diff --git a/.changeset/eager-pandas-jump.md b/.changeset/eager-pandas-jump.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7d4f0f39b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/eager-pandas-jump.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+type: Fixed
+pr: 2464
+---
+**`/gsd-mempalace-capture` no longer crashes on first invocation** — the skill's own documented `rooms:` example wrote a flat list of bare strings, but mempalace's miner expects each entry as a dict with a `name` key, so following the example verbatim and running `mempalace mine` crashed with `TypeError: string indices must be integers, not 'str'`. Both `skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md` and `commands/gsd/mempalace-capture.md` now ship the corrected `- name: <room>` shape, so the documented example runs successfully end-to-end.
diff --git a/commands/gsd/mempalace-capture.md b/commands/gsd/mempalace-capture.md
index fdd61cc4a..218d13aeb 100644
--- a/commands/gsd/mempalace-capture.md
+++ b/commands/gsd/mempalace-capture.md
@@ -64,12 +64,16 @@ On any error or timeout, stop and let the phase continue -- capture is best-effo
    # One-time: declare the GSD room taxonomy so detect_room() recognizes these folders
    mkdir -p "$STAGE"
    [ -f "$STAGE/mempalace.yaml" ] || cat > "$STAGE/mempalace.yaml" <<'YAML'
+   # Each entry MUST be a dict with a `name` key (the miner's detect_room()
+   # indexes room["name"] — a bare-string list crashes _mine_impl with
+   # TypeError: string indices must be integers, not 'str'). Optional fields:
+   # `description`, `keywords` (matched against folder-path segments).
    rooms:
-     - decisions
-     - planning
-     - milestones
-     - problems
-     - general
+     - name: decisions
+     - name: planning
+     - name: milestones
+     - name: problems
+     - name: general
    YAML
    # Suppress MemPalace cache artifacts written into the scanned tree
    [ -f "$STAGE/.gitignore" ] || echo "mempalace_embedder.json" > "$STAGE/.gitignore"
diff --git a/skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md b/skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md
index 68db3da6e..37a3a7f10 100644
--- a/skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md
@@ -64,12 +64,16 @@ On any error or timeout, stop and let the phase continue -- capture is best-effo
    # One-time: declare the GSD room taxonomy so detect_room() recognizes these folders
    mkdir -p "$STAGE"
    [ -f "$STAGE/mempalace.yaml" ] || cat > "$STAGE/mempalace.yaml" <<'YAML'
+   # Each entry MUST be a dict with a `name` key (the miner's detect_room()
+   # indexes room["name"] — a bare-string list crashes _mine_impl with
+   # TypeError: string indices must be integers, not 'str'). Optional fields:
+   # `description`, `keywords` (matched against folder-path segments).
    rooms:
-     - decisions
-     - planning
-     - milestones
-     - problems
-     - general
+     - name: decisions
+     - name: planning
+     - name: milestones
+     - name: problems
+     - name: general
    YAML
    # Suppress MemPalace cache artifacts written into the scanned tree
    [ -f "$STAGE/.gitignore" ] || echo "mempalace_embedder.json" > "$STAGE/.gitignore"
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/antigravity.json b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/antigravity.json
index f463693b0..0abb7c60a 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/antigravity.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/antigravity.json
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@
   "skills/gsd-ingest-docs/SKILL.md": "f4e43968af317ed8",
   "skills/gsd-manager/SKILL.md": "6e51785860784d8c",
   "skills/gsd-map-codebase/SKILL.md": "552f914f43b2181c",
-  "skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "ece243a29d87cfca",
+  "skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "0f8eae8ef21ea89a",
   "skills/gsd-mempalace-recall/SKILL.md": "2d95e385fee26dee",
   "skills/gsd-milestone-summary/SKILL.md": "2955ab3e3a444ca3",
   "skills/gsd-mvp-phase/SKILL.md": "1cf7622d655840ac",
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/augment.json b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/augment.json
index 12b39860e..c4d345260 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/augment.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/augment.json
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
   "commands/gsd-ingest-docs.md": "6718b04c597a5428",
