diff --git a/src/components/islands/SkillPackageExplorer.astro b/src/components/islands/SkillPackageExplorer.astro
index 2018019..8552734 100644
--- a/src/components/islands/SkillPackageExplorer.astro
+++ b/src/components/islands/SkillPackageExplorer.astro
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ const packageFiles: PackageFile[] = [
           class:list={[{ active: index === 0 }]}
           data-skill-file={file.id}
           role="tab"
-          aria-selected={String(index === 0)}
+          aria-selected={index === 0 ? 'true' : 'false'}
         >
           <code>{`${file.prefix}${file.label}`}</code>
           <small>{file.caption}</small>
diff --git a/src/pages/agents.astro b/src/pages/agents.astro
index 6caad73..00d207a 100644
--- a/src/pages/agents.astro
+++ b/src/pages/agents.astro
@@ -7,8 +7,22 @@ import { getEntry } from 'astro:content';
 import ChapterLayout from '../layouts/ChapterLayout.astro';
 import ChapterHero from '../components/blocks/ChapterHero.astro';
 
+// Required-field guard. The chapters schema marks section eyebrow /
+// panelLabel / panelCode / steps / copy as optional because the schema
+// does not know which page consumes which shape. These four pages do
+// consume them — fail loudly here rather than rendering a blank section.
+function requireField<T>(value: T | undefined, name: string): T {
+  if (value === undefined) {
+    throw new Error(`agents chapter: missing required field "${name}"`);
+  }
+  return value;
+}
+
 const base = import.meta.env.BASE_URL;
 const chapter = await getEntry('chapters', 'agents');
+if (!chapter) {
+  throw new Error('agents chapter: missing collection entry');
+}
 const lede = chapter.data.lede.en;
 const title = chapter.data.title.en;
 const eyebrow = chapter.data.eyebrow.en;
@@ -16,6 +30,19 @@ const cards = chapter.data.cards ?? [];
 const sections = chapter.data.sections ?? [];
 const treeSection = sections[0];
 const handoffSection = sections[1];
+if (!treeSection) {
+  throw new Error('agents chapter: missing sections[0]');
+}
+if (!handoffSection) {
+  throw new Error('agents chapter: missing sections[1]');
+}
+// Narrow the section fields this page renders. Each `requireField` either
+// returns a non-null value or throws — TS narrows from `T | undefined` to `T`.
+const treeEyebrow = requireField(treeSection.eyebrow, 'sections[0].eyebrow');
+const treePanelLabel = requireField(treeSection.panelLabel, 'sections[0].panelLabel');
+const treePanelCode = requireField(treeSection.panelCode, 'sections[0].panelCode');
+const handoffEyebrow = requireField(handoffSection.eyebrow, 'sections[1].eyebrow');
+const handoffSteps = requireField(handoffSection.steps, 'sections[1].steps');
 ---
 
 <ChapterLayout title="AI For Dummies — Agents and trees" description={lede.replace(/<[^>]+>/g, '')}>
@@ -30,12 +57,12 @@ const handoffSection = sections[1];
 
   <section class="pipeline">
     <div>
-      <p class="eyebrow">{treeSection.eyebrow.en}</p>
+      <p class="eyebrow">{treeEyebrow.en}</p>
       <h2 set:html={treeSection.title.en} />
     </div>
     <div class="panel">
-      <strong>{treeSection.panelLabel.en}</strong>
-      <code>{treeSection.panelCode.en}</code>
+      <strong>{treePanelLabel.en}</strong>
+      <code>{treePanelCode.en}</code>
     </div>
   </section>
 
@@ -53,12 +80,12 @@ const handoffSection = sections[1];
 
   <section class="practice">
     <div>
-      <p class="eyebrow">{handoffSection.eyebrow.en}</p>
+      <p class="eyebrow">{handoffEyebrow.en}</p>
       <h2 set:html={handoffSection.title.en} />
     </div>
     <div class="steps">
       {
-        handoffSection.steps.map((step, index) => (
+        handoffSteps.map((step, index) => (
           <article>
             <b>{String(index + 1).padStart(2, '0')}</b>
             <div>
diff --git a/src/pages/models.astro b/src/pages/models.astro
index d910e47..041166f 100644
--- a/src/pages/models.astro
+++ b/src/pages/models.astro
@@ -8,8 +8,22 @@ import { getEntry } from 'astro:content';
 import ChapterLayout from '../layouts/ChapterLayout.astro';
 import ChapterHero from '../components/blocks/ChapterHero.astro';
 
