diff --git a/docs/reference/mcp-contracts.md b/docs/reference/mcp-contracts.md
index 892c51824a..2e64593562 100644
--- a/docs/reference/mcp-contracts.md
+++ b/docs/reference/mcp-contracts.md
@@ -152,6 +152,10 @@ Exhausted traversals with deliberately omitted filesystem entries retain
 socket and device entries are not opened. Case-distinct archive members remain
 separate observations. Their case-insensitive materialization diagnostic does
 not reduce traversal coverage when both spellings were read.
+Each container reader declares its own traversal coverage, including complete
+coverage. A traversal that ends without that declaration, or that stops before
+its reader finishes, is `unknown` with a limitation naming the reader format;
+a complete traversal of one container never covers another.
 PyInstaller inventory also preserves distinct table rows that share a logical
 path, including decoded children beneath a colliding file/directory path.
 Inventory coverage describes observed archive facts; extraction still refuses
diff --git a/src/artifacts/ArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/ArtifactReader.ts
index 30af6d1af4..7bd969629e 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/ArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/ArtifactReader.ts
@@ -186,12 +186,20 @@ export interface ArtifactReaderTraversal {
   readonly examinedEntries?: number;
 }
 
-/** Per-iterator observation sink; adapters report intentional omissions without shared state. */
+/**
+ * Per-iterator observation sink; adapters report intentional omissions without shared state.
+ * A reader declares its coverage through `onCoverage` before its iterator ends,
+ * including complete coverage; consumers that need a completeness claim
+ * iterate through `declaredArtifactEntries`, which treats silence as unknown.
+ */
 export interface ArtifactTraversalOptions {
   readonly onOmission?: (omission: ArtifactTraversalOmission) => void;
   readonly onCoverage?: (coverage: ArtifactReaderTraversal) => void;
 }
 
+/** The sink of a traversal whose coverage feeds a completeness claim. */
+export type ArtifactTraversalSink = Required<ArtifactTraversalOptions>;
+
 /** Read-only adapter over one directory, archive, or virtual container. */
 export interface ArtifactReader {
   readonly format:
diff --git a/src/artifacts/ArtifactTraversalObservation.test.ts b/src/artifacts/ArtifactTraversalObservation.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2f02638d52
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/artifacts/ArtifactTraversalObservation.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { Readable } from "node:stream";
+import type {
+  ArtifactEntry,
+  ArtifactReader,
+  ArtifactReaderTraversal,
+} from "./ArtifactReader.js";
+import { ArtifactTraversalObservation } from "./ArtifactTraversalObservation.js";
+
+const entry = (path: string): ArtifactEntry => ({
+  path,
+  kind: "file",
+  declaredSize: 1,
+  compressedSize: null,
+  executable: false,
+  encrypted: false,
+  byteOffset: null,
+  declaredIntegrity: null,
+  unpacked: false,
+  limitations: [],
+  adapterKey: path,
+});
+
+/** A reader listing two members that declares `coverage`, or nothing. */
+const reader = (
+  format: ArtifactReader["format"],
+  coverage: ArtifactReaderTraversal | undefined,
+): ArtifactReader => ({
+  format,
+  async *entries(_signal, options) {
+    yield entry("a");
+    yield entry("b");
+    if (coverage !== undefined) options?.onCoverage?.(coverage);
+  },
+  open: async () => Readable.from([]),
+  provenance: () => [],
+  async close() {},
+});
+
+const complete = { status: "complete", limitations: [] } as const;
+
+const drain = async (iterable: AsyncIterable<ArtifactEntry>) => {
+  const paths: string[] = [];
+  for await (const item of iterable) paths.push(item.path);
+  return paths;
+};
+
+describe("ArtifactTraversalObservation", () => {
+  it("is complete only when the reader declares complete coverage and finishes", async () => {
+    const traversal = new ArtifactTraversalObservation();
+    expect(
+      await drain(traversal.entries(reader("zip", complete), undefined)),
+    ).toEqual(["a", "b"]);
+    expect(traversal.snapshot()).toEqual(complete);
+  });
+
+  it("reports a reader that ends without declaring coverage as unknown", async () => {
+    const traversal = new ArtifactTraversalObservation();
+    await drain(traversal.entries(reader("ines", undefined), undefined));
+    expect(traversal.snapshot()).toEqual({
+      status: "unknown",
+      limitations: [
+        "The ines reader ended its traversal without declaring coverage; members it did not list are unknown.",
+      ],
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("does not let one declared-complete traversal cover a silent one", async () => {
+    const traversal = new ArtifactTraversalObservation();
+    await drain(traversal.entries(reader("directory", complete), undefined));
+    await drain(traversal.entries(reader("asar", undefined), undefined));
+    await drain(traversal.entries(reader("zip", complete), undefined));
+    expect(traversal.snapshot()).toEqual({
+      status: "unknown",
+      limitations: [
+        "The asar reader ended its traversal without declaring coverage; members it did not list are unknown.",
+      ],
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("reports a traversal its consumer stopped as unknown even after a declaration", async () => {
+    const traversal = new ArtifactTraversalObservation();
+    const early: ArtifactReader = {
+      ...reader("zip", undefined),
+      async *entries(_signal, options) {
+        options?.onCoverage?.(complete);
+        yield entry("a");
+        yield entry("b");
+      },
+    };
+    for await (const item of traversal.entries(early, undefined))
+      if (item.path === "a") break;
+    expect(traversal.snapshot()).toEqual({
+      status: "unknown",
+      limitations: [
+        "The zip traversal stopped before the reader finished; members after the last listed entry are unknown.",
+      ],
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("leaves a failed traversal's result to its failure", async () => {
+    const traversal = new ArtifactTraversalObservation();
+    const failure = new Error("damaged");
+    const failing: ArtifactReader = {
+      ...reader("zip", undefined),
+      async *entries() {
+        throw failure;
+      },
+    };
+    await expect(drain(traversal.entries(failing, undefined))).rejects.toBe(
+      failure,
+    );
+    expect(traversal.snapshot()).toEqual(complete);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps a declared unknown coverage and its limitations", async () => {
+    const traversal = new ArtifactTraversalObservation();
+    await drain(
+      traversal.entries(
+        reader("wxapkg", { status: "unknown", limitations: ["encrypted"] }),
+        undefined,
+      ),
+    );
+    expect(traversal.snapshot()).toEqual({
+      status: "unknown",
+      limitations: ["encrypted"],
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/artifacts/ArtifactTraversalObservation.ts b/src/artifacts/ArtifactTraversalObservation.ts
index c3369de295..25dd1446b5 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/ArtifactTraversalObservation.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/ArtifactTraversalObservation.ts
@@ -1,23 +1,103 @@
 import { compareUnicodeCodePoints } from "../domain/unicodeCodePointOrder.js";
 import { normalizeArtifactPath } from "./ArtifactPaths.js";
 import type {
+  ArtifactReader,
   ArtifactReaderTraversal,
   ArtifactTraversalOmission,
-  ArtifactTraversalOptions,
+  ArtifactTraversalSink,
 } from "./ArtifactReader.js";
 
