diff --git a/chat/runtime.py b/chat/runtime.py
index 6db8a24f..dd04c3af 100644
--- a/chat/runtime.py
+++ b/chat/runtime.py
@@ -795,12 +795,20 @@ class ChatRuntime:
         # single source of truth shared with the workbench continuity reader.
         self._loaded_engine_identity = str(manifest.get("engine_identity", ""))
         if self._loaded_engine_identity:
+            # A malformed identity_scheme (non-int) falls back to the legacy
+            # scheme — the verifying migration then reconciles it safely rather
+            # than crashing the load. A null/absent revision becomes "" so the
+            # legacy branch treats it as unverifiable (conservative DIVERGED).
+            try:
+                stored_scheme = int(manifest.get("identity_scheme", 1))
+            except (TypeError, ValueError):
+                stored_scheme = 1
             reconciliation = reconcile_loaded_identity(
                 self.config,
                 self._engine_identity,
                 stored_identity=self._loaded_engine_identity,
-                stored_scheme=int(manifest.get("identity_scheme", 1)),
-                stored_revision=str(manifest.get("written_at_revision", "")),
+                stored_scheme=stored_scheme,
+                stored_revision=str(manifest.get("written_at_revision") or ""),
             )
             if reconciliation is IdentityReconciliation.DIVERGED:
                 self.identity_continuity_break = True
diff --git a/tests/test_identity_provenance_split.py b/tests/test_identity_provenance_split.py
index 78c610f5..08f88fba 100644
--- a/tests/test_identity_provenance_split.py
+++ b/tests/test_identity_provenance_split.py
@@ -180,3 +180,71 @@ def test_legacy_checkpoint_with_different_packs_breaks_without_strict(
     with pytest.warns(RuntimeWarning, match="identity continuity break"):
         runtime = ChatRuntime(config=RuntimeConfig(), engine_state_path=state_dir)
     assert runtime.identity_continuity_break is True
+
+
+# --- malformed / missing manifest fields must not crash the guard or reader ---
+
+
+def test_malformed_identity_scheme_does_not_crash_the_load_guard(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    # A non-int identity_scheme must fall back to the legacy scheme (verifying
+    # migration), not raise on int() while loading the checkpoint.
+    state_dir = tmp_path / "es"
+    state_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+    legacy_id = compute_legacy_engine_identity(_DEFAULT_PACKS, "old-rev")
+    (state_dir / "manifest.json").write_text(
+        json.dumps(
+            {
+                "schema_version": 2,
+                "turn_count": 4,
+                "written_at_revision": "old-rev",
+                "engine_identity": legacy_id,
+                "identity_scheme": "not-an-int",  # malformed
+            },
+            sort_keys=True,
+            indent=2,
+        ),
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    with pytest.warns(RuntimeWarning, match="migrating engine-identity stamp scheme"):
+        runtime = ChatRuntime(
+            config=RuntimeConfig(strict_identity_continuity=True),
+            engine_state_path=state_dir,
+        )
+    assert runtime.identity_continuity_break is False
+
+
+def test_reader_malformed_identity_scheme_falls_back_to_legacy() -> None:
+    from workbench.readers import _identity_continuity_from_manifest
+
+    # A legacy stamp of the CURRENT default packs, but identity_scheme is garbage:
+    # the reader must fall back to legacy and verify-migrate -> "verified", not crash.
+    legacy = compute_legacy_engine_identity(_DEFAULT_PACKS, "r1")
+    result = _identity_continuity_from_manifest(
+        {
+            "schema_version": 2,
+            "turn_count": 1,
+            "written_at_revision": "r1",
+            "engine_identity": legacy,
+            "identity_scheme": "not-an-int",
+        }
+    )
+    assert result is not None
+    assert result.status == "verified"
+
+
+def test_reader_missing_revision_is_a_conservative_break() -> None:
+    from workbench.readers import _identity_continuity_from_manifest
+
+    # A legacy stamp with NO written_at_revision can't be verified -> DIVERGED ->
+    # "break" (never blindly "verified"); and it must not crash on a None revision.
+    legacy = compute_legacy_engine_identity(_DEFAULT_PACKS, "r1")
+    result = _identity_continuity_from_manifest(
+        {
+            "schema_version": 2,
+            "turn_count": 1,
+            "engine_identity": legacy,
+            # no written_at_revision, no identity_scheme
+        }
+    )
+    assert result is not None
+    assert result.status == "break"
diff --git a/workbench/readers.py b/workbench/readers.py
index adde8780..2d151175 100644
--- a/workbench/readers.py
+++ b/workbench/readers.py
@@ -1739,7 +1739,7 @@ def _identity_continuity_from_manifest(
         current_engine_identity,
         stored_identity=engine_identity,
         stored_scheme=stored_scheme,
-        stored_revision=written_at_revision,
+        stored_revision=written_at_revision or "",
     )
     if reconciliation is IdentityReconciliation.DIVERGED:
         summary = "checkpoint identity differs from the current ratified substrate"