diff --git a/checkers/plan-groomer.sh b/checkers/plan-groomer.sh
index 996afdf..781a4b6 100755
--- a/checkers/plan-groomer.sh
+++ b/checkers/plan-groomer.sh
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ if [ "$NOTIFY" -eq 1 ] && [ "$DRY_RUN" -eq 0 ]; then
   # is REPORT-ONLY and must not auto-write. The composed digest is available in $DIGEST.
   log "--notify requested but inert in this phase (D3: report-only; auto-write is a later toggle). No push."
 fi
-: "${DIGEST:?}" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true   # DIGEST is composed for the future seam; keep it referenced.
+DIGEST="${DIGEST:-}"  # DIGEST is composed for the future seam; keep it referenced.
 log "REPORT-ONLY: groomed plan written to the mode-600 report; nothing posted (D3)."
 exit 0