-/** Retain producer coverage and omissions across one or more exhausted traversals. */
-export class ArtifactTraversalObservation implements ArtifactTraversalOptions {
+/** A reader whose traversal reports through a sink; its format names it in limitations. */
+interface TraversableArtifactReader<Entry, Options> {
+  readonly format: ArtifactReader["format"];
+  entries(
+    signal: AbortSignal | undefined,
+    options: Options,
+  ): AsyncIterable<Entry>;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Iterate one reader traversal whose completeness the reader must declare.
+ * A traversal that ends without a coverage declaration, or that its consumer
+ * stops before the reader finished, reports unknown coverage naming the
+ * reader. A failed traversal reports nothing here; its failure is the result.
+ * The returned iterator forwards `next` and `return` unchanged, so callers
+ * keep unwinding the reader's iterator exactly as they would without it.
+ */
+export const declaredArtifactEntries = <
+  Entry,
+  Options extends ArtifactTraversalSink,
+>(
+  reader: TraversableArtifactReader<Entry, NoInfer<Options>>,
+  signal: AbortSignal | undefined,
+  options: Options,
+): AsyncIterableIterator<Entry, undefined> => {
+  let declared = false;
+  let end: "exhausted" | "failed" | "stopped" | undefined;
+  const iterator = reader
+    .entries(signal, {
+      ...options,
+      onCoverage: (coverage: ArtifactReaderTraversal) => {
+        declared = true;
+        options.onCoverage(coverage);
+      },
+    })
+    [Symbol.asyncIterator]();
+  const unknown = (limitation: string) =>
+    options.onCoverage({ status: "unknown", limitations: [limitation] });
+  return {
+    [Symbol.asyncIterator]() {
+      return this;
+    },
+    async next() {
+      let next: IteratorResult<Entry>;
+      try {
+        next = await iterator.next();
+      } catch (cause: unknown) {
+        end ??= "failed";
+        throw cause;
+      }
+      if (next.done !== true) return next;
+      if (end === undefined) {
+        end = "exhausted";
+        if (!declared)
+          unknown(
+            `The ${reader.format} reader ended its traversal without declaring coverage; members it did not list are unknown.`,
+          );
+      }
+      return { done: true, value: undefined };
+    },
+    async return() {
+      if (end === undefined) {
+        end = "stopped";
+        unknown(
+          `The ${reader.format} traversal stopped before the reader finished; members after the last listed entry are unknown.`,
+        );
+      }
+      await iterator.return?.();
+      return { done: true, value: undefined };
+    },
+  };
+};
+
+/**
+ * Retain coverage and omissions across one or more reader traversals. Each
+ * traversal must declare its own coverage; one declared-complete traversal
+ * never covers another that stayed silent.
+ */
+export class ArtifactTraversalObservation {
   readonly #limitations = new Set<string>();
   #unknown = false;
 
-  readonly onCoverage = (coverage: ArtifactReaderTraversal): void => {
+  /** Record coverage a reader declared or a consumer established itself. */
+  readonly record = (coverage: ArtifactReaderTraversal): void => {
     this.#unknown ||= coverage.status === "unknown";
     for (const limitation of coverage.limitations)
       this.#limitations.add(limitation);
   };
 
-  readonly onOmission = (omission: ArtifactTraversalOmission): void => {
+  /** Record an entry or subtree a traversal deliberately excluded. */
+  readonly omit = (omission: ArtifactTraversalOmission): void => {
     const path = normalizeArtifactPath(omission.path);
     this.#unknown = true;
     this.#limitations.add(
@@ -25,6 +105,17 @@ export class ArtifactTraversalObservation implements ArtifactTraversalOptions {
     );
   };
 
