diff --git a/__tests__/db-perf.test.ts b/__tests__/db-perf.test.ts
index 941fb50f5..e1cdea7a5 100644
--- a/__tests__/db-perf.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/db-perf.test.ts
@@ -363,3 +363,54 @@ describe('migration v6: dedup edges + add identity index on upgrade (#1034)', ()
     fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
   });
 });
+
+describe('edge traversal order', () => {
+  let dir: string;
+  let db: DatabaseConnection;
+  let q: QueryBuilder;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    dir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'db-edge-order-'));
+    db = DatabaseConnection.initialize(path.join(dir, 'test.db'));
+    q = new QueryBuilder(db.getDb());
+    q.insertNodes(['hub', 'file:a', 'function:b', 'function:z'].map(id => makeNode(id)));
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    db.close();
+    fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  it.each(['incoming', 'outgoing'] as const)
+  ('keeps calls ahead of imports with deterministic %s ties across rewrites', direction => {
+    const peerKey = direction === 'incoming' ? 'source' : 'target';
+    const hubKey = direction === 'incoming' ? 'target' : 'source';
+    const shapes: Array<[string, Edge['kind'], number, number]> = [
+      ['function:z', 'calls', 4, 2],
+      ['file:a', 'imports', 1, 0],
+      ['function:b', 'calls', 7, 2],
+      ['file:a', 'references', 2, 0],
+      ['function:b', 'calls', 3, 2],
+      ['function:b', 'calls', 3, 1],
+    ];
+    const edges: Edge[] = shapes.map(([peer, kind, line, column]) => ({
+      source: '', target: '', [hubKey]: 'hub', [peerKey]: peer,
+      kind, line, column, provenance: 'tree-sitter',
+    }));
+    const expected = [shapes[5], shapes[4], shapes[2], shapes[0], shapes[1], shapes[3]];
+    for (const insertionOrder of [edges, [...edges].reverse()]) {
+      db.getDb().exec('DELETE FROM edges');
+      q.insertEdges(insertionOrder);
+      // Exercise both the cached unfiltered query and the dynamic filtered one.
+      for (const kinds of [undefined, ['references', 'imports', 'calls'] as Edge['kind'][]]) {
+        const result = direction === 'incoming'
+          ? q.getIncomingEdges('hub', kinds) : q.getOutgoingEdges('hub', kinds);
+        expect(result.map(edge => [edge[peerKey], edge.kind, edge.line, edge.column])).toEqual(expected);
+      }
+      if (direction === 'outgoing') {
+        expect(q.getOutgoingEdges('hub', undefined, 'tree-sitter')
+          .map(edge => [edge[peerKey], edge.kind, edge.line, edge.column])).toEqual(expected);
+      }
+    }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/__tests__/migrations-synthesis-json.test.ts b/__tests__/migrations-synthesis-json.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f10c5f59a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/__tests__/migrations-synthesis-json.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+import * as fs from 'fs';
+import * as os from 'os';
+import * as path from 'path';
+import { DatabaseConnection } from '../src/db';
+import { CURRENT_SCHEMA_VERSION, getCurrentVersion, runMigrations } from '../src/db/migrations';
+import { QueryBuilder } from '../src/db/queries';
+import { SynthesisStage } from '../src/db/synthesis-stage';
+
+describe('synthesis metadata JSON boundaries and migration', () => {
+  let dir: string;
+  let connection: DatabaseConnection;
+  let queries: QueryBuilder;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    dir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'cg-synthesis-json-'));
+    connection = DatabaseConnection.initialize(path.join(dir, 'test.db'));
+    queries = new QueryBuilder(connection.getDb());
+    queries.insertNodes(['a', 'b'].map(id => ({
+      id, name: id, qualifiedName: id, kind: 'function', language: 'typescript',
+      filePath: `${id}.ts`, startLine: 1, endLine: 1, startColumn: 0, endColumn: 1,
+      updatedAt: 0,
+    })));
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.restoreAllMocks();
+    connection.close();
+    fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  const insertRaw = (metadata: string | null, line = 1) => connection.getDb().prepare(
+    "INSERT INTO edges(source, target, kind, metadata, line) VALUES ('a', 'b', 'calls', ?, ?)"
+  ).run(metadata, line);
+
+  it.each([null, 'broken json {{{', 'null', '[]', '{}', '{"registeredAt":"wiring.ts:1"}'])
+  ('treats unowned metadata %s as an ordinary edge', metadata => {
+    insertRaw(metadata);
+    expect(queries.getOutgoingEdges('a')).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(queries.hasSynthesizedEdgesTouchingFile('a.ts')).toBe(false);
+    expect(queries.hasSynthesizedEdgesTouchingFile('b.ts')).toBe(false);
+    expect(queries.hasSynthesizedEdgesTouchingFile('wiring.ts')).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('keeps the third-file range lookup indexed while tolerating malformed neighbors', () => {
+    insertRaw('broken json {{{');
+    queries.insertEdge({ source: 'a', target: 'b', kind: 'calls', line: 2,
+      metadata: { synthesizedBy: 'event-emitter', registeredAt: 'wiring.ts:12' } });
+    expect(queries.hasSynthesizedEdgesTouchingFile('a.ts')).toBe(true);
+    expect(queries.hasSynthesizedEdgesTouchingFile('b.ts')).toBe(true);
+    const prepare = vi.spyOn(connection.getDb(), 'prepare');
+    expect(queries.hasSynthesizedEdgesTouchingFile('wiring.ts')).toBe(true);
+    const sql = prepare.mock.calls.map(([sql]) => sql).find(sql => sql.includes('FROM edges e WHERE'))!;
+    expect(sql).toBeDefined();
+    prepare.mockRestore();
+    const plan = connection.getDb().prepare(`EXPLAIN QUERY PLAN ${sql}`).all('wiring.ts:', 'wiring.ts;');
+    expect(plan.map(row => row.detail).join('\n'))
+      .toMatch(/SEARCH e USING INDEX idx_edges_synthesis_site/);
+    expect(queries.hasSynthesizedEdgesTouchingFile('wiring.tsx')).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('preserves malformed base edges while staging and publishing owned replacements', async () => {
+    insertRaw('broken json {{{');
+    queries.insertEdge({ source: 'a', target: 'b', kind: 'calls', line: 2,
+      metadata: { synthesizedBy: 'old-pass', registeredAt: 'old.ts:1' } });
+    const stage = new SynthesisStage(connection.getPath());
+    try {
+      expect(stage.queries.getOutgoingEdges('a').map(edge => edge.line)).toEqual([1]);
+      // The overlay must not shadow an existing base edge, even if its JSON is bad.
+      stage.queries.insertEdge({ source: 'a', target: 'b', kind: 'calls', line: 1,
+        metadata: { synthesizedBy: 'new-pass' } });
+      stage.queries.insertEdge({ source: 'a', target: 'b', kind: 'calls', line: 3,
+        metadata: { synthesizedBy: 'new-pass', registeredAt: 'new.ts:1' } });
+      await stage.publish();
+    } finally { stage.close(); }
+    expect(connection.getDb().prepare('SELECT line, metadata FROM edges ORDER BY line').all()).toEqual([
+      { line: 1, metadata: 'broken json {{{' },
+      { line: 3, metadata: JSON.stringify({ synthesizedBy: 'new-pass', registeredAt: 'new.ts:1' }) },
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it('upgrades pre-v10 malformed metadata, including legacy Go containment', () => {
+    const raw = connection.getDb();
+    raw.exec(`DROP INDEX idx_edges_synthesis_site;
+      DROP TABLE synthesis_inputs;
+      DELETE FROM schema_versions WHERE version >= 10;
+      UPDATE nodes SET language = 'go', kind = CASE id WHEN 'a' THEN 'struct' ELSE 'method' END;`);
+    insertRaw('broken json {{{');
+    raw.prepare("INSERT INTO edges(source, target, kind, metadata) VALUES ('a', 'b', 'contains', ?)")
+      .run('broken containment {{{');
+    runMigrations(raw, 9);
+    expect(getCurrentVersion(raw)).toBe(CURRENT_SCHEMA_VERSION);
+    expect(queries.getOutgoingEdges('a', ['calls'])[0].metadata).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(queries.getOutgoingEdges('a', ['contains'])[0].metadata?.synthesizedBy).toBe('go-method-contains');
+    expect(queries.hasSynthesizedEdgesTouchingFile('a.ts')).toBe(true);
+    insertRaw('still malformed', 2);
+  });
+
+  it('replaces the v10 index on open and safely replays the replacement', () => {
+    const raw = connection.getDb();
+    raw.exec(`DROP INDEX idx_edges_synthesis_site;
+      CREATE INDEX idx_edges_synthesis_site ON edges(json_extract(metadata, '$.registeredAt'))
+        WHERE json_extract(metadata, '$.synthesizedBy') IS NOT NULL;
+      DELETE FROM schema_versions WHERE version >= 11;
+      INSERT OR IGNORE INTO schema_versions(version, applied_at, description) VALUES (10, 0, 'legacy fixture');`);
+    queries.insertEdge({ source: 'a', target: 'b', kind: 'calls', line: 2,
+      metadata: { synthesizedBy: 'event-emitter', registeredAt: 'wiring.ts:12' } });
+    connection.close();
+    connection = DatabaseConnection.open(path.join(dir, 'test.db'));
+    queries = new QueryBuilder(connection.getDb());
+    expect(getCurrentVersion(connection.getDb())).toBe(CURRENT_SCHEMA_VERSION);
+    insertRaw('broken json {{{');
+    const before = connection.getDb().prepare('SELECT * FROM edges ORDER BY id').all();
+    // Replay the DDL over its own output with bad JSON already present.
+    connection.getDb().exec('DELETE FROM schema_versions WHERE version >= 11');
+    runMigrations(connection.getDb(), 10);
+    runMigrations(connection.getDb(), getCurrentVersion(connection.getDb()));
+    expect(connection.getDb().prepare('SELECT * FROM edges ORDER BY id').all()).toEqual(before);
+    expect(queries.hasSynthesizedEdgesTouchingFile('wiring.ts')).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/db/migrations.ts b/src/db/migrations.ts
index b3b0a1805..bb7b84bf5 100644
--- a/src/db/migrations.ts
+++ b/src/db/migrations.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import { SqliteDatabase } from './sqlite-adapter';
 /**
  * Current schema version
  */
-export const CURRENT_SCHEMA_VERSION = 10;
+export const CURRENT_SCHEMA_VERSION = 11;
 
