diff --git a/internal/classifier/classify_test.go b/internal/classifier/classify_test.go
index 0aaba02..05e24f1 100644
--- a/internal/classifier/classify_test.go
+++ b/internal/classifier/classify_test.go
@@ -124,3 +124,28 @@ func TestNoClassification_HealthyTrace(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("expected 0 classifications for healthy trace, got %d: %v", len(results), results)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestDetectFalseCompletion_NoVerification(t *testing.T) {
+	tr := trace.New([]trace.Iteration{
+		{Number: 1, Phase: trace.PhaseAct, Action: trace.Action{Type: "Edit", Target: "src/a.ts"}},
+		{Number: 2, Phase: trace.PhaseTerminate, Decision: "stop"},
+	})
+	tr.Summary.TerminationReason = "goal_met"
+
+	results := Classify(tr)
+	found := false
+	for _, r := range results {
+		if r.Category == CatFalseComplete {
+			found = true
+			if r.Confidence != 0.60 {
+				t.Errorf("confidence = %f, want 0.60", r.Confidence)
+			}
+			if r.Evidence != "Loop claimed success but no verification was ever performed." {
+				t.Errorf("unexpected evidence: %q", r.Evidence)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	if !found {
+		t.Error("expected false completion when success claimed with zero verifications")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/classifier/false_complete.go b/internal/classifier/false_complete.go
index 2f9d223..e1e72e5 100644
--- a/internal/classifier/false_complete.go
+++ b/internal/classifier/false_complete.go
@@ -41,7 +41,11 @@ func detectFalseCompletion(t *trace.Trace) *Classification {
 	}
 
 	if lastVerify == nil {
-		return nil
+		return &Classification{
+			Category:   CatFalseComplete,
+			Confidence: 0.60,
+			Evidence:   "Loop claimed success but no verification was ever performed.",
+		}
 	}
 
 	if lastVerify.Status == "fail" {