+  /** Iterate one reader traversal into this observation. */
+  entries<Entry>(
+    reader: TraversableArtifactReader<Entry, ArtifactTraversalSink>,
+    signal: AbortSignal | undefined,
+  ): AsyncIterableIterator<Entry, undefined> {
+    return declaredArtifactEntries(reader, signal, {
+      onCoverage: this.record,
+      onOmission: this.omit,
+    });
+  }
+
   snapshot(): ArtifactReaderTraversal {
     return {
       status: this.#unknown ? "unknown" : "complete",
diff --git a/src/artifacts/AsarArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/AsarArtifactReader.ts
index fed845c12e..7a2c6d469f 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/AsarArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/AsarArtifactReader.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import {
   sameArtifactEntry,
   type ArtifactEntry,
   type ArtifactReader,
+  type ArtifactTraversalOptions,
 } from "./ArtifactReader.js";
 import { closeAsarHandle, readValidatedAsarEntry } from "./AsarEntryStream.js";
 import {
@@ -64,7 +65,10 @@ export class AsarArtifactReader implements ArtifactReader {
     private readonly options: AsarArtifactReaderOptions = {},
   ) {}
 
-  async *entries(signal?: AbortSignal): AsyncIterable<ArtifactEntry> {
+  async *entries(
+    signal?: AbortSignal,
+    options?: ArtifactTraversalOptions,
+  ): AsyncIterable<ArtifactEntry> {
     const generation = this.#snapshotGeneration;
     let paths: readonly AsarListedEntry[];
     try {
@@ -133,6 +137,8 @@ export class AsarArtifactReader implements ArtifactReader {
       yield entry;
     }
     this.#assertInventoryActive(generation, signal);
+    // The listing names every member record the header declares.
+    options?.onCoverage?.({ status: "complete", limitations: [] });
   }
 
   #assertInventoryActive(generation: number, signal?: AbortSignal): void {
diff --git a/src/artifacts/BunStandaloneArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/BunStandaloneArtifactReader.ts
index 776c856f4c..971b482306 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/BunStandaloneArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/BunStandaloneArtifactReader.ts
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ export class BunStandaloneArtifactReader implements ArtifactReader {
 
   async *entries(
     signal?: AbortSignal,
-    _options?: ArtifactTraversalOptions,
+    options?: ArtifactTraversalOptions,
   ): AsyncIterable<ArtifactEntry> {
     await this.#scope.run(async () => {
       this.#assertOpen(signal);
@@ -116,6 +116,8 @@ export class BunStandaloneArtifactReader implements ArtifactReader {
       yield copyArtifactEntry(entry);
     }
     this.#assertOpen(signal);
+    // Every present module region is listed; absent regions are not members.
+    options?.onCoverage?.({ status: "complete", limitations: [] });
   }
 
   async open(entry: ArtifactEntry, signal?: AbortSignal): Promise<Readable> {
diff --git a/src/artifacts/DecodedRegionArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/DecodedRegionArtifactReader.ts
index f3406908c5..f82af9701c 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/DecodedRegionArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/DecodedRegionArtifactReader.ts
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ export interface DecodedRegion {
 export interface DecodedRegions {
   readonly metadata: ArtifactFormatMetadata;
   readonly regions: readonly DecodedRegion[];
-  /** Omitted when every byte was examined and no limitation applies. */
-  readonly coverage?: ArtifactReaderTraversal;
+  /** What the decoder examined, including complete coverage. */
+  readonly coverage: ArtifactReaderTraversal;
   readonly containerIntegrity?: ArtifactContainerIntegrityPair;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/artifacts/DenoStandaloneArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/DenoStandaloneArtifactReader.ts
index 8f7a79b5b5..ee49216887 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/DenoStandaloneArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/DenoStandaloneArtifactReader.ts
@@ -120,11 +120,11 @@ export class DenoStandaloneArtifactReader implements ArtifactReader {
       );
       await this.#source.readSelectedPath(signal);
     });
-    if (this.#header?.vfs_listing === "unsupported")
-      options?.onCoverage?.({
-        status: "unknown",
-        limitations: [UNLISTED_VFS_LIMITATION],
-      });
+    options?.onCoverage?.(
+      this.#header?.vfs_listing === "unsupported"
+        ? { status: "unknown", limitations: [UNLISTED_VFS_LIMITATION] }
+        : { status: "complete", limitations: [] },
+    );
     let index = 0;
     for (const entry of this.#entries.values()) {
       if (index++ % 256 === 0) await setImmediate();
diff --git a/src/artifacts/DesktopApplicationReader.ts b/src/artifacts/DesktopApplicationReader.ts
index 7bf2efc7f9..616d9642be 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/DesktopApplicationReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/DesktopApplicationReader.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
   type ArtifactResourceOwner,
 } from "./ArtifactResourceScope.js";
 import { abortIfNeeded } from "./ArtifactHash.js";
+import { declaredArtifactEntries } from "./ArtifactTraversalObservation.js";
 import { translateArtifactFailure } from "./ArtifactOperationFailure.js";
 import {
   inspectDesktopFile,
@@ -270,7 +271,7 @@ const scanDirectory = async (
     "Unity reference decoding stops after a witness in each Data/Managed directory; other assemblies' references are unexamined. Header facts remain per-file.",
   ];
   try {
-    for await (const entry of reader.entries(signal, {
+    for await (const entry of declaredArtifactEntries(reader, signal, {
       maximumEntries: input.max_entries,
       onOmission: (omission) => {
         if (omission.kind !== "directory-descendants") {
diff --git a/src/artifacts/DfuSeArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/DfuSeArtifactReader.ts
index 7982db76fe..52f9f54ced 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/DfuSeArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/DfuSeArtifactReader.ts
@@ -36,9 +36,7 @@ const dfuSeRegions: RegionDecoding<DfuSeImage> = {
         bytes: element.bytes,
       };
     }),
-    ...(image.limitations.length === 0
-      ? {}
-      : { coverage: { status: "complete", limitations: image.limitations } }),
+    coverage: { status: "complete", limitations: image.limitations },
     containerIntegrity: {
       algorithm: "dfu-crc32",
       declared_crc32: crcText(image.metadata.suffix_crc),
diff --git a/src/artifacts/DirectoryArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/DirectoryArtifactReader.ts
index 00e14ce33d..f5dd622fea 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/DirectoryArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/DirectoryArtifactReader.ts
@@ -170,14 +170,18 @@ export class DirectoryArtifactReader implements ArtifactReader {
       );
     }
     abortIfNeeded(signal);
-    if (unrepresentableNameCount > 0)
-      options?.onCoverage?.({
-        status: "unknown",
-        examinedEntries: examined,
-        limitations: [
-          `Directory contains ${String(unrepresentableNameCount)} entry name(s) that are not valid UTF-8; no filesystem operations were performed for them. First raw basename bytes: ${firstUnrepresentableNameHex ?? "unknown"}.`,
-        ],
-      });
+    options?.onCoverage?.(
+      unrepresentableNameCount > 0
+        ? {
+            status: "unknown",
+            examinedEntries: examined,
+            limitations: [
+              `Directory contains ${String(unrepresentableNameCount)} entry name(s) that are not valid UTF-8; no filesystem operations were performed for them. First raw basename bytes: ${firstUnrepresentableNameHex ?? "unknown"}.`,
+            ],
+          }
+        : // Unreadable directories declared their own omission above.
+          { status: "complete", limitations: [] },
+    );
   }
 