   "commands/gsd-manager.md": "8f4ae79774902293",
   "commands/gsd-map-codebase.md": "e4e170d4ef2d46c6",
-  "commands/gsd-mempalace-capture.md": "d57b339a2743f5a4",
+  "commands/gsd-mempalace-capture.md": "63c35058ba60209f",
   "commands/gsd-mempalace-recall.md": "38716c0983a3ef9c",
   "commands/gsd-milestone-summary.md": "ff5e11e6b33d4b5e",
   "commands/gsd-mvp-phase.md": "ffc5905aed8f450a",
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/extract-learnings/SKILL.md": "48846bf26ccaf0e7",
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/graphify/SKILL.md": "3d6341614add6ccd",
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/map-codebase/SKILL.md": "2017007dcd69d153",
-  "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "b3c600b306f179eb",
+  "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "9923f0164d27f27f",
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/mempalace-recall/SKILL.md": "646e59e76acd548f",
   "skills/gsd-ns-ideate/SKILL.md": "d70360a5f7e8ac90",
   "skills/gsd-ns-ideate/skills/capture/SKILL.md": "74651f6959cfbbd3",
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/claude-local.json b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/claude-local.json
index c193e136d..b727c7397 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/claude-local.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/claude-local.json
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
   "commands/gsd-ingest-docs.md": "ded9013d0de7e77b",
   "commands/gsd-manager.md": "72d5b31b88f77703",
   "commands/gsd-map-codebase.md": "ecd69887996ae561",
-  "commands/gsd-mempalace-capture.md": "3812fc95963f92d7",
+  "commands/gsd-mempalace-capture.md": "7ec09056410d8e63",
   "commands/gsd-mempalace-recall.md": "38716c0983a3ef9c",
   "commands/gsd-milestone-summary.md": "908509042caf5beb",
   "commands/gsd-mvp-phase.md": "1ef0d7c2871be49a",
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/claude.json b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/claude.json
index 7ee2ce23a..7cf71afb9 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/claude.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/claude.json
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@
   "skills/gsd-ingest-docs/SKILL.md": "eb85e654917a503a",
   "skills/gsd-manager/SKILL.md": "1370d93741e47828",
   "skills/gsd-map-codebase/SKILL.md": "cf65e61890448285",
-  "skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "fa47f3e3fb1264eb",
+  "skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "175c5441158a0a9c",
   "skills/gsd-mempalace-recall/SKILL.md": "c3f412d5a64f3921",
   "skills/gsd-milestone-summary/SKILL.md": "33d51a325d314f3a",
   "skills/gsd-mvp-phase/SKILL.md": "f9a1348c6c297579",
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/cline.json b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/cline.json
index 60928cf1e..46bdd874b 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/cline.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/cline.json
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/extract-learnings/SKILL.md": "d39269bea995fabc",
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/graphify/SKILL.md": "030050fcd08d129d",
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/map-codebase/SKILL.md": "fa6a37402430af7d",
-  "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "ece243a29d87cfca",
+  "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "0f8eae8ef21ea89a",
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/mempalace-recall/SKILL.md": "2d95e385fee26dee",
   "skills/gsd-ns-ideate/SKILL.md": "c10342345c01c91f",
   "skills/gsd-ns-ideate/skills/capture/SKILL.md": "fb53053848bb6695",
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/codebuddy.json b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/codebuddy.json
index 0827b5852..f838c848b 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/codebuddy.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/codebuddy.json
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
   "commands/gsd-ingest-docs.md": "ab3e58239c23d61d",
   "commands/gsd-manager.md": "bfe9e261fa918876",
   "commands/gsd-map-codebase.md": "5093093d42240325",
-  "commands/gsd-mempalace-capture.md": "c687b6d88b50f45c",
+  "commands/gsd-mempalace-capture.md": "abe0eb543cedb9fb",
   "commands/gsd-mempalace-recall.md": "6efef238d8c62569",
   "commands/gsd-milestone-summary.md": "e3a36fbd695a1833",
   "commands/gsd-mvp-phase.md": "671791ba61c4654a",
