diff --git a/src/lib/workouts/__tests__/route-geometry-cipher.test.ts b/src/lib/workouts/__tests__/route-geometry-cipher.test.ts
index 9432d0976..ff0338186 100644
--- a/src/lib/workouts/__tests__/route-geometry-cipher.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/workouts/__tests__/route-geometry-cipher.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import { Buffer } from "node:buffer";
 
+const addWarning = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn());
+vi.mock("@/lib/logging/context", () => ({
+  getEvent: () => ({ addWarning }),
+}));
+
 import { _resetCryptoCacheForTests, encryptBytes } from "@/lib/crypto";
 import {
   decryptRouteGeometry,
@@ -56,11 +61,16 @@ describe("route geometry cipher", () => {
     expect(() => decryptRouteGeometry(new Uint8Array(other))).toThrow();
   });
 
-  it("throws on a ciphertext that does not open instead of using the legacy column", () => {
+  it("reads a ciphertext that does not open as no track, with a warning, never the legacy column", () => {
+    addWarning.mockClear();
     const sealed = encryptRouteGeometry(TRACK);
     sealed[sealed.byteLength - 1] ^= 0xff;
-    expect(() =>
+    expect(
       readRouteGeometry({ geometry: TRACK, geometryEncrypted: sealed }),
-    ).toThrow();
+    ).toBeNull();
+    expect(addWarning).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(String(addWarning.mock.calls[0][0])).toContain(
+      "workout route decrypt failed",
+    );
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/lib/workouts/route-geometry-cipher.ts b/src/lib/workouts/route-geometry-cipher.ts
index 7b52fc99e..80ed5f4fb 100644
--- a/src/lib/workouts/route-geometry-cipher.ts
+++ b/src/lib/workouts/route-geometry-cipher.ts
@@ -11,8 +11,10 @@
  *
  * Every reader goes through {@link readRouteGeometry}: the ciphertext when a
  * row has one, the legacy readable column for a row the boot-time backfill has
- * not reached yet. A ciphertext that does not open throws (fail-closed), the
- * same posture as `readNote`; it is never replaced by the readable column.
+ * not reached yet. A ciphertext that does not open reads as no track, with a
+ * warning on the request's event: it is never replaced by the readable column,
+ * and one damaged track must not fail the workout detail or the insight job
+ * that reads it. `decryptRouteGeometry` itself still throws.
  *
  * The wire shape is unchanged: readers hand back the same GeoJSON object the
  * JSONB column used to return.
@@ -21,6 +23,7 @@ import { Buffer } from "node:buffer";
 
 import { decryptBytes, encryptBytes } from "@/lib/crypto";
 import { WORKOUT_ROUTE_GEOMETRY_AAD } from "@/lib/crypto/encrypted-columns";
+import { getEvent } from "@/lib/logging/context";
 
 /** Seal a route's GeoJSON geometry for `WorkoutRoute.geometryEncrypted`. */
 export function encryptRouteGeometry(
@@ -43,14 +46,24 @@ export function decryptRouteGeometry(sealed: Uint8Array): unknown {
 
 /**
  * The geometry a route row holds: the ciphertext first, the legacy readable
- * column only when there is no ciphertext. Null when the row holds neither.
+ * column only when there is no ciphertext. Null when the row holds neither,
+ * and null (with a warning) when the ciphertext does not open.
  */
 export function readRouteGeometry(row: {
   geometry?: unknown;
   geometryEncrypted?: Uint8Array | null;
 }): unknown {
   if (row.geometryEncrypted && row.geometryEncrypted.byteLength > 0) {
-    return decryptRouteGeometry(row.geometryEncrypted);
+    try {
+      return decryptRouteGeometry(row.geometryEncrypted);
+    } catch (err) {
+      getEvent()?.addWarning(
+        `workout route decrypt failed: ${
+          err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)
+        }`,
+      );
+      return null;
+    }
   }
   return row.geometry ?? null;
 }