diff --git a/batch_runner.py b/batch_runner.py
index 48551d0e2c..4c947831dc 100644
--- a/batch_runner.py
+++ b/batch_runner.py
@@ -490,13 +490,13 @@ class BatchRunner:
 
                 try:
                     entry = json.loads(line)
-                    if 'prompt' not in entry:
-                        print(f"⚠️  Warning: Line {line_num} missing 'prompt' field, skipping")
-                        continue
-                    dataset.append(entry)
                 except json.JSONDecodeError as e:
                     print(f"⚠️  Warning: Invalid JSON on line {line_num}: {e}")
                     continue
+                if not isinstance(entry, dict) or 'prompt' not in entry:
+                    print(f"⚠️  Warning: Line {line_num} missing 'prompt' field, skipping")
+                    continue
+                dataset.append(entry)
 
         if not dataset:
             raise ValueError(f"No valid entries found in dataset file: {self.dataset_file}")
@@ -552,7 +552,7 @@ class BatchRunner:
                     for line in f:
                         try:
                             entry = json.loads(line.strip())
-                            if entry.get("failed", False):
+                            if not isinstance(entry, dict) or entry.get("failed", False):
                                 continue
                             prompt_text = _entry_prompt_text(entry)
                             if prompt_text:
@@ -722,6 +722,9 @@ class BatchRunner:
                         try:
                             data = json.loads(line)
 
+                            if not isinstance(data, dict):
+                                filtered_entries += 1
+                                continue
                             if data.get("discarded"):
                                 tombstone_entries += 1
                                 continue
diff --git a/hermes_cli/local_runtime/binaries.py b/hermes_cli/local_runtime/binaries.py
index c304f06ffa..11844a6dab 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/local_runtime/binaries.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/local_runtime/binaries.py
@@ -66,9 +66,10 @@ def runtimes_root() -> Path:
 def manifest_verified(manifest: Path) -> bool:
     """True when an install manifest records a verified_version (missing/damaged -> False)."""
     try:
-        return bool(json.loads(manifest.read_text(encoding="utf-8")).get("verified_version"))
+        data = json.loads(manifest.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
     except (json.JSONDecodeError, OSError):
         return False
+    return isinstance(data, dict) and bool(data.get("verified_version"))
 
 
 def _release_number(tag: str) -> int:
diff --git a/plugins/platforms/a2a/protocol.py b/plugins/platforms/a2a/protocol.py
index a4cbcfe083..04484dc176 100644
--- a/plugins/platforms/a2a/protocol.py
+++ b/plugins/platforms/a2a/protocol.py
@@ -456,9 +456,11 @@ def load_conversation(context_id: str, limit: int = 50) -> list[dict]:
     for line in lines:
         if line.strip():
             try:
-                out.append(json.loads(line))
+                entry = json.loads(line)
             except json.JSONDecodeError:
-                pass
+                continue
+            if isinstance(entry, dict):
+                out.append(entry)
     return out[-limit:]
 
 
diff --git a/tools/bot_relay.py b/tools/bot_relay.py
index 63cb5a31f4..fc70687730 100644
--- a/tools/bot_relay.py
+++ b/tools/bot_relay.py
@@ -241,6 +241,8 @@ def _expire_if_stale(root: Path | str, path: Path, ttl: float, now: float) -> bo
     reply so the sender's waiter resolves (best effort). Unreadable envelopes are left for the claim."""
     try:
         env = json.loads(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+        if not isinstance(env, dict):
+            raise ValueError(f"expected a JSON object, got {type(env).__name__}")
         created = float(env.get("created_at") or path.stat().st_mtime)
     except (OSError, ValueError):
         return False
@@ -287,7 +289,10 @@ def claim_pending_envelopes(root: Path | str) -> list[dict]:
         claimed = base / CLAIMED_DIR / path.name
         with contextlib.suppress(OSError, ValueError):
             os.replace(path, claimed)  # atomic claim
-            out.append(json.loads(claimed.read_text(encoding="utf-8")))
+            envelope = json.loads(claimed.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+            if not isinstance(envelope, dict):
+                raise ValueError(f"expected a JSON object, got {type(envelope).__name__}")
+            out.append(envelope)
     return out
 