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@
   "skills/gsd-ingest-docs/SKILL.md": "2df55e0ec95d57d9",
   "skills/gsd-manager/SKILL.md": "816db4d4ed618537",
   "skills/gsd-map-codebase/SKILL.md": "b304ec25e9a95c93",
-  "skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "cb6238896332cedf",
+  "skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "b6aee382ec1a6c2b",
   "skills/gsd-mempalace-recall/SKILL.md": "70c8491f53f4161b",
   "skills/gsd-milestone-summary/SKILL.md": "9eb030a1ac307fa1",
   "skills/gsd-mvp-phase/SKILL.md": "236fcdd69f47d101",
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/codex.json b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/codex.json
index 1f1b1c656..f1ad01ccc 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/codex.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/codex.json
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
   ".agents/skills/gsd-ingest-docs/SKILL.md": "5bd2838bf0b6dc1b",
   ".agents/skills/gsd-manager/SKILL.md": "cb1cf56f5d3f66d6",
   ".agents/skills/gsd-map-codebase/SKILL.md": "cd27dc028718426b",
-  ".agents/skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "361675ada00a54b6",
+  ".agents/skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "fb426a6700b98eed",
   ".agents/skills/gsd-mempalace-recall/SKILL.md": "7205b02250e89f25",
   ".agents/skills/gsd-milestone-summary/SKILL.md": "af84ecb400f23556",
   ".agents/skills/gsd-mvp-phase/SKILL.md": "72b65ae927b280fe",
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/copilot.json b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/copilot.json
index fc0eda5c8..b70be3f72 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/copilot.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/copilot.json
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@
   "skills/gsd-ingest-docs/SKILL.md": "10500de29525f6cf",
   "skills/gsd-manager/SKILL.md": "9946975bec15e737",
   "skills/gsd-map-codebase/SKILL.md": "39e7fd6bcc561f9d",
-  "skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "a9f9dd7fb904d09f",
+  "skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "1ccddd50b3d77a4a",
   "skills/gsd-mempalace-recall/SKILL.md": "89523db66f834b2f",
   "skills/gsd-milestone-summary/SKILL.md": "5ca1dabfe0cd85f0",
   "skills/gsd-mvp-phase/SKILL.md": "60ac3c3fa6a6a19b",
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/cursor.json b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/cursor.json
index 17073cced..2e0a1b635 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/cursor.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/cursor.json
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
   "commands/gsd-ingest-docs.md": "9e7f8757b9408c01",
   "commands/gsd-manager.md": "f300b708a5487c76",
   "commands/gsd-map-codebase.md": "12f705917eb202fb",
-  "commands/gsd-mempalace-capture.md": "06323113ec60df3e",
+  "commands/gsd-mempalace-capture.md": "8f5afec4dde75478",
   "commands/gsd-mempalace-recall.md": "08c910285469a394",
   "commands/gsd-milestone-summary.md": "adfad2cf43fc5aad",
   "commands/gsd-mvp-phase.md": "e8debeee627a0bf2",
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@
   "skills/gsd-ingest-docs/SKILL.md": "1a2e87caa9011682",
   "skills/gsd-manager/SKILL.md": "8a506b1b8b3841c3",
   "skills/gsd-map-codebase/SKILL.md": "74a827b893d70dfa",
-  "skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "b5ad8d540b6320be",
+  "skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "ff7e3bcfa0d23d5f",
   "skills/gsd-mempalace-recall/SKILL.md": "04364d3012644204",
   "skills/gsd-milestone-summary/SKILL.md": "1d0b245b74176236",
   "skills/gsd-mvp-phase/SKILL.md": "485356f67c196015",
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/hermes.json b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/hermes.json
index 6414dd920..a863088e8 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/hermes.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/hermes.json
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@
   "skills/gsd/gsd-ns-context/skills/extract-learnings/SKILL.md": "36e59d6e514dcaf0",
   "skills/gsd/gsd-ns-context/skills/graphify/SKILL.md": "169eefd42c444cde",
   "skills/gsd/gsd-ns-context/skills/map-codebase/SKILL.md": "9d36eee52586bb34",
-  "skills/gsd/gsd-ns-context/skills/mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "4a2733dd32cdf737",
+  "skills/gsd/gsd-ns-context/skills/mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "b55a640c7bae4c97",