   /** Admission facts, shared with traversal; the selected root may be a symlink. */
diff --git a/src/artifacts/DotnetBundleArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/DotnetBundleArtifactReader.ts
index 3cb88f68d6..bac09ef193 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/DotnetBundleArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/DotnetBundleArtifactReader.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import {
   sameArtifactEntry,
   type ArtifactEntry,
   type ArtifactReader,
+  type ArtifactTraversalOptions,
 } from "./ArtifactReader.js";
 import {
   findDotnetBundleHeader,
@@ -66,7 +67,10 @@ export class DotnetBundleArtifactReader implements ArtifactReader {
     });
   }
 
-  async *entries(signal?: AbortSignal): AsyncIterable<ArtifactEntry> {
+  async *entries(
+    signal?: AbortSignal,
+    options?: ArtifactTraversalOptions,
+  ): AsyncIterable<ArtifactEntry> {
     const bundle = await this.#scope.run(async () => {
       this.#assertOpen(signal);
       const source = await this.#source.readSelectedPath(signal);
@@ -132,6 +136,8 @@ export class DotnetBundleArtifactReader implements ArtifactReader {
       yield entry;
     }
     await this.#source.readSelectedPath(signal);
+    // Every manifest file is listed; manifest damage fails the traversal.
+    options?.onCoverage?.({ status: "complete", limitations: [] });
   }
 
   async open(entry: ArtifactEntry, signal?: AbortSignal): Promise<Readable> {
diff --git a/src/artifacts/EspFlashImageArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/EspFlashImageArtifactReader.ts
index 72e94974cd..92f794dc5f 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/EspFlashImageArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/EspFlashImageArtifactReader.ts
@@ -119,10 +119,7 @@ export class EspFlashImageArtifactReader extends PositionalArtifactReader {
       entries: plan.regions.map((region) =>
         regionEntry(region, written.get(region), fileSize),
       ),
-      coverage:
-        facts.coverage === "unknown" || limitations.length > 0
-          ? { status: facts.coverage, limitations }
-          : undefined,
+      coverage: { status: facts.coverage, limitations },
     };
   }
 
diff --git a/src/artifacts/EspImageArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/EspImageArtifactReader.ts
index 7e61aeafbb..54108b5773 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/EspImageArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/EspImageArtifactReader.ts
@@ -113,10 +113,7 @@ export class EspImageArtifactReader extends PositionalArtifactReader {
     ];
     return {
       entries,
-      coverage:
-        image.coverage === "unknown" || limitations.length > 0
-          ? { status: image.coverage, limitations }
-          : undefined,
+      coverage: { status: image.coverage, limitations },
     };
   }
 
diff --git a/src/artifacts/FitArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/FitArtifactReader.ts
index 37cd34b15f..0825834e75 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/FitArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/FitArtifactReader.ts
@@ -208,11 +208,10 @@ export class FitArtifactReader implements ArtifactReader {
     this.#assertOpen(signal);
     this.#entries = entries;
     this.#metadata = structure.metadata;
-    if (structure.limitations.length > 0)
-      this.#coverage = {
-        status: "complete",
-        limitations: structure.limitations,
-      };
+    this.#coverage = {
+      status: "complete",
+      limitations: structure.limitations,
+    };
   }
 
   /** One streamed pass per image feeds every supported digest. */
diff --git a/src/artifacts/GodotPckArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/GodotPckArtifactReader.ts
index 05d081adcd..e0519749c3 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/GodotPckArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/GodotPckArtifactReader.ts
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ export class GodotPckArtifactReader extends PositionalArtifactReader {
       entries.push(metadata);
     }
     await this.verifyCarrier(signal);
-    return { entries, coverage: undefined };
+    return { entries, coverage: { status: "complete", limitations: [] } };
   }
   async #readEntry(
     cursor: PckCursor,
diff --git a/src/artifacts/HexRecordArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/HexRecordArtifactReader.ts
index 3f5628c2a8..8ed97bdf82 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/HexRecordArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/HexRecordArtifactReader.ts
@@ -33,14 +33,10 @@ const hexRecordRegions = (
       },
       bytes: region.bytes,
     })),
-    ...(image.terminated && image.limitations.length === 0
-      ? {}
-      : {
-          coverage: {
-            status: image.terminated ? "complete" : "unknown",
-            limitations: image.limitations,
-          },
-        }),
+    coverage: {
+      status: image.terminated ? "complete" : "unknown",
+      limitations: image.limitations,
+    },
   }),
 });
 
