diff --git a/crates/aura-engine/src/harness.rs b/crates/aura-engine/src/harness.rs
index eede29f..5e0b93b 100644
--- a/crates/aura-engine/src/harness.rs
+++ b/crates/aura-engine/src/harness.rs
@@ -1424,6 +1424,67 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn a_producer_with_no_out_edge_runs_inertly_identical_to_its_removal() {
+        // CURRENT-BEHAVIOUR PIN (#282 substrate): a producer node with a
+        // NON-EMPTY output and ZERO out-edges compiles, bootstraps, and runs —
+        // its per-cycle Some(row) is simply discarded, disturbing nothing. This
+        // is the exact shape of an *unbound declared tap*: the tap mechanism
+        // will let such a producer be declared and left un-recorded in a sweep,
+        // and this pins that the engine already tolerates it (no DCE needed for
+        // correctness — check_ports_connected gates only input slots, and the
+        // Kahn sort emits a no-out-edge node as a valid sink). The proof is
+        // observable identity: the run's drained output is byte-for-byte the same
+        // with the dangling producer present as with it removed.
+        let prices = f64_stream(&[(1, 10.0), (2, 20.0), (3, 30.0)]);
+
+        // WITH a dangling producer: source fans out to Sma(1) [node 0, a real
+        // producer that returns Some every warm cycle, wired to NOTHING] and to
+        // a Recorder [node 1] fed directly by the source.
+        let (tx, rx) = mpsc::channel();
+        let mut h_with = boot(
+            vec![
+                Box::new(Sma::new(1)),
+                Box::new(Recorder::new(&[ScalarKind::F64], Firing::Any, tx)),
+            ],
+            vec![Sma::builder().schema().clone(), recorder_sig(&[ScalarKind::F64], Firing::Any)],
+            vec![SourceSpec::raw(
+                ScalarKind::F64,
+                vec![Target { node: 0, slot: 0 }, Target { node: 1, slot: 0 }],
+            )],
+            vec![], // NO edge out of node 0 — the producer dangles
+        )
+        .expect("a no-out-edge producer is a valid graph");
+        h_with.run(vec![Box::new(VecSource::new(prices.clone()))]);
+        let with_dangling: Vec<(Timestamp, Vec<Scalar>)> = rx.try_iter().collect();
+
+        // WITHOUT it: just the Recorder, fed by the same source.
+        let (tx2, rx2) = mpsc::channel();
+        let mut h_without = boot(
+            vec![Box::new(Recorder::new(&[ScalarKind::F64], Firing::Any, tx2))],
+            vec![recorder_sig(&[ScalarKind::F64], Firing::Any)],
+            vec![SourceSpec::raw(ScalarKind::F64, vec![Target { node: 0, slot: 0 }])],
+            vec![],
+        )
+        .expect("valid");
+        h_without.run(vec![Box::new(VecSource::new(prices))]);
+        let without_dangling: Vec<(Timestamp, Vec<Scalar>)> = rx2.try_iter().collect();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            with_dangling,
+            vec![
+                (Timestamp(1), vec![Scalar::f64(10.0)]),
+                (Timestamp(2), vec![Scalar::f64(20.0)]),
+                (Timestamp(3), vec![Scalar::f64(30.0)]),
+            ],
+            "the drained output is the source series; the dangling producer changes nothing"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            with_dangling, without_dangling,
+            "a producer wired to nothing is observably inert — identical to its removal"
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn mixed_a_and_b_or_combine_on_one_node() {
         // MixedSum @0 (in0,in1 barrier group 0; in2 as-of); node 1 = Recorder taps it.