   "skills/gsd/gsd-ns-context/skills/mempalace-recall/SKILL.md": "5d06922e0d7ab7d9",
   "skills/gsd/gsd-ns-ideate/SKILL.md": "b36bb4700ed6723a",
   "skills/gsd/gsd-ns-ideate/skills/capture/SKILL.md": "76fc7c1200124ece",
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/kilo.json b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/kilo.json
index 9fe52959f..70760ac86 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/kilo.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/kilo.json
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
   "command/gsd-ingest-docs.md": "e655ecf1d4433ba9",
   "command/gsd-manager.md": "1cdc133079833552",
   "command/gsd-map-codebase.md": "704cb63214f51523",
-  "command/gsd-mempalace-capture.md": "8b6bc24d7baf1e9b",
+  "command/gsd-mempalace-capture.md": "081236c25ce5b337",
   "command/gsd-mempalace-recall.md": "d358cdd89c935877",
   "command/gsd-milestone-summary.md": "4ab29b777f62f0bb",
   "command/gsd-mvp-phase.md": "273a1c26ca13274b",
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@
   "skills/gsd-ingest-docs/SKILL.md": "f049f06a6ec7da43",
   "skills/gsd-manager/SKILL.md": "a37ecdbe32952262",
   "skills/gsd-map-codebase/SKILL.md": "e06d6ac1b7632cbe",
-  "skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "80ffe0ee9b833502",
+  "skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "ddb5c1322d6237ad",
   "skills/gsd-mempalace-recall/SKILL.md": "2091c48e6e986e28",
   "skills/gsd-milestone-summary/SKILL.md": "da645171ca2299d8",
   "skills/gsd-mvp-phase/SKILL.md": "eeb0ac0f88647475",
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/kimi.json b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/kimi.json
index 58fcd9b05..c0e8667f6 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/kimi.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/kimi.json
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@
   "skills/gsd-ingest-docs/SKILL.md": "6366644e623ae9e4",
   "skills/gsd-manager/SKILL.md": "8a11a1beb8e35a9c",
   "skills/gsd-map-codebase/SKILL.md": "73ab0afb2398de2c",
-  "skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "5ed5ae9c018c89df",
+  "skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "aeb01fa8be356ba8",
   "skills/gsd-mempalace-recall/SKILL.md": "c6e0195e55cd934c",
   "skills/gsd-milestone-summary/SKILL.md": "3ea93ccaa0d4d967",
   "skills/gsd-mvp-phase/SKILL.md": "d2f98f1e955797b6",
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/opencode.json b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/opencode.json
index 07a89c6b1..dc95698a7 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/opencode.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/opencode.json
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
   "commands/gsd-ingest-docs.md": "b47c812c247e58a4",
   "commands/gsd-manager.md": "86ece154b34b6d1b",
   "commands/gsd-map-codebase.md": "9aba6b4eed565912",
-  "commands/gsd-mempalace-capture.md": "8b6bc24d7baf1e9b",
+  "commands/gsd-mempalace-capture.md": "081236c25ce5b337",
   "commands/gsd-mempalace-recall.md": "d358cdd89c935877",
   "commands/gsd-milestone-summary.md": "86a827271bc647c5",
   "commands/gsd-mvp-phase.md": "d45fd76cb9cff3ef",
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@
   "skills/gsd-ingest-docs/SKILL.md": "8f294b4894f782a5",
   "skills/gsd-manager/SKILL.md": "cf40f237b4f20aa7",
   "skills/gsd-map-codebase/SKILL.md": "73f714297815f74c",
-  "skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "80ffe0ee9b833502",
+  "skills/gsd-mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "ddb5c1322d6237ad",
   "skills/gsd-mempalace-recall/SKILL.md": "2091c48e6e986e28",
   "skills/gsd-milestone-summary/SKILL.md": "175366bb500b5e64",
   "skills/gsd-mvp-phase/SKILL.md": "0531d0e907af41ce",
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/qwen.json b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/qwen.json
index 6c8e63b3d..f7cfaeb6b 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/qwen.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/qwen.json
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/extract-learnings/SKILL.md": "8d38e55e5f8b774b",
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/graphify/SKILL.md": "ac3661e6e576188b",
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/map-codebase/SKILL.md": "cf65e61890448285",
-  "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "fa47f3e3fb1264eb",
+  "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "175c5441158a0a9c",
