diff --git a/packages/daemon/src/domain/proof/judgments.ts b/packages/daemon/src/domain/proof/judgments.ts
index 790c193e5..eaf9d10e2 100644
--- a/packages/daemon/src/domain/proof/judgments.ts
+++ b/packages/daemon/src/domain/proof/judgments.ts
@@ -211,6 +211,15 @@ export interface JudgeInput {
   subject?: Judgment["subject"]; expectedEvidence?: Evidence[]; reason: string; expectedRevision: string;
   expectedPrevious: string | null; operationId?: string; replace?: boolean;
 }
+/**
+ * Records a verifiable proof judgment for a slice item into the judgments ledger.
+ *
+ * @param missionsRoot - Workspace root path for resolving scopes.
+ * @param input - Judgment details including scope, item, verdict, and evidence.
+ * @param actor - Identifier of the judging actor authorized under the proof policy.
+ * @param provenance - Attestation provenance string recorded in the ledger.
+ * @returns Recorded judgment receipt, current slice readiness, and replay status.
+ */
 export function recordJudgment(missionsRoot: string, input: JudgeInput, actor: string, provenance: string): { judgment: Judgment; readiness: ScopeReadiness; replayed: boolean } {
   const dir = resolveProofScope(missionsRoot, input.scope), root = workspaceOf(dir, proofFs);
   if (path.basename(path.dirname(dir)) !== "slices") throw new JudgmentError("slice_required", "Item judgments belong to a slice; higher outcome judgments remain workflow decisions");
@@ -264,13 +273,20 @@ export function recordJudgment(missionsRoot: string, input: JudgeInput, actor: s
   return { judgment, readiness: readSliceReadiness(dir), replayed: false };
 }
 
+/**
+ * Evaluates readiness for a mission by reading its composition and resolving member slices.
+ *
+ * @param missionDir - Path to the mission directory containing mission.yaml.
+ * @param readPolicy - Reader function for determining applicable proof policy.
+ * @returns Evaluated mission readiness, including revision, state, slices, and any issues.
+ */
 export function readMissionReadiness(missionDir: string, readPolicy: ProofPolicyRead = policyOf): MissionReadiness {
   const issues: string[] = [], slices: MissionReadiness["slices"] = [];
   let historicalStatus: string | null = null;
   try {
     const doc = manifest(proofFs, path.join(missionDir, "mission.yaml"));
     if (!doc) return { revision: hash("legacy"), state: "legacy", slices, issues, historicalStatus };
-    const metadata = mapping(doc.metadata, "mission metadata");
+    const metadata = doc.metadata != null ? mapping(doc.metadata, "mission metadata") : {};
     historicalStatus = typeof metadata.status === "string" ? metadata.status : null;
     const members = validateMissionComposition(doc, path.join(missionDir, "mission.yaml")).filter(m => m.active);
     for (const member of members) {
diff --git a/packages/daemon/test/proof-judgments.test.ts b/packages/daemon/test/proof-judgments.test.ts
index 9d3b937f8..e4e061d3a 100644
--- a/packages/daemon/test/proof-judgments.test.ts
+++ b/packages/daemon/test/proof-judgments.test.ts
@@ -205,6 +205,22 @@ describe("retained authority negative controls", () => {
     f.write(join(f.beta, "proof/judgments/00000001.md"), fs.readFileSync(join(f.alpha, "proof/judgments/00000001.md"), "utf8"));
     expect(readSliceReadiness(f.beta).items[0]!.state).toBe("unknown");
   });
+  /**
+   * Verifies that mission readiness resolves composition slices when metadata is omitted (#72),
+   * while rejecting malformed metadata values.
+   */
+  it("tolerates mission without metadata and resolves composition slices (#72)", () => {
+    const f = fixture();
+    const members = ["01-alpha", "02-beta"].map((s, i) => ({ ref: `slices/${s}/slice.yaml`, order: i + 1, active: true }));
+    f.write(join(f.mission, "mission.yaml"), { kind: "mission", composition: { slices: members } });
+    const readiness = readMissionReadiness(f.mission);
+    expect(readiness.issues).toEqual([]);
+    expect(readiness.slices.map(s => s.id)).toEqual(["01-alpha", "02-beta"]);
+    expect(readiness.historicalStatus).toBeNull();
+    f.write(join(f.mission, "mission.yaml"), { kind: "mission", metadata: "not-a-mapping", composition: { slices: members } });
+    const invalid = readMissionReadiness(f.mission);
+    expect(invalid.issues).toContain("mission metadata: expected a mapping");
+  });
   it("pushes changed source truth, keeps sibling basis, and ignores unchanged source bytes", async () => {
     const f = fixture(); f.judge(); const sibling = readSliceReadiness(f.beta).revision;
     const events: Array<{ type: string; revision: string }> = []; let invalidated = 0;