diff --git a/joulehook/joulehook-rs/crates/joulehook-hook/src/main.rs b/joulehook/joulehook-rs/crates/joulehook-hook/src/main.rs
index e9dfc5255..82abb555b 100644
--- a/joulehook/joulehook-rs/crates/joulehook-hook/src/main.rs
+++ b/joulehook/joulehook-rs/crates/joulehook-hook/src/main.rs
@@ -236,15 +236,10 @@ fn run(host: Host, input: &str, cfg: &Config) -> (String, i32, Vec<Vec<u8>>) {
             return (b, c, vec![]);
         }
     };
-    let event = match extract_action(&value) {
-        Some(e) => e,
-        None => {
-            let (b, c) = render(host, true, "joulehook: no tool action");
-            return (b, c, vec![]);
-        }
-    };
     if !cfg.enforcing() {
         // Observe mode — no allow-list. Disclose non-enforcement (SPEC §7).
+        // Checked before the mapping below: observe mode allows by contract, so
+        // it must not depend on recognising the payload.
         let (b, c) = render(
             host,
             true,
@@ -252,6 +247,25 @@ fn run(host: Host, input: &str, cfg: &Config) -> (String, i32, Vec<Vec<u8>>) {
         );
         return (b, c, vec![]);
     }
+    let event = match extract_action(&value) {
+        Some(e) => e,
+        // Fail closed, like the malformed payload above. A shape this adapter
+        // does not recognise means it could not map the payload onto an
+        // `ActionEvent` — SPEC §3.1 requires that mapping to be lossless — not
+        // that no action is pending, which is what allowing here asserted.
+        //
+        // The two are not interchangeable while enforcing. SPEC §3.4 lists
+        // Windsurf's `pre_write_code` among this binary's binding targets, and
+        // that payload carries a file path, not `tool_name`, `mcp_tool_name` or
+        // `command`/`command_line`. So every code write was allowed with exit 0
+        // and no receipt, while the operator saw an enforcing gate and a clean
+        // decision log. Any host renaming its tool field turns the whole gate
+        // into a blanket allow the same way.
+        None => {
+            let (b, c) = render(host, false, "joulehook: unrecognised hook payload shape");
+            return (b, c, vec![]);
+        }
+    };
     let (allow, reason, receipts) = gate(&event, cfg);
     let (b, c) = render(host, allow, &reason);
     (b, c, receipts)
@@ -359,6 +373,51 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(field(&out, "/hookSpecificOutput/permissionDecision"), "deny");
     }
 
+    /// A payload shape this adapter cannot map is not "no action pending".
+    ///
+    /// SPEC §3.4 lists Windsurf's `pre_write_code` as a binding target. Its
+    /// payload carries a file path and none of the three keys `extract_action`
+    /// recognises, so it used to be allowed with exit 0 and no receipt even
+    /// while enforcing — a blanket allow on every code write.
+    fn pre_write_code_json() -> String {
+        serde_json::json!({
+            "hook_event_name": "pre_write_code",
+            "tool_info": { "file_path": "/repo/src/main.rs", "content": "fn main() {}" }
+        })
+        .to_string()
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn an_unrecognised_payload_shape_fails_closed_when_enforcing() {
+        let input = pre_write_code_json();
+        let v: Value = serde_json::from_str(&input).unwrap();
+        assert!(
+            extract_action(&v).is_none(),
+            "the fixture has to be a shape the adapter cannot map, or this tests nothing"
+        );
+
+        let (out, _, _) = run(Host::ClaudeCode, &input, &cfg(&["Read", "Grep"]));
+        assert_eq!(field(&out, "/hookSpecificOutput/permissionDecision"), "deny");
+        assert!(
+            !out.contains("no tool action"),
+            "the reason must not claim nothing was pending: {out}"
+        );
+
+        // And on the host that gates by exit code, it has to be the blocking one.
+        let (_, code, _) = run(Host::Windsurf, &input, &cfg(&["Read"]));
+        assert_eq!(code, 2, "Cascade blocks via exit code 2");
+    }
+
+    /// Observe mode still allows it, and still discloses that it is not
+    /// enforcing: its contract does not depend on recognising the payload.
+    #[test]
+    fn an_unrecognised_payload_shape_is_allowed_in_observe_mode() {
+        let (out, _, receipts) = run(Host::ClaudeCode, &pre_write_code_json(), &cfg(&[]));
+        assert_eq!(field(&out, "/hookSpecificOutput/permissionDecision"), "allow");
+        assert!(out.contains("observe mode"));
+        assert!(receipts.is_empty());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn extracts_windsurf_and_shell_shapes() {
         // Windsurf pre_mcp_tool_use.