 /**
  * Migration definition
@@ -187,9 +187,9 @@ const migrations: Migration[] = [
         CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS synthesis_inputs (
           file_path TEXT PRIMARY KEY REFERENCES files(path) ON DELETE CASCADE
         );
-        CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_edges_synthesis_site ON edges(json_extract(metadata, '$.registeredAt'))
-          WHERE json_extract(metadata, '$.synthesizedBy') IS NOT NULL;
-        UPDATE edges SET metadata = json_set(COALESCE(metadata, '{}'), '$.synthesizedBy', 'go-method-contains')
+        CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_edges_synthesis_site ON edges(CASE WHEN json_valid(metadata) THEN json_extract(metadata, '$.registeredAt') END)
+          WHERE CASE WHEN json_valid(metadata) THEN json_extract(metadata, '$.synthesizedBy') END IS NOT NULL;
+        UPDATE edges SET metadata = json_set(CASE WHEN json_valid(metadata) THEN metadata ELSE '{}' END, '$.synthesizedBy', 'go-method-contains')
           WHERE kind = 'contains' AND provenance IS NULL AND EXISTS (
             SELECT 1 FROM nodes s JOIN nodes t ON t.id = edges.target
             WHERE s.id = edges.source AND s.language = 'go' AND t.language = 'go'
@@ -201,6 +201,21 @@ const migrations: Migration[] = [
       `);
     },
   },
+  {
+    version: 11,
+    description: 'Guard synthesis metadata lookups against malformed JSON',
+    up: (db) => {
+      // Existing v10 indexes keep their old expression under IF NOT EXISTS.
+      // Rebuild transactionally; the guarded v10 definition also lets older
+      // databases containing malformed metadata reach this migration safely.
+      db.exec(`
+        DROP INDEX IF EXISTS idx_edges_synthesis_site;
+        CREATE INDEX idx_edges_synthesis_site
+          ON edges(CASE WHEN json_valid(metadata) THEN json_extract(metadata, '$.registeredAt') END)
+          WHERE CASE WHEN json_valid(metadata) THEN json_extract(metadata, '$.synthesizedBy') END IS NOT NULL;
+      `);
+    },
+  },
 ];
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/db/queries.ts b/src/db/queries.ts
index 5acfbf971..14a664341 100644
--- a/src/db/queries.ts
+++ b/src/db/queries.ts
@@ -1878,15 +1878,15 @@ export class QueryBuilder {
 