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/mempalace-recall/SKILL.md": "c3f412d5a64f3921",
   "skills/gsd-ns-ideate/SKILL.md": "4a0d2691054b23e5",
   "skills/gsd-ns-ideate/skills/capture/SKILL.md": "05fa421c95fbad2d",
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/trae.json b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/trae.json
index 0934ac518..a520d23ae 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/trae.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/trae.json
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/extract-learnings/SKILL.md": "1fc6ba92fc18eb86",
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/graphify/SKILL.md": "371ce22f2fe319bc",
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/map-codebase/SKILL.md": "cfc5310b903d594a",
-  "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "211b03370a105fae",
+  "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "52cb3eacc890c44c",
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/mempalace-recall/SKILL.md": "73b0b7a6301cb214",
   "skills/gsd-ns-ideate/SKILL.md": "aa399385b735c7c1",
   "skills/gsd-ns-ideate/skills/capture/SKILL.md": "3b7fc696b2107bcf",
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/zcode.json b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/zcode.json
index dd529949f..3c6d572f2 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/zcode.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/golden-install-parity/zcode.json
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
   "commands/gsd-ingest-docs.md": "7a3c21ae5d5d133a",
   "commands/gsd-manager.md": "9f54653a7c589b00",
   "commands/gsd-map-codebase.md": "709e9572953accc6",
-  "commands/gsd-mempalace-capture.md": "be4316828baebe52",
+  "commands/gsd-mempalace-capture.md": "c0892e814b04350a",
   "commands/gsd-mempalace-recall.md": "5ac67fa4b7f2b03b",
   "commands/gsd-milestone-summary.md": "f8fa9c357c08b74b",
   "commands/gsd-mvp-phase.md": "cba67bcb55250e5f",
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/extract-learnings/SKILL.md": "6de7eeaaf4939e5d",
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/graphify/SKILL.md": "d54c2b44e8059299",
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/map-codebase/SKILL.md": "f48d48b43e2cc4bd",
-  "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "fa47f3e3fb1264eb",
+  "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/mempalace-capture/SKILL.md": "175c5441158a0a9c",
   "skills/gsd-ns-context/skills/mempalace-recall/SKILL.md": "c3f412d5a64f3921",
   "skills/gsd-ns-ideate/SKILL.md": "4a0d2691054b23e5",
   "skills/gsd-ns-ideate/skills/capture/SKILL.md": "c848255c134a860f",
diff --git a/tests/mempalace-capture-headless-invocation.test.cjs b/tests/mempalace-capture-headless-invocation.test.cjs
index 6ece5f5e6..66b6efa9d 100644
--- a/tests/mempalace-capture-headless-invocation.test.cjs
+++ b/tests/mempalace-capture-headless-invocation.test.cjs
@@ -5,6 +5,12 @@
 // --room flag (only `search` does). The fix replaced the flag with a
 // detect_room()-based staging approach.
 //
+// #2414 extension: the staging block also embeds a `rooms:` YAML example.
+// mempalace's miner (`detect_room()` and `_mine_impl`) requires each entry
+// to be a DICT with at least a `name` key — a bare-string list crashes the
+// first `mine` invocation with `TypeError: string indices must be integers,
+// not 'str'`. The fix converts each `- <room>` to `- name: <room>`.
+//
 // Docs sources:
 //   CLI reference:  https://mempalaceofficial.com/reference/cli.html
 //   Mining guide:   https://mempalaceofficial.com/guide/mining.html
@@ -14,6 +20,7 @@ const { describe, test } = require('node:test');
 const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
 const fs = require('fs');
 const path = require('path');
+const yaml = require('js-yaml');
 
 const ROOT = path.resolve(__dirname, '..');
 
@@ -71,3 +78,73 @@ describe('#2220 — headless mempalace mine has no --room flag', () => {
     assert.ok(content.includes('.mempalace-stage/'), '.gitignore must exclude .planning/.mempalace-stage/');
   });
 });
+
+// ─── #2414: rooms: entries MUST be dicts with a `name` key ───────────────────
+//
+// The skill files embed a `rooms:` YAML example inside a bash heredoc. The
+// miner's `detect_room()` and `_mine_impl` index `room["name"]` — a bare-string
+// list crashes the first `mine` invocation with
+// `TypeError: string indices must be integers, not 'str'`.
