diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 08524a3..c093afb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ Trim behavior summary:
 - trim uses Scriptorium bounds (`dnd_session.bounds` by example config) to produce `artifacts/session_bounds.json`
 - bounds IDs are validated against the same normalized transcript ID space that Seriatim trim will consume
 - trim converts bounds to Seriatim keep selector (for example `10-868`) and runs Seriatim trim
-- if trim is disabled, Narratio copies processed transcript to trimmed transcript and records `trim_action=copy_disabled`
+- if trim is disabled, Narratio copies normalized transcript to trimmed transcript and records `trim_action=copy_disabled`
 
 Trim outputs and diagnostics:
 
diff --git a/internal/stage/normalize.go b/internal/stage/normalize.go
index 99b2767..2ca2ccb 100644
--- a/internal/stage/normalize.go
+++ b/internal/stage/normalize.go
@@ -204,8 +204,5 @@ func discoverNormalizedTranscript(m *manifest.Manifest, paths artifacts.SessionP
 	if info, err := os.Stat(fallback); err == nil && !info.IsDir() {
 		return filepath.Clean(fallback), "fallback.transcripts_dir", nil
 	}
-	if len(deduped) > 0 {
-		return deduped[0], "manifest.normalize.outputs", nil
-	}
 	return "", "", nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/stage/trim.go b/internal/stage/trim.go
index 23496b2..28fbd0a 100644
--- a/internal/stage/trim.go
+++ b/internal/stage/trim.go
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ func (trimStage) Run(ctx context.Context, env *Env, m *manifest.Manifest) (*Stag
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("trim: resolve normalized transcript: %w", err)
 	}
 	if normalizedPath == "" {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("trim: normalized transcript input is required")
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("trim: normalized transcript input is required; run normalize stage first")
 	}
 	if err := validateProcessedTranscriptOutput(normalizedPath); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("trim: normalized transcript %q invalid: %w", normalizedPath, err)
diff --git a/internal/stage/trim_test.go b/internal/stage/trim_test.go
index bebcc12..903a83c 100644
--- a/internal/stage/trim_test.go
+++ b/internal/stage/trim_test.go
@@ -145,11 +145,31 @@ func TestTrimStageFailsWhenNormalizedTranscriptMissing(t *testing.T) {
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("expected error, got nil")
 	}
-	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "normalized transcript input is required") {
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "normalized transcript input is required; run normalize stage first") {
 		t.Fatalf("error = %q", err.Error())
 	}
 }
 
+func TestTrimStageDoesNotFallBackToProcessedTranscript(t *testing.T) {
+	env, m, scr, ser := setupTrimEnv(t)
+	paths := env.ArtifactStore.SessionPaths(m.SessionID)
+	writeFile(t, filepath.Join(paths.TranscriptsDir, "processed.json"), `{"segments":[{"id":1},{"id":2}]}`)
+
+	_, err := (trimStage{}).Run(context.Background(), env, m)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected error, got nil")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "run normalize stage first") {
+		t.Fatalf("error = %q", err.Error())
+	}
+	if len(scr.RunRequests) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("scriptorium should not run without normalized transcript, got %d calls", len(scr.RunRequests))
+	}
+	if len(ser.TrimRequests) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("seriatim trim should not run without normalized transcript, got %d calls", len(ser.TrimRequests))
+	}
+}
+
 func TestTrimStageFailsWhenNormalizedTranscriptInvalidJSON(t *testing.T) {
 	env, m, _, _ := setupTrimEnv(t)
 	paths := env.ArtifactStore.SessionPaths(m.SessionID)