage"
-  );
-
-  return (req: MonkeyTypes.Request, _res: Response, next: NextFunction) => {
-    _.each(
-      normalizedValidationSchema,
-      (schema: object, key: keyof ValidationSchema) => {
-        const joiSchema = joi
-          .object()
-          .keys(schema)
-          .unknown(options[key]?.allowUnknown);
-
-        const { error } = joiSchema.validate(req[key] ?? {});
-        if (error) {
-          const errorMessage = error.details[0]?.message;
-          throw new MonkeyError(
-            422,
-            validationErrorMessage ??
-              `${errorMessage} (${error.details[0]?.context?.value})`
-          );
-        }
-      }
-    );
-
-    next();
-  };
-}
-
-/**
- * Uses the middlewares only in production. Otherwise, uses an empty middleware.
- */
-function useInProduction(middlewares: RequestHandler[]): RequestHandler[] {
-  return middlewares.map((middleware) =>
-    isDevEnvironment() ? emptyMiddleware : middleware
-  );
-}
-
-export {
-  validateConfiguration,
-  checkUserPermissions,
-  checkIfUserIsAdmin,
-  asyncHandler,
-  validateRequest,
-  useInProduction,
-};
diff --git a/backend/src/middlewares/configuration.ts b/backend/src/middlewares/configuration.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..19ee0b86f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/middlewares/configuration.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import { Response, NextFunction, RequestHandler } from "express";
+import MonkeyError from "../utils/error";
+
+export type ValidationOptions<T> = {
+  criteria: (data: T) => boolean;
+  invalidMessage?: string;
+};
+
+/**
+ * This utility checks that the server's configuration matches
+ * the criteria.
+ */
+export function validate(
+  options: ValidationOptions<SharedTypes.Configuration>
+): RequestHandler {
+  const {
+    criteria,
+    invalidMessage = "This service is currently unavailable.",
+  } = options;
+
+  return (req: MonkeyTypes.Request, _res: Response, next: NextFunction) => {
+    const configuration = req.ctx.configuration;
+
+    const validated = criteria(configuration);
+    if (!validated) {
+      throw new MonkeyError(503, invalidMessage);
+    }
+
+    next();
+  };
+}
diff --git a/backend/src/middlewares/permission.ts b/backend/src/middlewares/permission.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2a01a9f74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/middlewares/permission.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+import _ from "lodash";
+import MonkeyError from "../utils/error";
+import { Response, NextFunction, RequestHandler } from "express";
+import { getUser } from "../dal/user";
+import { isAdmin } from "../dal/admin-uids";
+import { ValidationOptions } from "./configuration";
+
+/**
+ * Check if the user is an admin before handling request.
+ * Note that this middleware must be used after authentication in the middleware stack.
+ */
+export function checkIfUserIsAdmin(): RequestHandler {
+  return async (
+    req: MonkeyTypes.Request,
+    _res: Response,
+    next: NextFunction
+  ) => {
+    try {
+      const { uid } = req.ctx.decodedToken;
+      const admin = await isAdmin(uid);
+
+      if (!admin) {
+        throw new MonkeyError(403, "You don't have permission to do this.");
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      next(error);
+    }
+
+    next();
+  };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check user permissions before handling request.
+ * Note that this middleware must be used after authentication in the middleware stack.