+// Required-field guard. The chapters schema marks section eyebrow /
+// panelLabel / panelCode / steps / copy as optional because the schema
+// does not know which page consumes which shape. These four pages do
+// consume them — fail loudly here rather than rendering a blank section.
+function requireField<T>(value: T | undefined, name: string): T {
+  if (value === undefined) {
+    throw new Error(`models chapter: missing required field "${name}"`);
+  }
+  return value;
+}
+
 const base = import.meta.env.BASE_URL;
 const chapter = await getEntry('chapters', 'models');
+if (!chapter) {
+  throw new Error('models chapter: missing collection entry');
+}
 const lede = chapter.data.lede.en;
 const title = chapter.data.title.en;
 const eyebrow = chapter.data.eyebrow.en;
@@ -18,6 +32,17 @@ const sections = chapter.data.sections ?? [];
 // First section carries the routing-rule panel, second carries the steps.
 const ruleSection = sections[0];
 const sequenceSection = sections[1];
+if (!ruleSection) {
+  throw new Error('models chapter: missing sections[0]');
+}
+if (!sequenceSection) {
+  throw new Error('models chapter: missing sections[1]');
+}
+const ruleEyebrow = requireField(ruleSection.eyebrow, 'sections[0].eyebrow');
+const rulePanelLabel = requireField(ruleSection.panelLabel, 'sections[0].panelLabel');
+const rulePanelCode = requireField(ruleSection.panelCode, 'sections[0].panelCode');
+const sequenceEyebrow = requireField(sequenceSection.eyebrow, 'sections[1].eyebrow');
+const sequenceSteps = requireField(sequenceSection.steps, 'sections[1].steps');
 ---
 
 <ChapterLayout title="AI For Dummies — Models" description={lede.replace(/<[^>]+>/g, '')}>
@@ -44,23 +69,23 @@ const sequenceSection = sections[1];
 
   <section class="model">
     <div>
-      <p class="eyebrow">{ruleSection.eyebrow.en}</p>
+      <p class="eyebrow">{ruleEyebrow.en}</p>
       <h2 set:html={ruleSection.title.en} />
     </div>
     <div class="panel">
-      <strong>{ruleSection.panelLabel.en}</strong>
-      <code>{ruleSection.panelCode.en}</code>
+      <strong>{rulePanelLabel.en}</strong>
+      <code>{rulePanelCode.en}</code>
     </div>
   </section>
 
   <section class="practice">
     <div>
-      <p class="eyebrow">{sequenceSection.eyebrow.en}</p>
+      <p class="eyebrow">{sequenceEyebrow.en}</p>
       <h2 set:html={sequenceSection.title.en} />
     </div>
     <div class="steps">
       {
-        sequenceSection.steps.map((step, index) => (
+        sequenceSteps.map((step, index) => (
           <article>
             <b>{String(index + 1).padStart(2, '0')}</b>
             <div>
diff --git a/src/pages/skills.astro b/src/pages/skills.astro
index a31fdf2..9e9518b 100644
--- a/src/pages/skills.astro
+++ b/src/pages/skills.astro
@@ -10,14 +10,38 @@ import ChapterHero from '../components/blocks/ChapterHero.astro';
 import SkillPackageExplorer from '../components/islands/SkillPackageExplorer.astro';
 import skillsStylesheet from '../../skills/styles.css?url';
 
+// Required-field guard. The chapters schema marks section eyebrow /
+// panelLabel / panelCode / steps / copy as optional because the schema
+// does not know which page consumes which shape. These four pages do
+// consume them — fail loudly here rather than rendering a blank section.
+function requireField<T>(value: T | undefined, name: string): T {
+  if (value === undefined) {
+    throw new Error(`skills chapter: missing required field "${name}"`);
+  }
+  return value;
+}
+
 const base = import.meta.env.BASE_URL;
 const chapter = await getEntry('chapters', 'skills');
+if (!chapter) {
+  throw new Error('skills chapter: missing collection entry');
+}
 const lede = chapter.data.lede.en;
 const title = chapter.data.title.en;
 const eyebrow = chapter.data.eyebrow.en;
 const sections = chapter.data.sections ?? [];
 const anatomySection = sections[0];
 const createSection = sections[1];
+if (!anatomySection) {
+  throw new Error('skills chapter: missing sections[0]');
+}
+if (!createSection) {
+  throw new Error('skills chapter: missing sections[1]');
+}
+const anatomyEyebrow = requireField(anatomySection.eyebrow, 'sections[0].eyebrow');
+const anatomyCopy = requireField(anatomySection.copy, 'sections[0].copy');
+const createEyebrow = requireField(createSection.eyebrow, 'sections[1].eyebrow');
+const createSteps = requireField(createSection.steps, 'sections[1].steps');
 ---
 
 <ChapterLayout title="AI For Dummies — Skills" description={lede.replace(/<[^>]+>/g, '')}>
@@ -33,21 +57,21 @@ const createSection = sections[1];
 
   <section class="pipeline package-anatomy">
     <div>
-      <p class="eyebrow">{anatomySection.eyebrow.en}</p>
+      <p class="eyebrow">{anatomyEyebrow.en}</p>
       <h2 set:html={anatomySection.title.en} />
-      <p class="package-hint">{anatomySection.copy.en}</p>
+      <p class="package-hint">{anatomyCopy.en}</p>
     </div>
     <SkillPackageExplorer />
   </section>
 
   <section class="practice">
     <div>
-      <p class="eyebrow">{createSection.eyebrow.en}</p>
+      <p class="eyebrow">{createEyebrow.en}</p>
       <h2 set:html={createSection.title.en} />
     </div>
     <div class="steps">
       {
-        createSection.steps.map((step, index) => (
+        createSteps.map((step, index) => (
           <article>
             <b>{String(index + 1).padStart(2, '0')}</b>
             <div>