+//
+// This describe block extracts the YAML block from each file, parses it with
+// js-yaml, and asserts every entry under `rooms:` is a dict carrying a `name`
+// key. It also forbids the pre-fix shape (`- decisions` etc.) so a future
+// reversion can't slip back in silently.
+
+describe('#2414 — rooms: entries are dicts with a name key (not bare strings)', () => {
+  // Extract the YAML `rooms:` block from a markdown file. The block lives
+  // inside a bash heredoc that ends with `YAML` on its own line. We capture
+  // from the line beginning with `rooms:` through the closing `YAML` sentinel.
+  function extractRoomsYaml(content) {
+    const lines = content.split(/\r?\n/);
+    const start = lines.findIndex((l) => /^\s*rooms:\s*$/.test(l));
+    if (start === -1) return null;
+    let end = -1;
+    for (let i = start + 1; i < lines.length; i++) {
+      // The heredoc terminator in the embedded bash is `YAML` on its own line
+      // (possibly with leading whitespace from the markdown fence indentation).
+      if (/^\s*YAML\s*$/.test(lines[i])) { end = i; break; }
+    }
+    if (end === -1) return null;
+    return lines.slice(start, end).join('\n');
+  }
+
+  for (const rel of SKILL_FILES) {
+    test(`${rel}: every rooms: entry is a dict with a \`name\` key`, () => {
+      const content = fs.readFileSync(path.join(ROOT, rel), 'utf8');
+      const yamlBlock = extractRoomsYaml(content);
+      assert.ok(yamlBlock, `${rel}: could not locate a rooms: YAML block`);
+      const parsed = yaml.load(yamlBlock);
+      assert.ok(parsed && Array.isArray(parsed.rooms), `${rel}: rooms: must parse to an array`);
+      assert.ok(parsed.rooms.length >= 5, `${rel}: expected the GSD room taxonomy (≥5 rooms), got ${parsed.rooms.length}`);
+      for (const [i, entry] of parsed.rooms.entries()) {
+        assert.ok(
+          entry !== null && typeof entry === 'object' && !Array.isArray(entry),
+          `${rel}: rooms:[${i}] must be a dict, got ${JSON.stringify(entry)} (a bare-string list crashes mempalace miner's detect_room with TypeError: string indices must be integers — #2414)`,
+        );
+        assert.ok(
+          typeof entry.name === 'string' && entry.name.length > 0,
+          `${rel}: rooms:[${i}] must have a non-empty name string, got ${JSON.stringify(entry)}`,
+        );
+      }
+    });
+
+    test(`${rel}: no bare-string rooms: entries remain (forbid the pre-fix shape)`, () => {
+      // Direct guard against the pre-fix shape — any line under rooms: that
+      // matches `^- <word>$` (no colon) is the broken form. Belt-and-suspenders
+      // alongside the parse-and-shape check above; keeps the assertion readable
+      // when the YAML parser is removed/refactored in the future.
+      const content = fs.readFileSync(path.join(ROOT, rel), 'utf8');
+      const yamlBlock = extractRoomsYaml(content);
+      assert.ok(yamlBlock, `${rel}: could not locate a rooms: YAML block`);
+      const bareStringEntries = yamlBlock
+        .split(/\r?\n/)
+        .filter((l) => /^\s*-\s+[A-Za-z][A-Za-z0-9_-]*\s*$/.test(l));
+      assert.strictEqual(
+        bareStringEntries.length,
+        0,
+        `${rel}: rooms: must not contain bare-string entries (crashes mempalace miner — #2414). Offenders: ${JSON.stringify(bareStringEntries)}`,
+      );
+    });
+  }
+});