diff --git a/schemas/artifacts/source_media_review.schema.json b/schemas/artifacts/source_media_review.schema.json
index 7e603502..0e89cdc8 100644
--- a/schemas/artifacts/source_media_review.schema.json
+++ b/schemas/artifacts/source_media_review.schema.json
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
     "version": { "type": "string", "const": "1.0" },
     "files": {
       "type": "array",
+      "description": "Reviewed source files. Empty when no user media was supplied (or none could be reviewed) — a valid 'fully generated production' state that review_source_media reports explicitly.",
       "items": {
         "type": "object",
         "required": ["path", "media_type", "reviewed"],
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@
         },
         "additionalProperties": false
       },
-      "minItems": 1
+      "minItems": 0
     },
     "summary": {
       "type": "string",
diff --git a/tests/lib/test_source_media_review_empty.py b/tests/lib/test_source_media_review_empty.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..54ed39fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lib/test_source_media_review_empty.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+"""Regression test for source_media_review empty-files artifact validity.
+
+review_source_media deliberately returns an artifact with files:[] when no user
+media was supplied (or none could be reviewed) — a valid "fully generated
+production" state. The schema declared files.minItems: 1, so that intended
+artifact failed its own schema validation.
+"""
+
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+PROJECT_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent.parent
+sys.path.insert(0, str(PROJECT_ROOT))
+
+from lib.source_media_review import review_source_media  # noqa: E402
+from schemas.artifacts import validate_artifact  # noqa: E402
+
+
+def test_no_source_media_produces_schema_valid_artifact(tmp_path):
+    art = review_source_media([tmp_path / "does-not-exist.mp4"], {})
+    assert art["files"] == []
+    # Must not raise — this is a legitimate no-source-media artifact.
+    validate_artifact("source_media_review", art)
+
+
+def test_no_files_at_all_is_schema_valid():
+    art = review_source_media([], {})
+    assert art["files"] == []
+    validate_artifact("source_media_review", art)