diff --git a/src/artifacts/InesArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/InesArtifactReader.ts
index 3ff48f8562..21e2870d76 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/InesArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/InesArtifactReader.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import {
   sameArtifactEntry,
   type ArtifactEntry,
   type ArtifactReader,
+  type ArtifactTraversalOptions,
 } from "./ArtifactReader.js";
 import { abortIfNeeded } from "./ArtifactHash.js";
 import { streamChunkToBuffer } from "./StreamBytes.js";
@@ -43,7 +44,10 @@ export class InesArtifactReader implements ArtifactReader {
     private readonly ownedSource?: OwnedFileHandle,
   ) {}
 
-  async *entries(signal?: AbortSignal): AsyncIterable<ArtifactEntry> {
+  async *entries(
+    signal?: AbortSignal,
+    options?: ArtifactTraversalOptions,
+  ): AsyncIterable<ArtifactEntry> {
     abortIfNeeded(signal);
     await this.#verifySource(signal);
     const prefix = await readFileHandlePrefix(this.source.handle, 16, () =>
@@ -75,6 +79,8 @@ export class InesArtifactReader implements ArtifactReader {
       yield entry;
     }
     this.#assertOpen(signal);
+    // The regions tile the file: header, trainer, units and any trailing bytes.
+    options?.onCoverage?.({ status: "complete", limitations: [] });
   }
 
   async open(entry: ArtifactEntry, signal?: AbortSignal): Promise<Readable> {
diff --git a/src/artifacts/MachOSliceArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/MachOSliceArtifactReader.ts
index 30d6904faa..7a1f53c1bc 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/MachOSliceArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/MachOSliceArtifactReader.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import {
   sameArtifactEntry,
   type ArtifactEntry,
   type ArtifactReader,
+  type ArtifactTraversalOptions,
 } from "./ArtifactReader.js";
 import { streamChunkToBuffer } from "./StreamBytes.js";
 import type { StableRegularFileDescriptor } from "../filesystem/RegularFile.js";
@@ -57,12 +58,17 @@ export class MachOSliceArtifactReader implements ArtifactReader {
     this.#source = new ArtifactFileSource(path, "Universal Mach-O", source);
   }
 
