diff --git a/pageserver/src/tenant/ephemeral_file.rs b/pageserver/src/tenant/ephemeral_file.rs
index 961407509e..5f7e86f364 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/tenant/ephemeral_file.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/tenant/ephemeral_file.rs
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ impl EphemeralFile {
         Ok(pos)
     }
 
-    pub(crate) async fn write_raw_controlled(
+    async fn write_raw_controlled(
         &mut self,
         srcbuf: &[u8],
         ctx: &RequestContext,
@@ -552,8 +552,9 @@ mod tests {
         // completely within the file range
         assert!(align < cap, "test assumption");
         assert!(cap % align == 0);
-        let not_started = control.unwrap().into_not_started();
 
+        // test reads at different flush stages.
+        let not_started = control.unwrap().into_not_started();
         test_read_all_offset_combinations().await;
         let in_progress = not_started.ready_to_flush();
         test_read_all_offset_combinations().await;
diff --git a/pageserver/src/virtual_file/owned_buffers_io/write.rs b/pageserver/src/virtual_file/owned_buffers_io/write.rs
index 99e4dc4c76..84bf32b684 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/virtual_file/owned_buffers_io/write.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/virtual_file/owned_buffers_io/write.rs
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ where
     }
 
     /// In addition to bytes submitted in this write, also returns a handle that can control the flush behavior.
-    pub async fn write_buffered_borrowed_controlled(
+    pub(crate) async fn write_buffered_borrowed_controlled(
         &mut self,
         mut chunk: &[u8],
         ctx: &RequestContext,
diff --git a/pageserver/src/virtual_file/owned_buffers_io/write/flush.rs b/pageserver/src/virtual_file/owned_buffers_io/write/flush.rs
index 84e569baf7..585c70218b 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/virtual_file/owned_buffers_io/write/flush.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/virtual_file/owned_buffers_io/write/flush.rs
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ struct FlushRequest<Buf> {
     done_flush_tx: tokio::sync::oneshot::Sender<()>,
 }
 
+/// Constructs a request and a control object for a new flush operation.
 #[cfg(not(test))]
 fn new_flush_op<Buf>(slice: FullSlice<Buf>, offset: u64) -> (FlushRequest<Buf>, FlushControl) {
     let request = FlushRequest { slice, offset };
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ fn new_flush_op<Buf>(slice: FullSlice<Buf>, offset: u64) -> (FlushRequest<Buf>,
     (request, control)
 }
 
+/// Constructs a request and a control object for a new flush operation.
 #[cfg(test)]
 fn new_flush_op<Buf>(slice: FullSlice<Buf>, offset: u64) -> (FlushRequest<Buf>, FlushControl) {
     let (ready_to_flush_tx, ready_to_flush_rx) = tokio::sync::oneshot::channel();
@@ -59,12 +61,15 @@ fn new_flush_op<Buf>(slice: FullSlice<Buf>, offset: u64) -> (FlushRequest<Buf>,
 }
 
 pub enum FlushStartState {
+    /// The submitted buffer's flush state is not tracked.
     #[cfg(not(test))]
     Untracked,
+    /// The submitted buffer has not been flushed to disk.
     #[cfg(test)]
     NotStarted(FlushNotStarted),
 }
 
+/// A control object that manipulates buffer's flush behehavior.
 pub(crate) struct FlushControl {
     state: FlushStartState,
 }
@@ -82,6 +87,7 @@ impl FlushControl {
             }),
         }
     }
+
     #[cfg(not(test))]
     fn untracked() -> Self {
         FlushControl {
@@ -97,6 +103,9 @@ impl FlushControl {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Release control to the submitted buffer.
+    ///
+    /// In `cfg(test)` environment, the buffer is guranteed to be flushed to disk after [`FlushControl::release`] is finishes execution.
     pub async fn release(self) {
         match self.state {
             #[cfg(not(test))]
@@ -287,6 +296,7 @@ pub(crate) struct FlushDone;
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 impl FlushNotStarted {
+    /// Signals the background task the buffer is ready to flush to disk.
     pub fn ready_to_flush(self) -> FlushInProgress {
         self.ready_to_flush_tx
             .send(())
@@ -299,6 +309,7 @@ impl FlushNotStarted {
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 impl FlushInProgress {
+    /// Waits until background flush is done.
     pub async fn wait_until_flush_is_done(self) -> FlushDone {
         self.done_flush_rx.await.unwrap();
         FlushDone