diff --git a/internal/stage/merge.go b/internal/stage/merge.go
index 4e591ff..4cfcfff 100644
--- a/internal/stage/merge.go
+++ b/internal/stage/merge.go
@@ -206,6 +206,10 @@ func normalizeMergeInputs(ctx context.Context, env *Env, rawInputs []string, pat
 	logs := make([]string, 0, len(rawInputs)*2)
 	configs := make([]string, 0, len(rawInputs))
 	meta := make([]normalizeMergeInputMeta, 0, len(rawInputs))
+	normalizedDir := filepath.Join(paths.TranscriptsRawDir, "normalized")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(normalizedDir, 0o755); err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("merge: ensure normalized transcripts directory %q: %w", normalizedDir, err)
+	}
 
 	var timeout time.Duration
 	timeoutRaw := strings.TrimSpace(env.Config.Pipeline.Seriatim.Timeout)
@@ -218,7 +222,7 @@ func normalizeMergeInputs(ctx context.Context, env *Env, rawInputs []string, pat
 	}
 	for _, input := range rawInputs {
 		base := strings.TrimSuffix(filepath.Base(input), filepath.Ext(input))
-		outPath := filepath.Join(paths.TranscriptsRawDir, "normalized", base+".normalized.json")
+		outPath := filepath.Join(normalizedDir, base+".normalized.json")
 		stdoutPath := filepath.Join(paths.LogsDir, "seriatim.normalize."+base+".stdout.log")
 		stderrPath := filepath.Join(paths.LogsDir, "seriatim.normalize."+base+".stderr.log")
 		cfgPath := filepath.Join(paths.ConfigDir, "seriatim.normalize."+base+".generated.yml")
diff --git a/internal/stage/merge_test.go b/internal/stage/merge_test.go
index 26d0e97..0877121 100644
--- a/internal/stage/merge_test.go
+++ b/internal/stage/merge_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package stage
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
@@ -14,6 +15,22 @@ import (
 	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/narratio/internal/manifest"
 )
 
+type normalizeDirAssertingRunner struct {
+	*seriatim.FakeRunner
+	ExpectedDir string
+}
+
+func (r *normalizeDirAssertingRunner) Normalize(ctx context.Context, req seriatim.NormalizeRequest) (seriatim.NormalizeResult, error) {
+	info, err := os.Stat(r.ExpectedDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return seriatim.NormalizeResult{}, fmt.Errorf("normalized directory check failed for %q: %w", r.ExpectedDir, err)
+	}
+	if !info.IsDir() {
+		return seriatim.NormalizeResult{}, fmt.Errorf("normalized path %q exists but is not a directory", r.ExpectedDir)
+	}
+	return r.FakeRunner.Normalize(ctx, req)
+}
+
 func TestMergeStageMergesRawTranscriptsAndRecordsMetadata(t *testing.T) {
 	env, m := setupMergeEnv(t)
 	paths := env.ArtifactStore.SessionPaths(m.SessionID)
@@ -205,6 +222,30 @@ func TestMergeStageResolvesWorkspaceQualifiedManifestOutputsWithoutDuplication(t
 	}
 }
 
+func TestMergeStageCreatesNormalizedRawDirectoryBeforeNormalize(t *testing.T) {
+	env, m := setupMergeEnv(t)
+	paths := env.ArtifactStore.SessionPaths(m.SessionID)
+
+	rawPath := filepath.Join(paths.TranscriptsRawDir, "alice.json")
+	writeFile(t, rawPath, `{"segments":[]}`)
+	writeFile(t, filepath.Join(paths.InputsDir, "speakers.yml"), "match: []\n")
+	writeFile(t, filepath.Join(paths.InputsDir, "autocorrect.yml"), "rules: []\n")
+
+	normalizedDir := filepath.Join(paths.TranscriptsRawDir, "normalized")
+	if err := os.RemoveAll(normalizedDir); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("remove normalized dir: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	env.Seriatim = &normalizeDirAssertingRunner{
+		FakeRunner:  &seriatim.FakeRunner{},
+		ExpectedDir: normalizedDir,
+	}
+
+	if _, err := (mergeStage{}).Run(context.Background(), env, m); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("merge.Run() error = %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestMergeStageFailsWhenNormalizeAdapterFails(t *testing.T) {
 	env, m := setupMergeEnv(t)
 	paths := env.ArtifactStore.SessionPaths(m.SessionID)