-  async *entries(signal?: AbortSignal): AsyncIterable<ArtifactEntry> {
+  async *entries(
+    signal?: AbortSignal,
+    options?: ArtifactTraversalOptions,
+  ): AsyncIterable<ArtifactEntry> {
     const enumeration = this.#readEntries(signal);
     this.#enumerations.add(enumeration);
     try {
       yield* enumeration;
       this.#assertOpen(signal);
+      // Every FAT slice is listed; a disagreement with lipo fails the traversal.
+      options?.onCoverage?.({ status: "complete", limitations: [] });
     } finally {
       this.#enumerations.delete(enumeration);
     }
diff --git a/src/artifacts/NativeDmgArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/NativeDmgArtifactReader.ts
index 235b5a795b..9eb954a9f2 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/NativeDmgArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/NativeDmgArtifactReader.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
   type ArtifactTraversalOptions,
 } from "./ArtifactReader.js";
 import { DirectoryArtifactReader } from "./DirectoryArtifactReader.js";
+import { declaredArtifactEntries } from "./ArtifactTraversalObservation.js";
 import {
   NonRegularFileReadError,
   RegularFileAdmissionFailure,
@@ -201,16 +202,15 @@ export class NativeDmgArtifactReader implements ArtifactReader {
         limitations: [DMG_CHECKSUM_ABSENT_LIMITATION],
       });
     const prefix = basename(this.path);
-    const entries = directory
-      .entries(signal, {
-        onCoverage: (coverage) => options?.onCoverage?.(coverage),
-        onOmission: (omission) =>
-          options?.onOmission?.({
-            ...omission,
-            path: `${prefix}/${omission.path}`,
-          }),
-      })
-      [Symbol.asyncIterator]();
+    // The attached directory declares its own coverage; silence stays unknown.
+    const entries = declaredArtifactEntries(directory, signal, {
+      onCoverage: (coverage) => options?.onCoverage?.(coverage),
+      onOmission: (omission) =>
+        options?.onOmission?.({
+          ...omission,
+          path: `${prefix}/${omission.path}`,
+        }),
+    })[Symbol.asyncIterator]();
     try {
       for (;;) {
         if (this.#closed)
diff --git a/src/artifacts/NativeDmgProtocol.test.ts b/src/artifacts/NativeDmgProtocol.test.ts
index 7e9106a734..4db82029a7 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/NativeDmgProtocol.test.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/NativeDmgProtocol.test.ts
@@ -35,9 +35,16 @@ it.skipIf(process.platform === "win32").each([false, true])(
         signal,
         options,
       ) {
-        yield* entries.call(this, signal, options);
-        if (unknownCoverage && typeof options !== "function")
-          options?.onCoverage?.(producerCoverage);
+        yield* entries.call(
+          this,
+          signal,
+          unknownCoverage && typeof options !== "function"
+            ? {
+                ...options,
+                onCoverage: () => options?.onCoverage?.(producerCoverage),
+              }
+            : options,
+        );
       });
     const host: NativeDmgHost = {
       run: async (args) => {
@@ -80,7 +87,11 @@ it.skipIf(process.platform === "win32").each([false, true])(
       }))
         paths.push(entry.path);
       expect(paths).toContain("image.dmg/Volume/readable.txt");
-      expect(coverage).toEqual(unknownCoverage ? [producerCoverage] : []);
+      expect(coverage).toEqual([
+        unknownCoverage
+          ? producerCoverage
+          : { status: "complete", limitations: [] },
+      ]);
       const paused = reader.entries()[Symbol.asyncIterator]();
       expect((await paused.next()).done).toBe(false);
       await reader.close();
diff --git a/src/artifacts/NodeSeaArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/NodeSeaArtifactReader.ts
index ef2f0b07ba..aa4e815ed7 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/NodeSeaArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/NodeSeaArtifactReader.ts
@@ -175,10 +175,11 @@ export class NodeSeaArtifactReader extends PositionalArtifactReader {
     this.#admission = undefined;
     return {
       entries,
-      coverage:
-        fuse.fuseContradiction === null
-          ? undefined
-          : { status: "complete", limitations: [fuse.fuseContradiction] },
+      coverage: {
+        status: "complete",
+        limitations:
+          fuse.fuseContradiction === null ? [] : [fuse.fuseContradiction],
+      },
     };
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/artifacts/PositionalArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/PositionalArtifactReader.ts
index 2e01b8ab29..ba9d39382e 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/PositionalArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/PositionalArtifactReader.ts
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ export type PositionalArtifactEntry = ArtifactEntry & {
 /** The entries one preparation established and the coverage to report. */
 export interface PositionalArtifactEntries {
   readonly entries: readonly PositionalArtifactEntry[];
-  /** Undefined when coverage is complete without limitations. */
-  readonly coverage: ArtifactReaderTraversal | undefined;
+  /** The coverage the preparation established, including complete coverage. */
+  readonly coverage: ArtifactReaderTraversal;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ export abstract class PositionalArtifactReader implements ArtifactReader {
       await this.#source.read(signal);
     });
     this.assertOpen(signal);
+    // An unprepared reader declares nothing, which consumers read as unknown.
     if (this.#coverage !== undefined)
       options?.onCoverage?.({
         ...this.#coverage,
diff --git a/src/artifacts/ReleaseExposureReader.ts b/src/artifacts/ReleaseExposureReader.ts
index cb9d323f9b..f5a9c01dc6 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/ReleaseExposureReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/ReleaseExposureReader.ts
@@ -2980,7 +2980,7 @@ const containerEntries = async (
   const traversal = new ArtifactTraversalObservation();
   let count = 0;
   let truncated = false;
-  for await (const entry of container.reader.entries(signal, traversal)) {
+  for await (const entry of traversal.entries(container.reader, signal)) {
     count += 1;
     if (count > CONTAINER_LIST_LIMIT) {
       if (!truncated) {
diff --git a/src/artifacts/Uf2ArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/Uf2ArtifactReader.ts
index df0a93c091..17ed67f80f 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/Uf2ArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/Uf2ArtifactReader.ts
@@ -34,14 +34,10 @@ const uf2Regions: RegionDecoding<Uf2Image> = {
       },
       bytes: region.bytes,
     })),
-    ...(image.complete && image.limitations.length === 0
-      ? {}
-      : {
-          coverage: {
-            status: image.complete ? "complete" : "unknown",
-            limitations: image.limitations,
-          },
-        }),
+    coverage: {
+      status: image.complete ? "complete" : "unknown",
+      limitations: image.limitations,
+    },
   }),
 };
 
diff --git a/src/artifacts/UnityFsArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/UnityFsArtifactReader.ts
index 5d6ef1c023..f4f50a745c 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/UnityFsArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/UnityFsArtifactReader.ts
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ export class UnityFsArtifactReader implements ArtifactReader {
     }
     // A close while paused at yield must not turn a cleared map into completion.
     this.#assertOpen(signal);
+    options?.onCoverage?.({ status: "complete", limitations: [] });
   }
 
   async open(entry: ArtifactEntry, signal?: AbortSignal): Promise<Readable> {
diff --git a/src/artifacts/WxapkgArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/WxapkgArtifactReader.ts
index 7aeb15c8d5..3ecf787ea5 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/WxapkgArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/WxapkgArtifactReader.ts
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ export class WxapkgArtifactReader implements ArtifactReader {
     }
     // A close while paused at yield must not turn a cleared map into completion.
     this.#assertOpen(signal);
+    options?.onCoverage?.({ status: "complete", limitations: [] });
   }
 
   async open(entry: ArtifactEntry, signal?: AbortSignal): Promise<Readable> {
diff --git a/src/artifacts/ZipArtifactReader.ts b/src/artifacts/ZipArtifactReader.ts
index b786adbb94..ac1b3ef69e 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/ZipArtifactReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/ZipArtifactReader.ts
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import {
   sameArtifactEntry,
   type ArtifactEntry,
   type ArtifactReader,
+  type ArtifactTraversalOptions,
 } from "./ArtifactReader.js";
 import type { ZipPackageFormat } from "../domain/zipPackageFormat.js";
 import { artifactExpansionBudgetBytes } from "../domain/artifactExpansionBudget.js";
@@ -193,7 +194,10 @@ export class ZipArtifactReader implements ArtifactReader {
     this.#reader = new ZipReader(this.#source, ZIP_READER_OPTIONS);
   }
 