   /** Must run before file replacement/deletion cascades the endpoint edges. */
   hasSynthesizedEdgesTouchingFile(filePath: string): boolean {
-    const owned = "json_extract(e.metadata, '$.synthesizedBy') IS NOT NULL";
+    const owned = "CASE WHEN json_valid(e.metadata) THEN json_extract(e.metadata, '$.synthesizedBy') END IS NOT NULL";
     for (const endpoint of ['source', 'target']) {
       if (this.db.prepare(`SELECT 1 FROM nodes n JOIN edges e ON e.${endpoint} = n.id
         WHERE n.file_path = ? AND ${owned} LIMIT 1`).get(filePath)) return true;
     }
     // Wiring often lives in a third file, with neither endpoint in it.
     return !!this.db.prepare(`SELECT 1 FROM edges e WHERE ${owned}
-      AND json_extract(e.metadata, '$.registeredAt') >= ?
-      AND json_extract(e.metadata, '$.registeredAt') < ? LIMIT 1`
+      AND CASE WHEN json_valid(e.metadata) THEN json_extract(e.metadata, '$.registeredAt') END >= ?
+      AND CASE WHEN json_valid(e.metadata) THEN json_extract(e.metadata, '$.registeredAt') END < ? LIMIT 1`
     ).get(`${filePath}:`, `${filePath};`);
   }
 
