diff --git a/solutions/ess-maker-skills/scripts/flightcheck/checks/_da_connection_refs.py b/solutions/ess-maker-skills/scripts/flightcheck/checks/_da_connection_refs.py
index 3e40167d..0c6d38ca 100644
--- a/solutions/ess-maker-skills/scripts/flightcheck/checks/_da_connection_refs.py
+++ b/solutions/ess-maker-skills/scripts/flightcheck/checks/_da_connection_refs.py
@@ -73,13 +73,26 @@ def _bot_connection_references(client, bot_id: str) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
 
     refs: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
     for change in changes:
-        item = (
-            change.get("connectionReference")
-            if isinstance(change, dict)
-            else None
-        )
-        if not isinstance(item, dict):
+        # Surface a malformed individual entry instead of silently skipping it
+        # (PR #304 review): a non-dict change, or a ``connectionReference`` that
+        # is present but not an object, no longer matches the validated
+        # contract, so raise and let the owning check degrade to a WARNING. An
+        # absent or null ``connectionReference`` is tolerated (a non-connection
+        # change) and skipped.
+        if not isinstance(change, dict):
+            raise ValueError(
+                "Component fetch returned a malformed "
+                "connectionReferenceChanges entry."
+            )
+        if "connectionReference" not in change:
             continue
+        item = change.get("connectionReference")
+        if item is None:
+            continue
+        if not isinstance(item, dict):
+            raise ValueError(
+                "Component fetch returned a malformed connectionReference entry."
+            )
         refs.append(
             {
                 "botid": bot_id,
diff --git a/tests/flightcheck/checks/test_da_connection_refs.py b/tests/flightcheck/checks/test_da_connection_refs.py
index e3b4c42e..54f9034a 100644
--- a/tests/flightcheck/checks/test_da_connection_refs.py
+++ b/tests/flightcheck/checks/test_da_connection_refs.py
@@ -106,6 +106,41 @@ def test_read_active_malformed_change_set_raises():
         reader.read_active_agent_connection_references(runner)
 
 
+def test_read_active_non_dict_change_entry_raises():
+    # An individual change that is not an object is surfaced, not skipped.
+    runner = _FakeRunner(
+        _FakeClient({"BOT": {"connectionReferenceChanges": ["oops"]}}),
+        {"agent": {"botId": "BOT"}},
+    )
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        reader.read_active_agent_connection_references(runner)
+
+
+def test_read_active_malformed_individual_reference_raises():
+    # connectionReference present but not an object -> surfaced, not "not found".
+    payload = {
+        "connectionReferenceChanges": [
+            {"changeType": "Insert", "connectionReference": "not-an-object"}
+        ]
+    }
+    runner = _FakeRunner(_FakeClient({"BOT": payload}), {"agent": {"botId": "BOT"}})
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        reader.read_active_agent_connection_references(runner)
+
+
+def test_read_active_change_without_reference_is_tolerated():
+    # A change carrying no (or null) connectionReference is a non-connection
+    # change: skipped, not raised.
+    payload = {
+        "connectionReferenceChanges": [
+            {"changeType": "Delete"},
+            {"changeType": "Insert", "connectionReference": None},
+        ]
+    }
+    runner = _FakeRunner(_FakeClient({"BOT": payload}), {"agent": {"botId": "BOT"}})
+    assert reader.read_active_agent_connection_references(runner) == []
+
+
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # read_all_agents_connection_references (ENV-004 surface: env-wide, de-duped)
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------