diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Payload/AuditRedactionPrimitives.cs b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Payload/AuditRedactionPrimitives.cs
index 663b21e5..81c01220 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Payload/AuditRedactionPrimitives.cs
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Payload/AuditRedactionPrimitives.cs
@@ -42,6 +42,15 @@ internal static class AuditRedactionPrimitives
     /// <summary>Over-redaction marker emitted when a redactor stage itself faults.</summary>
     public const string RedactorErrorMarker = "<redacted: redactor error>";
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Marker used by the outer never-throws safety net when the entire redaction
+    /// pipeline fails catastrophically — all potentially-sensitive string fields are
+    /// set to this value so no raw payload leaks on an unexpected fault.
+    /// Deliberately equal to <see cref="RedactorErrorMarker"/>: both represent a
+    /// defensive scrub-everything fallback.
+    /// </summary>
+    public const string OverRedactedEventMarker = RedactorErrorMarker;
+
     /// <summary>
     /// JSON serializer options used to re-emit redacted summaries. The
     /// UnsafeRelaxedJsonEscaping encoder is required so the redaction marker
@@ -276,6 +285,8 @@ internal static class AuditRedactionPrimitives
             return null;
         }
         var result = TruncateUtf8(value, cap);
+        // Char-count comparison is sufficient: TruncateUtf8 only ever shortens the
+        // string, so result.Length < value.Length iff bytes were removed.
         if (result.Length != value.Length)
         {
             truncated = true;
diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Redaction/SafeDefaultAuditRedactor.cs b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Redaction/SafeDefaultAuditRedactor.cs
index 29940916..9fc7d3b9 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Redaction/SafeDefaultAuditRedactor.cs
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Redaction/SafeDefaultAuditRedactor.cs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
 using ZB.MOM.WW.Audit;
 using ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Payload;
 using ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Commons.Types.Audit;
+using static ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Payload.AuditRedactionPrimitives;
 
 namespace ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Redaction;
 
@@ -60,12 +61,18 @@ public sealed class SafeDefaultAuditRedactor : IAuditRedactor
         }
         catch
         {
-            // Over-redact: drop both summaries entirely so a malformed parse
-            // path never leaks the original. The contract is "never throw."
+            // Over-redact: suppress ALL sensitive free-text fields so a failure
+            // on any internal path never leaks the original. The contract is
+            // "never throw." Uses the shared OverRedactedEventMarker so all
+            // redactor safety-nets emit the same sentinel string.
             var safe = new AuditDetails
             {
-                RequestSummary = "[redacted by SafeDefaultAuditRedactor]",
-                ResponseSummary = "[redacted by SafeDefaultAuditRedactor]",
+                RequestSummary = OverRedactedEventMarker,
+                ResponseSummary = OverRedactedEventMarker,
+                ErrorDetail = OverRedactedEventMarker,
+                ErrorMessage = OverRedactedEventMarker,
+                Extra = OverRedactedEventMarker,
+                PayloadTruncated = true,
             };
             return rawEvent with { DetailsJson = AuditDetailsCodec.Serialize(safe) };
         }
@@ -82,7 +89,9 @@ public sealed class SafeDefaultAuditRedactor : IAuditRedactor
             {
                 if (string.Equals(name, sensitive, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
                 {
-                    return $"{name}: [REDACTED]";
+                    // Use the shared RedactedMarker so line-format and JSON-format
+                    // header redaction emit the same sentinel string.
+                    return $"{name}: {RedactedMarker}";
                 }
             }
             return m.Value;
diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Redaction/ScadaBridgeAuditRedactor.cs b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Redaction/ScadaBridgeAuditRedactor.cs
index 2db12e7b..e343d4d9 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Redaction/ScadaBridgeAuditRedactor.cs
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Redaction/ScadaBridgeAuditRedactor.cs
@@ -47,14 +47,14 @@ namespace ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Redaction;
 /// </list>
 /// </para>
 /// <para>
-/// MUST NOT throw — wrapped in try/catch; over-redacts (drops the summaries to a
-/// safe marker) on any internal failure, mirroring
+/// MUST NOT throw — wrapped in try/catch; over-redacts (drops ALL sensitive free-text
+/// fields to a safe marker) on any internal failure, mirroring
 /// <see cref="SafeDefaultAuditPayloadFilter"/>.
 /// </para>
 /// </remarks>
 public sealed class ScadaBridgeAuditRedactor : IAuditRedactor
 {
-    private const string OverRedactedMarker = "[redacted by ScadaBridgeAuditRedactor]";
+    private const string OverRedactedMarker = AuditRedactionPrimitives.OverRedactedEventMarker;
 
     private readonly IOptionsMonitor<AuditLogOptions> _options;
     private readonly ILogger<ScadaBridgeAuditRedactor> _logger;
@@ -307,11 +307,13 @@ public sealed class ScadaBridgeAuditRedactor : IAuditRedactor
     }
 
