diff --git a/features/steps/tdd_auto_debug_state_mutation_steps.py b/features/steps/tdd_auto_debug_state_mutation_steps.py
index bd91a1ca4..8ed38b440 100644
--- a/features/steps/tdd_auto_debug_state_mutation_steps.py
+++ b/features/steps/tdd_auto_debug_state_mutation_steps.py
@@ -247,3 +247,14 @@ def step_result_unchanged(context: Any) -> None:
     assert actual == original, (
         f"Original state result was mutated: expected {original!r}, got {actual!r}"
     )
+
+
+@then("the returned state must contain key {key_str}")
+def step_returned_state_has_key(context: Any, key_str: str) -> None:
+    """Verify the returned partial-state dict contains the expected key."""
+    # Strip quotes if present (e.g. '"messages"' or "messages")
+    key = key_str.strip("\"'")
+    assert key in context.mutation_result_state, (
+        f"Returned state missing expected key '{key}'. "
+        f"Keys present: {list(context.mutation_result_state.keys())}"
+    )
diff --git a/features/tdd_auto_debug_state_mutation.feature b/features/tdd_auto_debug_state_mutation.feature
index cd0f753c8..12d09a11c 100644
--- a/features/tdd_auto_debug_state_mutation.feature
+++ b/features/tdd_auto_debug_state_mutation.feature
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ Feature: AutoDebug node functions must not mutate state in-place
     Then the returned state should be a different object from the input state
     And the original state messages list should be unchanged
 
+  Scenario: _analyze_error returns expected keys in partial state dict
+    Given an auto debug agent for mutation testing
+    And an initial auto debug state for mutation testing
+    When I call _analyze_error and capture the result
+    Then the returned state must contain key "messages"
+
   Scenario: _generate_fix does not mutate the original state object
     Given an auto debug agent for mutation testing
     And a state with an error analysis for mutation testing
@@ -21,6 +27,12 @@ Feature: AutoDebug node functions must not mutate state in-place
     Then the returned state should be a different object from the input state
     And the original state current_fix should be unchanged
 
+  Scenario: _generate_fix returns expected keys in partial state dict
+    Given an auto debug agent for mutation testing
+    And a state with an error analysis for mutation testing
+    When I call _generate_fix and capture the result
+    Then the returned state must contain key "current_fix"
+
   Scenario: _validate_fix does not mutate the original state object
     Given an auto debug agent for mutation testing
     And a state with a current fix for mutation testing
@@ -28,6 +40,13 @@ Feature: AutoDebug node functions must not mutate state in-place
     Then the returned state should be a different object from the input state
     And the original state fix_validated should be unchanged
 
+  Scenario: _validate_fix (invalid) returns expected keys in partial state dict
+    Given an auto debug agent for mutation testing
+    And a state with a current fix and invalid validation for mutation testing
+    When I call _validate_fix and capture the result
+    Then the returned state must contain key "fix_validated"
+    And the returned state must contain key "attempted_fixes"
+
   Scenario: _validate_fix with invalid fix does not mutate attempted_fixes in-place
     Given an auto debug agent for mutation testing
     And a state with a current fix and invalid validation for mutation testing
@@ -41,3 +60,9 @@ Feature: AutoDebug node functions must not mutate state in-place
     When I call _finalize and capture the result
     Then the returned state should be a different object from the input state
     And the original state result should be unchanged
+
+  Scenario: _finalize returns expected keys in partial state dict
+    Given an auto debug agent for mutation testing
+    And a state ready for finalization for mutation testing
+    When I call _finalize and capture the result
+    Then the returned state must contain key "result"
diff --git a/src/cleveragents/agents/graphs/auto_debug.py b/src/cleveragents/agents/graphs/auto_debug.py
index 181b7ed39..a469b25e9 100644
--- a/src/cleveragents/agents/graphs/auto_debug.py
+++ b/src/cleveragents/agents/graphs/auto_debug.py
@@ -302,8 +302,10 @@ Validate this fix."""
                         for word in ["valid", "correct", "resolves", "fixes"]
                     )
         except Exception as exc:  # pragma: no cover - defensive
-            logger.warning("LLM validation failed, using fallback: %s", exc)
-            is_valid = True
+            logger.warning(
+                "LLM validation failed, treating fix as invalid: %s", exc
+            )
+            is_valid = False
 
         if not is_valid:
             updated_attempted_fixes: list[dict[str, Any]] = [