+ */
+export function checkUserPermissions(
+  options: ValidationOptions<MonkeyTypes.DBUser>
+): RequestHandler {
+  const { criteria, invalidMessage = "You don't have permission to do this." } =
+    options;
+
+  return async (
+    req: MonkeyTypes.Request,
+    _res: Response,
+    next: NextFunction
+  ) => {
+    try {
+      const { uid } = req.ctx.decodedToken;
+
+      const userData = await getUser(uid, "check user permissions");
+      const hasPermission = criteria(userData);
+
+      if (!hasPermission) {
+        throw new MonkeyError(403, invalidMessage);
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      next(error);
+    }
+
+    next();
+  };
+}
diff --git a/backend/src/middlewares/utility.ts b/backend/src/middlewares/utility.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d62bac424
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/middlewares/utility.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+import _ from "lodash";
+import { Response, NextFunction, RequestHandler } from "express";
+import { handleMonkeyResponse, MonkeyResponse } from "../utils/monkey-response";
+import { isDevEnvironment } from "../utils/misc";
+
+export const emptyMiddleware = (
+  _req: MonkeyTypes.Request,
+  _res: Response,
+  next: NextFunction
+): void => next();
+
+type AsyncHandler = (
+  req: MonkeyTypes.Request,
+  res?: Response
+) => Promise<MonkeyResponse>;
+
+/**
+ * This utility serves as an alternative to wrapping express handlers with try/catch statements.
+ * Any routes that use an async handler function should wrap the handler with this function.
+ * Without this, any errors thrown will not be caught by the error handling middleware, and
+ * the app will hang!
+ */
+export function asyncHandler(handler: AsyncHandler): RequestHandler {
+  return async (
+    req: MonkeyTypes.Request,
+    res: Response,
+    next: NextFunction
+  ) => {
+    try {
+      const handlerData = await handler(req, res);
+      return handleMonkeyResponse(handlerData, res);
+    } catch (error) {
+      next(error);
+    }
+  };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Uses the middlewares only in production. Otherwise, uses an empty middleware.
+ */
+export function useInProduction(
+  middlewares: RequestHandler[]
+): RequestHandler[] {
+  return middlewares.map((middleware) =>
+    isDevEnvironment() ? emptyMiddleware : middleware
+  );
+}
diff --git a/backend/src/middlewares/validation.ts b/backend/src/middlewares/validation.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..106621b29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/middlewares/validation.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+import _ from "lodash";
+import joi from "joi";
+import MonkeyError from "../utils/error";
+import { Response, NextFunction, RequestHandler } from "express";
+
+type ValidationSchema = {
+  body?: object;
+  query?: object;
+  params?: object;
+  headers?: object;
+};
+
+type ValidationSchemaOption = {
+  allowUnknown?: boolean;
+};
+
+type ValidationHandlingOptions = {
+  validationErrorMessage?: string;
+};
+
+type ValidationSchemaOptions = {
+  [schema in keyof ValidationSchema]?: ValidationSchemaOption;
+} & ValidationHandlingOptions;
+
+const VALIDATION_SCHEMA_DEFAULT_OPTIONS: ValidationSchemaOptions = {
+  body: { allowUnknown: false },
+  headers: { allowUnknown: true },
+  params: { allowUnknown: false },
+  query: { allowUnknown: false },
+};
+
+export function validateRequest(
+  validationSchema: ValidationSchema,
+  validationOptions: ValidationSchemaOptions = VALIDATION_SCHEMA_DEFAULT_OPTIONS
+): RequestHandler {
+  const options = {
+    ...VALIDATION_SCHEMA_DEFAULT_OPTIONS,
+    ...validationOptions,
+  };
+  const { validationErrorMessage } = options;
+  const normalizedValidationSchema: ValidationSchema = _.omit(
+    validationSchema,
+    "validationErrorMessage"
+  );
+
+  return (req: MonkeyTypes.Request, _res: Response, next: NextFunction) => {
+    _.each(
+      normalizedValidationSchema,
+      (schema: object, key: keyof ValidationSchema) => {
+        const joiSchema = joi
+          .object()
+          .keys(schema)
+          .unknown(options[key]?.allowUnknown);
+
+        const { error } = joiSchema.validate(req[key] ?? {});
+        if (error) {
+          const errorMessage = error.details[0]?.message;
+          throw new MonkeyError(
+            422,
+            validationErrorMessage ??
+              `${errorMessage} (${error.details[0]?.context?.value})`
+          );
+        }
+      }
+    );
+
+    next();
+  };
+}