-  async *entries(signal?: AbortSignal): AsyncIterable<ArtifactEntry> {
+  async *entries(
+    signal?: AbortSignal,
+    options?: ArtifactTraversalOptions,
+  ): AsyncIterable<ArtifactEntry> {
     this.#assertOpen(signal);
     let index = 0;
     // A traversal owns its accounting, including overlapping or repeated passes.
@@ -249,6 +253,7 @@ export class ZipArtifactReader implements ArtifactReader {
       this.#assertOpen(signal);
       await this.#source.verify();
       this.#assertOpen(signal);
+      options?.onCoverage?.({ status: "complete", limitations: [] });
     } finally {
       this.#enumerations.delete(enumeration);
     }
diff --git a/src/artifacts/apple/AppleAssetCatalogAnalysis.ts b/src/artifacts/apple/AppleAssetCatalogAnalysis.ts
index c400ed5452..e486df4378 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/apple/AppleAssetCatalogAnalysis.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/apple/AppleAssetCatalogAnalysis.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,10 @@ import { DirectoryArtifactReader } from "../DirectoryArtifactReader.js";
 import { ArtifactResourceScope } from "../ArtifactResourceScope.js";
 import { translateArtifactFailure } from "../ArtifactOperationFailure.js";
 import { analysisErrorWithCleanupFailure } from "../../domain/analysisErrorCleanup.js";
-import { ArtifactTraversalObservation } from "../ArtifactTraversalObservation.js";
+import {
+  ArtifactTraversalObservation,
+  declaredArtifactEntries,
+} from "../ArtifactTraversalObservation.js";
 import {
   ArtifactReaderFailure,
   sameArtifactSourceIdentity,
@@ -206,10 +209,10 @@ const collectAssetCatalogs = async (input: {
     kind: "completed",
   };
   try {
-    for await (const entry of reader.entries(input.signal, {
-      onCoverage: traversal.onCoverage,
+    for await (const entry of declaredArtifactEntries(reader, input.signal, {
+      onCoverage: traversal.record,
       onOmission: (omission) => {
-        traversal.onOmission(omission);
+        traversal.omit(omission);
         const { path, kind } = omission;
         if (path.split("/").at(-1) === "Assets.car")
           uninspected.push(`${path} (${kind})`);
@@ -269,7 +272,7 @@ const collectAssetCatalogs = async (input: {
   }
   if (outcome.kind === "failed") throw outcome.cause;
   if (symlinks > 0)
-    traversal.onCoverage({
+    traversal.record({
       // Source entries are represented even when their link targets were not
       // inspected. Keep that inventory scope separate from catalog discovery.
       status: "complete",
diff --git a/src/artifacts/apple/DylibResolutionReader.ts b/src/artifacts/apple/DylibResolutionReader.ts
index 0f13c0faf9..acf8bb6a62 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/apple/DylibResolutionReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/apple/DylibResolutionReader.ts
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ const executableRoots = async (
   };
   try {
     await consumeWithOrderedReads(
-      reader.entries(signal, traversal),
+      traversal.entries(reader, signal),
       MAGIC_READ_CONCURRENCY,
       (entry) => {
         // The ordered-read owner skips consume() when read() returns undefined.
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ const executableRoots = async (
   if (outcome.kind === "failed") throw outcome.cause;
   assertArtifactReadActive(signal);
   if (symlinks > 0)
-    traversal.onCoverage({
+    traversal.record({
       status: "unknown",
       limitations: [
         `Executable-root discovery did not follow ${symlinks} symlink(s); their root roles and possible descendants are unknown. First path: ${JSON.stringify(firstSymlink)}.`,
diff --git a/src/artifacts/apple/InterfaceBuilderAnalysis.ts b/src/artifacts/apple/InterfaceBuilderAnalysis.ts
index 67ddf7ae0a..bfcc13dcb2 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/apple/InterfaceBuilderAnalysis.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/apple/InterfaceBuilderAnalysis.ts
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ const selectInterfaceBuilderCandidates = async (
   let unclassifiedSymlinks = 0;
   let firstUnclassifiedSymlink: string | undefined;
   let total = 0;
-  for await (const entry of reader.entries(signal, traversal)) {
+  for await (const entry of traversal.entries(reader, signal)) {
     if (entry.kind === "symlink") {
       if (
         isInterfaceBuilderArchive(entry.path) ||
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ const selectInterfaceBuilderCandidates = async (
     retainCandidate(candidates, entry, capacity);
   }
   if (unclassifiedSymlinks > 0)
-    traversal.onCoverage({
+    traversal.record({
       status: "unknown",
       limitations: [
         `Interface Builder discovery did not follow ${unclassifiedSymlinks} symlink(s); whether they contain archives is unknown. First path: ${JSON.stringify(firstUnclassifiedSymlink)}.`,
diff --git a/src/artifacts/extraction/ArtifactExtraction.ts b/src/artifacts/extraction/ArtifactExtraction.ts
index c84a6a1b6f..1e51508de8 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/extraction/ArtifactExtraction.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/extraction/ArtifactExtraction.ts
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ const materializeSelection = async ({
       throw cause;
     }
     const traversal = new ArtifactTraversalObservation();
-    traversal.onCoverage({
+    traversal.record({
       status: inventory.coverage.status,
       limitations: inventory.limitations,
     });
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ const writeSelectedEntries = async ({
     else queue.occurrences.push(occurrence);
   }
   const registry = new ArtifactPathRegistry();
-  for await (const entry of reader.entries(signal, traversal)) {
+  for await (const entry of traversal.entries(reader, signal)) {
     const path = normalizeArtifactPath(entry.path);
     // Logical declarations may share a query path with a real file. They do
     // not consume that file's selection or participate in materialization.
diff --git a/src/artifacts/inventory/scanReader.test.ts b/src/artifacts/inventory/scanReader.test.ts
index 59af6373bd..49e55a6402 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/inventory/scanReader.test.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/inventory/scanReader.test.ts
@@ -87,8 +87,9 @@ const entry: ArtifactEntry = {
 };
 const readerFailingWith = (failure: ArtifactReaderFailure): ArtifactReader => ({
   format: "asar",
-  async *entries() {
+  async *entries(_signal, options) {
     yield entry;
+    options?.onCoverage?.({ status: "complete", limitations: [] });
   },
   async open() {
     throw failure;
@@ -133,6 +134,28 @@ it("keeps known member enumeration complete when only its content is unavailable
   ]);
 });
 
