diff --git a/fix/fixarm/cli.py b/fix/fixarm/cli.py
index 26114a8..6c277a2 100644
--- a/fix/fixarm/cli.py
+++ b/fix/fixarm/cli.py
@@ -59,11 +59,18 @@ def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
     try:
         applier = (OwnFixApplier([f for f in before if f.rule == args.rule])
                    if kind == "own" else ReplayApplier(args.fixture))
-        res = run_fix(
-            before=before, workdir=wd, rule=args.rule, applier=applier,
-            reaudit=ReplayReaudit(os.path.join(args.fixture, "after.findings.json")),
-            line_tol=args.line_tol,
-        )
+        try:
+            res = run_fix(
+                before=before, workdir=wd, rule=args.rule, applier=applier,
+                reaudit=ReplayReaudit(os.path.join(args.fixture, "after.findings.json")),
+                line_tol=args.line_tol,
+            )
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            # re-audit was actually reached, but this fixture records no after.findings.json.
+            # (no-op / unfixable rules return before re-audit, so they never hit this.)
+            print(f"error: fixture {args.fixture!r} has no after.findings.json (needed to "
+                  f"re-audit the applied fix).", file=sys.stderr)
+            return 2
 
         print(json.dumps(res.ledger(), indent=2))
         if res.status == REJECTED:
diff --git a/fix/fixarm/own_fix.py b/fix/fixarm/own_fix.py
index 4321f09..a904f08 100644
--- a/fix/fixarm/own_fix.py
+++ b/fix/fixarm/own_fix.py
@@ -146,7 +146,8 @@ def plan_file(path: str, findings):
         indent = re.match(r"\s*", lines[idx]).group(0)
         ins = (idx, f"{indent}this.{ev} += (s, e) => {src_event} -= {handler};\n")
         if ins in seen:
-            continue                         # same detach already planned for this site
+            skipped.append((f, "duplicate-site"))   # detach already planned; keep the ledger complete
+            continue
         seen.add(ins)
         inserts.append(ins)
         applied.append((f, ev))
diff --git a/fix/tests/test_own_fix.py b/fix/tests/test_own_fix.py
index 64e7ca4..0aca05a 100644
--- a/fix/tests/test_own_fix.py
+++ b/fix/tests/test_own_fix.py
@@ -60,6 +60,13 @@ def _read(wd: str, rel: str) -> list[str]:
         return fh.readlines()
 
 
+def _expect(actual, expected, what="value"):
+    """`-O`-safe equality check — `assert` is stripped under python -O, so exit-code
+    checks must raise explicitly."""
+    if actual != expected:
+        raise AssertionError(f"{what}: expected {expected!r}, got {actual!r}")
+
+
 # ---- classifier: the honesty boundary --------------------------------------
 
 def test_classify_named_vs_lambda():
@@ -185,9 +192,10 @@ def test_duplicate_findings_one_insert():
         msg = "event 'g.PropertyChanged' is subscribed (handler 'new PropertyChangedEventHandler(H)')"
         dupes = [Finding("OWN001", "W.cs", 5, tool="own-check", message=msg),
                  Finding("OWN001", "W.cs", 5, tool="own-check", message=msg)]
-        new, applied, _ = plan_file(p, dupes)
+        new, applied, skipped = plan_file(p, dupes)
         assert new.count("this.Closed +=") == 1       # one detach, not two
         assert len(applied) == 1
+        assert [r for _, r in skipped] == ["duplicate-site"]   # the dupe is in the ledger, not dropped
     finally:
         shutil.rmtree(d, ignore_errors=True)
 
@@ -200,7 +208,7 @@ def test_path_traversal_is_rejected():
                                              message="event 'a.E' is subscribed (handler 'H')")])
             try:
                 applier.apply(wd, "OWN001")
-                assert False, f"expected ValueError for {bad!r}"
+                raise AssertionError(f"expected ValueError for {bad!r}")  # not `assert` (stripped under -O)
             except ValueError:
                 pass
     finally:
@@ -211,13 +219,30 @@ def test_cli_replay_on_own_fixture_fails_fast():
     from fixarm.cli import main
     rc = main(["--fixture", os.path.join(FIX, "own001-sub-window"),
                "--rule", "OWN001", "--applier", "replay"])
-    assert rc == 2                                     # no after/ tree -> refuse, don't delete
+    _expect(rc, 2, "replay on after-less fixture")     # refuse, don't delete
 
 
 def test_cli_defaults_own_rule_to_own_applier():
     from fixarm.cli import main
     rc = main(["--fixture", os.path.join(FIX, "own001-sub-window"), "--rule", "OWN001"])
-    assert rc == 0                                     # OWN* auto-routes to the own fixer
+    _expect(rc, 0, "OWN* auto-routes to own fixer")
+
+
+def test_cli_no_op_does_not_need_after_findings():
+    # own001-lambda has no after.findings.json; a no-op rule returns before re-audit,
+    # so the missing file must NOT be treated as an error (deferred check).
+    from fixarm.cli import main
+    rc = main(["--fixture", os.path.join(FIX, "own001-lambda"), "--rule", "RCS9999",
+               "--applier", "own"])
+    _expect(rc, 0, "no-op, re-audit never reached")
+
+
+def test_cli_missing_after_findings_fails_cleanly_when_reaudit_needed():
+    # Same fixture, but a fixable rule -> re-audit IS reached -> clean exit 2, not a stacktrace.
+    from fixarm.cli import main
+    rc = main(["--fixture", os.path.join(FIX, "own001-lambda"), "--rule", "OWN001",
+               "--applier", "own"])
+    _expect(rc, 2, "reaudit needed but after.findings.json missing")
 
 
 # ---- bare-python runner ----------------------------------------------------