@@ -1973,7 +1973,8 @@ export class QueryBuilder {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Get outgoing edges from a node
+   * Get outgoing edges from a node. Preserve the source/kind index order
+   * (calls before imports/references), then break ties deterministically.
    */
   getOutgoingEdges(sourceId: string, kinds?: EdgeKind[], provenance?: string): Edge[] {
     if ((kinds && kinds.length > 0) || provenance) {
@@ -1990,30 +1991,33 @@ export class QueryBuilder {
         params.push(provenance);
       }
 
-      sql += ' ORDER BY target, kind, line, col';
+      sql += ' ORDER BY kind, target, line, col';
       const rows = this.db.prepare(sql).all(...params) as EdgeRow[];
       return rows.map(rowToEdge);
     }
 
     if (!this.stmts.getEdgesBySource) {
-      this.stmts.getEdgesBySource = this.db.prepare('SELECT * FROM edges WHERE source = ? ORDER BY target, kind, line, col');
+      this.stmts.getEdgesBySource = this.db.prepare('SELECT * FROM edges WHERE source = ? ORDER BY kind, target, line, col');
     }
     const rows = this.stmts.getEdgesBySource.all(sourceId) as EdgeRow[];
     return rows.map(rowToEdge);
   }
 
   /**
-   * Get incoming edges to a node
+   * Get incoming edges to a node. Kind must precede opaque source IDs:
+   * file IDs sort before function IDs, so source-first ordering lets imports
+   * displace actual calls in capped caller lists. Keep deterministic ties
+   * without changing the target/kind index's established kind precedence.
    */
   getIncomingEdges(targetId: string, kinds?: EdgeKind[]): Edge[] {
     if (kinds && kinds.length > 0) {
-      const sql = `SELECT * FROM edges WHERE target = ? AND kind IN (${kinds.map(() => '?').join(',')}) ORDER BY source, kind, line, col`;
+      const sql = `SELECT * FROM edges WHERE target = ? AND kind IN (${kinds.map(() => '?').join(',')}) ORDER BY kind, source, line, col`;
       const rows = this.db.prepare(sql).all(targetId, ...kinds) as EdgeRow[];
       return rows.map(rowToEdge);
     }
 
     if (!this.stmts.getEdgesByTarget) {
-      this.stmts.getEdgesByTarget = this.db.prepare('SELECT * FROM edges WHERE target = ? ORDER BY source, kind, line, col');
+      this.stmts.getEdgesByTarget = this.db.prepare('SELECT * FROM edges WHERE target = ? ORDER BY kind, source, line, col');
     }
     const rows = this.stmts.getEdgesByTarget.all(targetId) as EdgeRow[];
     return rows.map(rowToEdge);
diff --git a/src/db/schema.sql b/src/db/schema.sql
index e49bf6937..91ae4805b 100644
--- a/src/db/schema.sql
+++ b/src/db/schema.sql
@@ -199,8 +199,10 @@ CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_unresolved_status ON unresolved_refs(status);
 CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_unresolved_failed_tail ON unresolved_refs(name_tail) WHERE status = 'failed';
 CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_edges_provenance ON edges(provenance);
 -- Sync's third-file wiring lookup must not scan every synthesized edge.
-CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_edges_synthesis_site ON edges(json_extract(metadata, '$.registeredAt'))
-    WHERE json_extract(metadata, '$.synthesizedBy') IS NOT NULL;
+-- CASE short-circuits malformed metadata; keep these expressions identical
+-- in migrations and synthesis queries so SQLite can use the partial index.
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_edges_synthesis_site ON edges(CASE WHEN json_valid(metadata) THEN json_extract(metadata, '$.registeredAt') END)
+    WHERE CASE WHEN json_valid(metadata) THEN json_extract(metadata, '$.synthesizedBy') END IS NOT NULL;
 
 -- Retain the cheap source-gate verdict when a later sync deletes the source.
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS synthesis_inputs (
diff --git a/src/db/synthesis-stage.ts b/src/db/synthesis-stage.ts
index 7764a1c06..23c914d2a 100644
--- a/src/db/synthesis-stage.ts
+++ b/src/db/synthesis-stage.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { QueryBuilder } from './queries';
 import { createYielder } from '../resolution/cooperative-yield';
 
 // Ownership is independent of provenance: Go method containment is structural.
-export const SYNTHESIZED_EDGE = "json_extract(metadata, '$.synthesizedBy') IS NOT NULL";
+export const SYNTHESIZED_EDGE = "CASE WHEN json_valid(metadata) THEN json_extract(metadata, '$.synthesizedBy') END IS NOT NULL";
 
 /** A private edge overlay: passes see base edges plus their new Go prerequisites. */
 export class SynthesisStage {