diff --git a/docs/reference/search-paths.md b/docs/reference/search-paths.md
index 2c6d529..3fd4128 100644
--- a/docs/reference/search-paths.md
+++ b/docs/reference/search-paths.md
@@ -308,13 +308,9 @@ moves to the next rule directory, preserving search-path order.
   error. Rules after the failing bootstrap are not published. A rule parse or
   expansion error is also fatal and `Run` returns an error before any bootstrap
   scripts from that directory run.
-- **Lenient search paths:** A rule bootstrap failure logs a warning, excludes only
-  the failing rule, and continues with later rules in the same directory.
-
-A rule parse or expansion error still stops discovery of the remainder of that
-directory. On a lenient path, rules discovered before that error remain eligible
-for bootstrap and publication, and processing continues with the next rule
-directory or search path.
+- **Lenient search paths:** A rule bootstrap, parse, or expansion failure logs a
+  warning, excludes only the failing rule, and continues with later rules in the
+  same directory.
 
 ## Working Directory
 
diff --git a/pkg/codingcontext/context.go b/pkg/codingcontext/context.go
index 3e24192..3d3e438 100644
--- a/pkg/codingcontext/context.go
+++ b/pkg/codingcontext/context.go
@@ -827,9 +827,8 @@ func (cc *Context) cleanupDownloadedDirectories() {
 
 // findExecuteRuleFiles discovers rule files in each rule directory, then
 // bootstraps and publishes them. Discovery of one directory finishes before
-// any of that directory's bootstrap scripts run. A lenient bootstrap failure
-// skips only that rule; a parse or expand error still stops discovery of the
-// rest of that directory.
+// any of that directory's bootstrap scripts run. On a lenient path, a parse,
+// expand, or bootstrap failure skips only that rule.
 func (cc *Context) findExecuteRuleFiles(ctx context.Context) error {
 	if !cc.doBootstrap {
 		return nil
@@ -843,22 +842,27 @@ func (cc *Context) findExecuteRuleFiles(ctx context.Context) error {
 		for _, dir := range namespacedRulePaths(sp.Path) {
 			var pending []pendingRule
 
-			discoveryErr := cc.visitMarkdownInDir(dir, func(path string, baseFm *markdown.BaseFrontMatter) error {
+			if err := cc.visitMarkdownInDir(dir, func(path string, baseFm *markdown.BaseFrontMatter) error {
 				rule, err := cc.discoverPendingRule(path, baseFm)
 				if err != nil {
-					return err
+					if !sp.Lenient {
+						return err
+					}
+
+					cc.logger.Warn(
+						"skipping rule file after discovery failure",
+						"path", path,
+						"error", err,
+					)
+
+					return nil
 				}
 
 				pending = append(pending, rule)
 
 				return nil
-			})
-			if discoveryErr != nil {
-				if !sp.Lenient {
-					return discoveryErr
-				}
-
-				cc.logger.Warn("stopping rule discovery after error", "path", dir, "error", discoveryErr)
+			}); err != nil {
+				return err
 			}
 
 			if err := cc.bootstrapAndPublishRules(ctx, pending, sp.Lenient); err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/codingcontext/context_bootstrap_isolation_test.go b/pkg/codingcontext/context_bootstrap_isolation_test.go
index 184f257..119bd54 100644
--- a/pkg/codingcontext/context_bootstrap_isolation_test.go
+++ b/pkg/codingcontext/context_bootstrap_isolation_test.go
@@ -222,11 +222,13 @@ func TestRun_LenientRuleParseFailurePreservesEarlierRules(t *testing.T) {
 
 	result, err := cc.Run(context.Background(), "test-task")
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.Equal(t, []string{"before"}, bootstrapIsolationRuleNames(result.Rules))
+	require.Equal(t, []string{"before", "after"}, bootstrapIsolationRuleNames(result.Rules))
 	require.Equal(t, []string{"01-before-bootstrap"}, calls)
-	require.Contains(t, logs.String(), "stopping rule discovery after error")
+	require.Contains(t, logs.String(), "skipping rule file after discovery failure")
 	require.Contains(t, logs.String(), "02-failing.md")
-	require.NotContains(t, result.Prompt, "After content")
+	require.Contains(t, result.Prompt, "Before content")
+	require.NotContains(t, result.Prompt, "Failing content")
+	require.Contains(t, result.Prompt, "After content")
 }
 
 func TestRun_LenientRuleParseFailureDoesNotBlockLaterLenientSearchPath(t *testing.T) {
@@ -259,13 +261,13 @@ func TestRun_LenientRuleParseFailureDoesNotBlockLaterLenientSearchPath(t *testin
 
 	result, err := cc.Run(context.Background(), "test-task")
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.Equal(t, []string{"before", "target"}, bootstrapIsolationRuleNames(result.Rules))
+	require.Equal(t, []string{"before", "after", "target"}, bootstrapIsolationRuleNames(result.Rules))
 	require.Equal(t, []string{"01-before-bootstrap", "01-target-bootstrap"}, calls)
 	require.Contains(t, result.Prompt, "Before content")
 	require.NotContains(t, result.Prompt, "Failing content")
-	require.NotContains(t, result.Prompt, "After content")
+	require.Contains(t, result.Prompt, "After content")
 	require.Contains(t, result.Prompt, "Target content")
-	require.Contains(t, logs.String(), "stopping rule discovery after error")
+	require.Contains(t, logs.String(), "skipping rule file after discovery failure")
 	require.Contains(t, logs.String(), "02-failing.md")
 }