diff --git a/crates/aura-cli/src/main.rs b/crates/aura-cli/src/main.rs
index 785115a..f7a3ed9 100644
--- a/crates/aura-cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/aura-cli/src/main.rs
@@ -1748,9 +1748,10 @@ fn run_signal_r(
     let (tx_req, _rx_req) = mpsc::channel();
     let (sources, window, pip_size) = resolve_run_data(&data, env, &binding);
     let wrapped = wrap_r(signal, tx_eq, tx_ex, tx_r, tx_req, StopRule::Vol { length: R_SMA_STOP_LENGTH, k: R_SMA_STOP_K }, false, pip_size, &binding, None);
-    let mut flat = wrapped
-        .compile_with_params(params)
-        .expect("signal binds + wraps to a valid harness");
+    let mut flat = wrapped.compile_with_params(params).unwrap_or_else(|e| {
+        eprintln!("aura: this blueprint does not compile to a runnable harness: {e:?}");
+        std::process::exit(1);
+    });
     // Bind each declared tap to a fresh `Recorder` + channel, before bootstrap
     // — `flat.taps` already carries the signal's declared taps hoisted to the
     // root. Dedup is the caller's per `TapBindError::DuplicateBind`'s doc (the
@@ -3585,6 +3586,25 @@ fn dispatch_run(a: RunCmd, env: &project::Env) {
                 eprintln!("aura: {path}: {msg}");
                 std::process::exit(2);
             });
+            // `wrap_r` (below, via `run_signal_r` AND the axis probe right here) welds
+            // the loaded signal by its hardcoded `"bias"` output port (the R-evaluator
+            // contract). A signal exposing any other output shape (a measurement-only
+            // blueprint) would otherwise only surface as `blueprint_axis_probe`'s
+            // `wrap_r` call panicking on `BuildError::UnknownOutPort` a few lines
+            // down — refuse here instead, before that probe runs.
+            if !signal.output().iter().any(|o| o.name == "bias") {
+                let exposed: Vec<&str> = signal.output().iter().map(|o| o.name.as_str()).collect();
+                eprintln!(
+                    "aura: `aura run` expects a strategy with a bias output; this blueprint \
+                     exposes {}",
+                    if exposed.is_empty() {
+                        "no outputs".to_string()
+                    } else {
+                        exposed.join(", ")
+                    }
+                );
+                std::process::exit(1);
+            }
             // Refuse an open (free-knob) blueprint at the dispatch boundary, mirroring
             // `blueprint_mc_family`'s closed-guard: `run` bootstraps over the EMPTY point, so a
             // free knob would panic in `compile_with_params` — reject it clean instead (#176).