     /// <summary>
-    /// Over-redaction copy returned from the never-throws catch: drop the
-    /// request/response summaries inside <c>DetailsJson</c> to a safe marker and
-    /// flag <see cref="AuditDetails.PayloadTruncated"/>. Best-effort re-serialise;
-    /// if even that fails, return the input with no summaries via an empty
-    /// details bag.
+    /// Over-redaction copy returned from the never-throws catch: suppress ALL
+    /// potentially-sensitive string fields inside <c>DetailsJson</c> to a safe
+    /// marker and flag <see cref="AuditDetails.PayloadTruncated"/>. "All sensitive
+    /// fields" = <c>RequestSummary</c>, <c>ResponseSummary</c>, <c>ErrorDetail</c>,
+    /// <c>ErrorMessage</c>, and <c>Extra</c> — all body-regex redaction targets
+    /// that can carry sensitive values. Best-effort re-serialise; if even that
+    /// fails, return the input with no sensitive fields via a minimal details bag.
     /// </summary>
     private static AuditEvent OverRedact(AuditEvent rawEvent)
     {
@@ -321,6 +323,9 @@ public sealed class ScadaBridgeAuditRedactor : IAuditRedactor
             {
                 RequestSummary = OverRedactedMarker,
                 ResponseSummary = OverRedactedMarker,
+                ErrorDetail = OverRedactedMarker,
+                ErrorMessage = OverRedactedMarker,
+                Extra = OverRedactedMarker,
                 PayloadTruncated = true,
             };
             return rawEvent with { DetailsJson = AuditDetailsCodec.Serialize(d) };
@@ -331,6 +336,9 @@ public sealed class ScadaBridgeAuditRedactor : IAuditRedactor
             {
                 RequestSummary = OverRedactedMarker,
                 ResponseSummary = OverRedactedMarker,
+                ErrorDetail = OverRedactedMarker,
+                ErrorMessage = OverRedactedMarker,
+                Extra = OverRedactedMarker,
                 PayloadTruncated = true,
             };
             return rawEvent with { DetailsJson = AuditDetailsCodec.Serialize(safe) };
diff --git a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Redaction/SafeDefaultAuditRedactorTests.cs b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Redaction/SafeDefaultAuditRedactorTests.cs
index cb74fc8b..bbba3ddc 100644
--- a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Redaction/SafeDefaultAuditRedactorTests.cs
+++ b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Redaction/SafeDefaultAuditRedactorTests.cs
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ public class SafeDefaultAuditRedactorTests
         var result = SafeDefaultAuditRedactor.Instance.Apply(evt);
 
         var d = Details(result);
-        Assert.Contains("Authorization: [REDACTED]", d.RequestSummary!);
+        Assert.Contains("Authorization: <redacted>", d.RequestSummary!);
         Assert.DoesNotContain("secret-token", d.RequestSummary!);
         Assert.Contains("Content-Type: application/json", d.RequestSummary!);
     }
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ public class SafeDefaultAuditRedactorTests
         var result = SafeDefaultAuditRedactor.Instance.Apply(evt);
 
         var d = Details(result);
-        Assert.Contains("Set-Cookie: [REDACTED]", d.ResponseSummary!);
+        Assert.Contains("Set-Cookie: <redacted>", d.ResponseSummary!);
         Assert.DoesNotContain("abc123", d.ResponseSummary!);
         Assert.Contains("X-Other: ok", d.ResponseSummary!);
     }
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ public class SafeDefaultAuditRedactorTests
 
         var result = SafeDefaultAuditRedactor.Instance.Apply(evt);
 