+it("reports unknown coverage naming a reader that never declared its coverage", async () => {
+  const reader: ArtifactReader = {
+    format: "asar",
+    async *entries() {
+      yield entry;
+    },
+    open: async () => Readable.from([Buffer.from("x")]),
+    provenance: () => [],
+    async close() {},
+  };
+  const result = await scanReader(reader, [reader]);
+  expect(result.occurrences).toMatchObject([
+    { logical_path: "member", hash_status: "verified" },
+  ]);
+  expect(result.traversal).toEqual({
+    status: "unknown",
+    limitations: [
+      "The asar reader ended its traversal without declaring coverage; members it did not list are unknown.",
+    ],
+  });
+});
+
 it.each(["closed reader", "content failure with incomplete cleanup"])(
   "propagates a %s rather than treating it as a missing unpacked companion",
   async (kind) => {
diff --git a/src/artifacts/inventory/scanReader.ts b/src/artifacts/inventory/scanReader.ts
index 53c0ad680d..337149407b 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/inventory/scanReader.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/inventory/scanReader.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ import {
   type ArtifactReader,
   type ArtifactReaderTraversal,
 } from "../ArtifactReader.js";
-import { ArtifactTraversalObservation } from "../ArtifactTraversalObservation.js";
+import {
+  ArtifactTraversalObservation,
+  declaredArtifactEntries,
+} from "../ArtifactTraversalObservation.js";
 import {
   DirectoryArtifactEntryAccessDenied,
   DirectoryArtifactReader,
@@ -201,25 +204,22 @@ const inventoryEntries = (
   reader: ArtifactReader,
   prefix: string,
 ): AsyncIterator<ArtifactEntry> =>
-  reader
-    .entries(context.signal, {
-      onCoverage: context.traversal.onCoverage,
-      ...(reader instanceof DirectoryArtifactReader &&
-      context.acquisitionLimits !== undefined
-        ? {
-            maximumEntries:
-              context.acquisitionLimits.maximumEntries -
-              context.entriesExamined,
-          }
-        : {}),
-      onOmission: (omission) =>
-        context.traversal.onOmission({
-          ...omission,
-          path:
-            prefix.length === 0 ? omission.path : `${prefix}/${omission.path}`,
-        }),
-    })
-    [Symbol.asyncIterator]();
+  declaredArtifactEntries(reader, context.signal, {
+    onCoverage: context.traversal.record,
+    ...(reader instanceof DirectoryArtifactReader &&
+    context.acquisitionLimits !== undefined
+      ? {
+          maximumEntries:
+            context.acquisitionLimits.maximumEntries - context.entriesExamined,
+        }
+      : {}),
+    onOmission: (omission) =>
+      context.traversal.omit({
+        ...omission,
+        path:
+          prefix.length === 0 ? omission.path : `${prefix}/${omission.path}`,
+      }),
+  })[Symbol.asyncIterator]();
 
 const visitArtifactEntries = async (
   context: ScanContext,
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ const visitArtifactEntries = async (
           cause instanceof ArtifactEntryContentUnavailable
             ? cause.traversal
             : { status: "unknown" as const, limitations: [limitation] };
-        if (traversal !== undefined) context.traversal.onCoverage(traversal);
+        if (traversal !== undefined) context.traversal.record(traversal);
         occurrence.hash_status = "unavailable";
         occurrence.limitations.push(limitation);
       }
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ const visitArtifactEntries = async (
       cause instanceof InventoryAcquisitionLimit ||
       cause instanceof DirectoryArtifactTraversalLimit
     )
-      context.traversal.onCoverage({
+      context.traversal.record({
         status: "unknown",
         limitations: [cause.message],
       });
diff --git a/tests/boundary/filesystem/desktopApplication.test.ts b/tests/boundary/filesystem/desktopApplication.test.ts
index 7287015569..65793f80ee 100644
--- a/tests/boundary/filesystem/desktopApplication.test.ts
+++ b/tests/boundary/filesystem/desktopApplication.test.ts
@@ -942,7 +942,7 @@ const inspectSimulatedRows = async (
   const service = new DesktopApplicationService(
     new DesktopApplicationReader((selected) => {
       const reader = new DirectoryArtifactReader(selected);
-      reader.entries = async function* () {
+      reader.entries = async function* (_signal, options) {
         for (let index = 0; index < count; index++) {
           yielded++;
           yield {
@@ -959,6 +959,8 @@ const inspectSimulatedRows = async (
             adapterKey: `${root}/${path(index)}`,
           };
         }
+        if (typeof options !== "function")
+          options?.onCoverage?.({ status: "complete", limitations: [] });
       };
       return reader;
     }),
diff --git a/tests/boundary/providers/native/nativeDmgArtifactReader.test.ts b/tests/boundary/providers/native/nativeDmgArtifactReader.test.ts
index 604f465c40..5df143ea40 100644
--- a/tests/boundary/providers/native/nativeDmgArtifactReader.test.ts
+++ b/tests/boundary/providers/native/nativeDmgArtifactReader.test.ts
@@ -1615,6 +1615,8 @@ describe("native DMG checksum-free images", () => {
           ),
         ],
       },
+      // The mounted directory declares its own complete traversal.
+      { status: "complete", limitations: [] },
     ]);
     expect(
       reader