diff --git a/core/crates/solstone-core-facets/src/store/error.rs b/core/crates/solstone-core-facets/src/store/error.rs
index ecd314272..bf24a4aa1 100644
--- a/core/crates/solstone-core-facets/src/store/error.rs
+++ b/core/crates/solstone-core-facets/src/store/error.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ pub enum FacetStoreError {
     Path(PathError),
     DeclarationNotObject { path: PathBuf },
     EntityLinkNotObject { path: PathBuf },
+    CorruptCompletionMarker { path: PathBuf },
 }
 
 impl fmt::Display for FacetStoreError {
@@ -39,6 +40,11 @@ impl fmt::Display for FacetStoreError {
                     path.display()
                 )
             }
+            Self::CorruptCompletionMarker { path } => write!(
+                formatter,
+                "facet entity-link repair completion marker is empty or malformed: {}",
+                path.display()
+            ),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -48,7 +54,9 @@ impl Error for FacetStoreError {
         match self {
             Self::Read(error) => Some(error),
             Self::Path(error) => Some(error),
-            Self::DeclarationNotObject { .. } | Self::EntityLinkNotObject { .. } => None,
+            Self::DeclarationNotObject { .. }
+            | Self::EntityLinkNotObject { .. }
+            | Self::CorruptCompletionMarker { .. } => None,
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/core/crates/solstone-core-facets/src/store/repair.rs b/core/crates/solstone-core-facets/src/store/repair.rs
index c24115c32..c9ccc43fd 100644
--- a/core/crates/solstone-core-facets/src/store/repair.rs
+++ b/core/crates/solstone-core-facets/src/store/repair.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ use solstone_core_entity::{
 };
 use solstone_core_journal_io::{
     AtomicWriteError, DirEntryKind, JsonWriteOptions, PathError, ReadError, list_dir_entries,
-    path_lexists, read_json, write_json,
+    path_lexists, read_text, write_json,
 };
 
 use crate::{FacetTrustLockError, hold_facet_trust_lock};
@@ -620,11 +620,16 @@ fn write_marker<T: Serialize>(path: &Path, report: &T) -> Result<(), AtomicWrite
 }
 
 fn read_facet_marker(path: &Path) -> Result<FacetEntityLinkReport, FacetStoreError> {
-    let marker: FacetEntityLinkCompletionMarker = read_json(
-        path,
-        marker_default(),
-        solstone_core_journal_io::MalformedPolicy::Raise,
-    )?;
+    let contents = read_text(path, String::new())?;
+    if contents.trim().is_empty() {
+        return Err(FacetStoreError::CorruptCompletionMarker {
+            path: path.to_path_buf(),
+        });
+    }
+    let marker: FacetEntityLinkCompletionMarker =
+        serde_json::from_str(&contents).map_err(|_| FacetStoreError::CorruptCompletionMarker {
+            path: path.to_path_buf(),
+        })?;
     let FacetEntityLinkCompletionMarker {
         completed_at,
         report,
@@ -633,17 +638,6 @@ fn read_facet_marker(path: &Path) -> Result<FacetEntityLinkReport, FacetStoreErr
     Ok(report)
 }
 
-fn marker_default() -> FacetEntityLinkCompletionMarker {
-    FacetEntityLinkCompletionMarker {
-        completed_at: String::new(),
-        report: FacetEntityLinkReport {
-            facet: String::new(),
-            branches: Vec::new(),
-            completion_marker: PathBuf::new(),
-        },
-    }
-}
-
 fn is_unparseable_link(error: &FacetStoreError) -> bool {
     matches!(
         error,
diff --git a/core/crates/solstone-core-facets/src/store_tests.rs b/core/crates/solstone-core-facets/src/store_tests.rs
index c35af0be5..3a7137dff 100644
--- a/core/crates/solstone-core-facets/src/store_tests.rs
+++ b/core/crates/solstone-core-facets/src/store_tests.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ use solstone_core_entity::{
 };
 
 use crate::{
-    FacetEntityLinkRepairBranch, FacetEntityLinkRepairError, create_facet,
+    FacetEntityLinkRepairBranch, FacetEntityLinkRepairError, FacetStoreError, create_facet,
     list_facet_entity_directories, read_activity_file, read_facet_declaration,
     read_facet_entity_link, read_facet_entity_observations, read_log_file, read_news_file,
     read_todo_file, rename_facet, repair_facet_entity_links,
@@ -712,6 +712,35 @@ fn journal_wide_link_repair_reuses_completed_facet_markers_without_rescanning()
     );
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn journal_wide_link_repair_rejects_a_corrupt_per_facet_marker_instead_of_trusting_it() {
+    let temporary = TempDir::new();
+    create_test_facet(temporary.path(), "work");
+    write_journal_entity(temporary.path(), "person", None);
+    write_facet_relationship(temporary.path(), "work", "person", json!({}));
+    let marker = facet_marker_path(temporary.path(), "work");
+    fs::create_dir_all(marker.parent().unwrap()).unwrap();
+    fs::write(&marker, "").unwrap();
+
+    let error = repair_facet_entity_links_journal_wide(temporary.path()).unwrap_err();
+
+    assert!(matches!(
+        error,
+        FacetEntityLinkRepairError::CachedMarkerRead { facet, source, .. }
+            if facet == "work"
+                && matches!(
+                    source.as_ref(),
+                    FacetStoreError::CorruptCompletionMarker { path } if path == &marker
+                )
+    ));
+    assert!(
+        relationship_value(temporary.path(), "work", "person")
+            .get("entity_id")
+            .is_none()
+    );
+    assert!(!journal_marker_path(temporary.path()).exists());
+}
+
 fn declaration_value(root: &Path, facet_dir: &str) -> Value {
     serde_json::from_str(
         &fs::read_to_string(root.join("facets").join(facet_dir).join("facet.json")).unwrap(),