-        Assert.Contains("[REDACTED]", Details(result).RequestSummary!);
+        Assert.Contains("<redacted>", Details(result).RequestSummary!);
         Assert.DoesNotContain("x-y-z", Details(result).RequestSummary!);
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Redaction/ScadaBridgeAuditRedactorTests.cs b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Redaction/ScadaBridgeAuditRedactorTests.cs
index ce271f7f..0c2e4eb7 100644
--- a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Redaction/ScadaBridgeAuditRedactorTests.cs
+++ b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Redaction/ScadaBridgeAuditRedactorTests.cs
@@ -520,6 +520,58 @@ public class ScadaBridgeAuditRedactorTests
         Assert.Null(ex);
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public void OuterCatch_OptionsThrows_NeverLeaks_AllSensitiveFieldsOverRedacted()
+    {
+        // Force the outer try/catch → OverRedact path by injecting an
+        // IOptionsMonitor whose CurrentValue getter throws. This is the FIRST
+        // statement in the try block, so the exception escapes before any
+        // redaction work has run — the input event could still carry live
+        // sensitive values in all five free-text fields.
+        //
+        // The never-leak contract requires ALL of RequestSummary, ResponseSummary,
+        // ErrorDetail, ErrorMessage, and Extra to be suppressed to the
+        // over-redacted marker, and PayloadTruncated to be true.
+        var sensitiveEvent = NewEvent(
+            request: "SENSITIVE-REQUEST-DATA",
+            response: "SENSITIVE-RESPONSE-DATA",
+            errorDetail: "SENSITIVE-ERROR-DETAIL",
+            extra: "SENSITIVE-EXTRA-DATA");
+        // Manually inject ErrorMessage into DetailsJson (NewEvent does not expose it).
+        var withMsg = sensitiveEvent with
+        {
+            DetailsJson = AuditDetailsCodec.Serialize(
+                AuditDetailsCodec.Deserialize(sensitiveEvent.DetailsJson) with
+                {
+                    ErrorMessage = "SENSITIVE-ERROR-MESSAGE",
+                }),
+        };
+
+        var redactor = new ScadaBridgeAuditRedactor(
+            new ThrowingMonitor(),
+            Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Abstractions.NullLogger<ScadaBridgeAuditRedactor>.Instance);
+
+        // (a) Apply must not throw even when options access itself throws.
+        var ex = Record.Exception(() => redactor.Apply(withMsg));
+        Assert.Null(ex);
+
+        // (b) Returned event must have ALL sensitive free-text fields suppressed
+        //     (never-leak guarantee), and PayloadTruncated must be true.
+        var result = redactor.Apply(withMsg);
+        var d = Details(result);
+        const string marker = "<redacted: redactor error>";
+
+        Assert.Equal(marker, d.RequestSummary);
+        Assert.Equal(marker, d.ResponseSummary);
+        Assert.Equal(marker, d.ErrorDetail);
+        Assert.Equal(marker, d.ErrorMessage);
+        Assert.Equal(marker, d.Extra);
+        Assert.True(d.PayloadTruncated);
+
+        // Confirm no raw sensitive values survive anywhere in DetailsJson.
+        Assert.DoesNotContain("SENSITIVE", result.DetailsJson ?? "");
+    }
+
     /// <summary>Counts <see cref="IAuditRedactionFailureCounter.Increment"/> calls.</summary>
     private sealed class CountingRedactionFailureCounter : IAuditRedactionFailureCounter
     {
@@ -537,4 +589,17 @@ public class ScadaBridgeAuditRedactorTests
         public AuditLogOptions Get(string? name) => _value;
         public IDisposable? OnChange(Action<AuditLogOptions, string?> listener) => null;
     }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// IOptionsMonitor test double that throws from <see cref="CurrentValue"/> to
+    /// force the outer try/catch → OverRedact path in
+    /// <see cref="ScadaBridgeAuditRedactor.Apply"/>.
+    /// </summary>
+    private sealed class ThrowingMonitor : IOptionsMonitor<AuditLogOptions>
+    {
+        public AuditLogOptions CurrentValue =>
+            throw new InvalidOperationException("Simulated options fault for outer-catch test");
+        public AuditLogOptions Get(string? name) => new AuditLogOptions();
+        public IDisposable? OnChange(Action<AuditLogOptions, string?> listener) => null;
+    }
 }