diff --git a/src/pinky_memory/server.py b/src/pinky_memory/server.py
index e6632edb..83caaf5f 100644
--- a/src/pinky_memory/server.py
+++ b/src/pinky_memory/server.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
     ReflectInput,
     Reflection,
     ReflectionType,
+    coerce_reflection_type,
 )
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
@@ -32,6 +33,16 @@ def _log(msg: str) -> None:
     print(msg, file=sys.stderr, flush=True)
 
 
+def _parse_reflection_type(type_str: str) -> ReflectionType:
+    """Coerce a caller-supplied type to ReflectionType, logging when it falls
+    back to `fact` (callers, including dream runs, occasionally pass a
+    plausible-sounding but invalid type — see #session_log bug)."""
+    coerced = coerce_reflection_type(type_str)
+    if coerced.value != type_str:
+        _log(f"reflect: invalid type={type_str!r}, defaulting to 'fact'")
+    return coerced
+
+
 # Strict agent-name slug for cross-agent memory targets (#614/#145). Mirrors
 # the trust-boundary slug discipline tracked in #105 — defends the
 # store-factory path resolution against traversal / injection even though the
@@ -369,7 +380,7 @@ def reflect(
         """
         input_data = ReflectInput(
             content=content,
-            type=ReflectionType(type),
+            type=_parse_reflection_type(type),
             context=context,
             project=project,
             salience=salience,
@@ -430,7 +441,7 @@ def reflect_for(
             s = _resolve_target_store(target_agent)
             input_data = ReflectInput(
                 content=content,
-                type=ReflectionType(type),
+                type=_parse_reflection_type(type),
                 context=context,
                 project=project,
                 salience=salience,
diff --git a/src/pinky_memory/store.py b/src/pinky_memory/store.py
index 7f329aec..5ed5a8ab 100644
--- a/src/pinky_memory/store.py
+++ b/src/pinky_memory/store.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
     Reflection,
     ReflectionLink,
     ReflectionType,
+    coerce_reflection_type,
     resolve_preset,
 )
 
@@ -1527,9 +1528,17 @@ def _row_to_reflection(row: sqlite3.Row) -> Reflection:
         source_message_ids = json.loads(raw_msg_ids) if raw_msg_ids else []
         next_review_date = row["next_review_date"] if "next_review_date" in keys else None
         review_interval_days = row["review_interval_days"] if "review_interval_days" in keys else 7
+        row_type = row["type"]
+        coerced_type = coerce_reflection_type(row_type)
+        if coerced_type.value != row_type:
+            logger.warning(
+                "row_to_reflection: invalid stored type=%r for id=%r, defaulting to 'fact'",
+                row_type,
+                row["id"],
+            )
         return Reflection(
             id=row["id"],
-            type=ReflectionType(row["type"]),
+            type=coerced_type,
             content=row["content"],
             context=row["context"],
             project=row["project"],
diff --git a/src/pinky_memory/types.py b/src/pinky_memory/types.py
index 07371d4b..9eccb9f6 100644
--- a/src/pinky_memory/types.py
+++ b/src/pinky_memory/types.py
@@ -15,6 +15,18 @@ class ReflectionType(str, Enum):
     fact = "fact"
 
 
+def coerce_reflection_type(type_str: str) -> ReflectionType:
+    """Coerce a caller- or DB-supplied type to ReflectionType, defaulting to
+    `fact` on an unrecognized value instead of raising. Used both when writing
+    a new reflection (a caller passed a plausible-sounding but invalid type)
+    and when hydrating a row written before this type was retired/renamed —
+    a stale value must not crash every future read of that row."""
+    try:
+        return ReflectionType(type_str)
+    except ValueError:
+        return ReflectionType.fact
+
+
 class Reflection(BaseModel):
     model_config = ConfigDict(extra="ignore")
 
diff --git a/tests/test_memory_server.py b/tests/test_memory_server.py
index 2f72f700..93c253b7 100644
--- a/tests/test_memory_server.py
+++ b/tests/test_memory_server.py
@@ -189,6 +189,32 @@ def test_reflect_with_all_fields(self, srv):
         assert result["salience"] == 5
         assert result["type"] == "project_state"
 
+    def test_reflect_invalid_type_falls_back_to_fact(self, srv):
+        """Regression: an unrecognized type (e.g. dream-hallucinated 'session_log')
+        must not raise — it previously crashed the whole dream run."""
+        result = json.loads(_tools(srv)["reflect"](
+            content="something the dream agent decided to call session_log",
+            type="session_log",
+        ))
+        assert result["stored"] is True
+        assert result["type"] == "fact"
+
+    def test_recall_survives_legacy_invalid_stored_type(self, srv, store):
+        """Regression: a row written before a type was retired/renamed (e.g.
+        'session_log', 'episode', 'nav_audit' from pre-fallback dream runs)
+        must not crash hydration on read — it previously aborted every
+        subsequent recall/dream-linking pass that touched the row."""
+        import sqlite3
+
+        stored = json.loads(_tools(srv)["reflect"](content="pre-fallback dream note", type="fact"))
+        conn = sqlite3.connect(store._db_path)
+        conn.execute("UPDATE reflections SET type = 'session_log' WHERE id = ?", (stored["id"],))
+        conn.commit()
+        conn.close()
+
+        result = _parse_recall(_tools(srv)["recall"](query="pre-fallback dream note"))
+        assert any(r["id"] == stored["id"] and r["type"] == "fact" for r in result["reflections"])
+
     def test_reflect_supersedes(self, srv, store):
         # First memory
         r1 = json.loads(_tools(srv)["reflect"](content="old fact", type="fact"))