 
diff --git a/tools/browser_lightpanda.py b/tools/browser_lightpanda.py
index 90c563c166..8fe03531e7 100644
--- a/tools/browser_lightpanda.py
+++ b/tools/browser_lightpanda.py
@@ -316,6 +316,8 @@ def reap_orphaned_lightpanda() -> int:
         session_name = record_path.stem
         try:
             record = json.loads(record_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+            if not isinstance(record, dict):
+                raise ValueError(f"expected a JSON object, got {type(record).__name__}")
         except (OSError, ValueError):
             record_path.unlink(missing_ok=True)
             continue
diff --git a/tools/write_approval.py b/tools/write_approval.py
index c519bf939a..d767256187 100644
--- a/tools/write_approval.py
+++ b/tools/write_approval.py
@@ -93,7 +93,10 @@ def list_pending(subsystem: str) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
     records: List[Dict[str, Any]] = []
     for p in _pending_files(subsystem):
         try:
-            records.append(json.loads(p.read_text(encoding="utf-8")))
+            record = json.loads(p.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+            if not isinstance(record, dict):
+                raise ValueError(f"expected a JSON object, got {type(record).__name__}")
+            records.append(record)
         except Exception:
             logger.warning("Skipping unreadable pending record: %s", p)
     records.sort(key=lambda r: r.get("created_at", 0))
@@ -106,7 +109,8 @@ def get_pending(subsystem: str, pending_id: str) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
     if not path.exists():
         return None
     with suppress(Exception):
-        return json.loads(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+        data = json.loads(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+        return data if isinstance(data, dict) else None
     return None
 
 
diff --git a/trajectory_compressor.py b/trajectory_compressor.py
index 19892bb80f..d7c4f1fc70 100644
--- a/trajectory_compressor.py
+++ b/trajectory_compressor.py
@@ -572,7 +572,7 @@ Write only the summary, starting with "[CONTEXT SUMMARY]:" prefix."""
 
     async def process_entry_async(self, entry: Dict[str, Any]) -> Tuple[Dict[str, Any], TrajectoryMetrics]:
         """Compress one JSONL entry's ``conversations``; attach metrics when compressed."""
-        if "conversations" not in entry:
+        if not isinstance(entry, dict) or "conversations" not in entry:
             return entry, TrajectoryMetrics()
         compressed_trajectory, metrics = await self.compress_trajectory_async(entry["conversations"])
         result = dict(entry, conversations=compressed_trajectory)
diff --git a/tui_gateway/methods_session.py b/tui_gateway/methods_session.py
index d916aac71d..729478d9e8 100644
--- a/tui_gateway/methods_session.py
+++ b/tui_gateway/methods_session.py
@@ -2160,6 +2160,8 @@ def _legacy_spawn_tree_entry(p, session_dir_name: str) -> dict | None:
     raw = {}
     with contextlib.suppress(Exception):
         raw = json.loads(p.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+    if not isinstance(raw, dict):
+        raw = {}
     subagents = raw.get("subagents") or []
     return {"path": str(p), "session_id": raw.get("session_id") or session_dir_name,
             "finished_at": raw.get("finished_at") or stat.st_mtime, "started_at": raw.get("started_at"),
@@ -2198,6 +2200,8 @@ def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
         payload = json.loads(resolved.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
     except (OSError, json.JSONDecodeError) as exc:
         return _err(rid, 5000, f"spawn_tree.load failed: {exc}")
+    if not isinstance(payload, dict):
+        return _err(rid, 5000, "spawn_tree.load failed: snapshot is not a JSON object")
     return _ok(rid, payload)