diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9855c676..123a11c3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ The format is based on Keep a Changelog, and this project adheres to Semantic Ve
 - **Rust Holmes validation gate review fixes**: Law evidence validation now
   continues artifact checks when structure validation emits warning-only
   diagnostics, rejects duplicate artifact roles after workspace-relative path
-  normalization, and validates artifact `sha256` digests with artifact-specific
-  diagnostics instead of allowing malformed digest anchors into later
-  traceability gates.
+  normalization, requires schema versions on every present artifact reference,
+  and validates artifact `sha256` digests with artifact-specific diagnostics
+  instead of allowing malformed digest anchors into later traceability gates.
 - **Rust Holmes assurance review fixes**: The new Holmes artifact locator now
   returns stable Holmes diagnostics for invalid and escaping paths, rejects
   platform-specific backslash and drive-path input before normalization, the
diff --git a/crates/wesley-holmes/src/domain/evidence.rs b/crates/wesley-holmes/src/domain/evidence.rs
index 255a06ad..ba345de8 100644
--- a/crates/wesley-holmes/src/domain/evidence.rs
+++ b/crates/wesley-holmes/src/domain/evidence.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ use super::versioning::{ArtifactFamily, VersionRegistry};
 pub struct ArtifactRef {
     /// Workspace-relative artifact path.
     pub path: String,
-    /// Optional artifact-local schema version.
+    /// Artifact-local schema version required for present artifact references.
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     pub schema_version: Option<String>,
     /// Optional expected SHA-256 digest.
@@ -31,6 +31,12 @@ impl ArtifactRef {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Attach an artifact-local schema version.
+    pub fn with_schema_version(mut self, schema_version: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
+        self.schema_version = Some(schema_version.into());
+        self
+    }
+
     fn is_blank(&self) -> bool {
         self.path.trim().is_empty()
     }
@@ -335,17 +341,17 @@ impl HolmesLawEvidenceBundle {
                 );
             }
 
-            if let Some(schema_version) = artifact.schema_version.as_deref() {
-                let schema_field = format!("{}.schemaVersion", bundle_artifact.field_path);
-                match version_registry.classify(bundle_artifact.family, Some(schema_version)) {
-                    Ok(version_check) => diagnostics.extend(
-                        version_check
-                            .diagnostics
-                            .into_iter()
-                            .map(|diagnostic| diagnostic.at_field(schema_field.clone())),
-                    ),
-                    Err(diagnostic) => diagnostics.push(diagnostic.at_field(schema_field)),
-                }
+            let schema_field = format!("{}.schemaVersion", bundle_artifact.field_path);
+            match version_registry
+                .classify(bundle_artifact.family, artifact.schema_version.as_deref())
+            {
+                Ok(version_check) => diagnostics.extend(
+                    version_check
+                        .diagnostics
+                        .into_iter()
+                        .map(|diagnostic| diagnostic.at_field(schema_field.clone())),
+                ),
+                Err(diagnostic) => diagnostics.push(diagnostic.at_field(schema_field)),
             }
 
             if let Some(sha256) = artifact.sha256.as_deref() {
diff --git a/crates/wesley-holmes/tests/foundation.rs b/crates/wesley-holmes/tests/foundation.rs
index 2fd588fc..770cefaf 100644
--- a/crates/wesley-holmes/tests/foundation.rs
+++ b/crates/wesley-holmes/tests/foundation.rs
@@ -223,6 +223,35 @@ fn artifact_sha256_fields_must_be_canonical_when_present() {
     );
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn artifact_schema_versions_are_required_for_every_present_artifact_reference() {
+    let mut bundle = valid_evidence_bundle();
+    bundle.artifacts.law_diff.schema_version = None;
+    bundle.artifacts.law_coverage.schema_version = None;
+    bundle.artifacts.law_capabilities.schema_version = None;
+    bundle.artifacts.contract_bundle_manifest.schema_version = None;
+    bundle.artifacts.policy = Some(ArtifactRef::new("evidence/policy.json"));
+
+    let result = bundle.validate_structure(&VersionRegistry::default());
+
+    assert_eq!(result.status, LawEvidenceValidationStatus::Invalid);
+    assert_diagnostic(
+        &result.diagnostics,
+        HolmesDiagnosticCode::HlawSchemaVersionMissing,
+    );
+    assert_diagnostic_field(&result.diagnostics, "artifacts.lawDiff.schemaVersion");
+    assert_diagnostic_field(&result.diagnostics, "artifacts.lawCoverage.schemaVersion");
+    assert_diagnostic_field(
+        &result.diagnostics,
+        "artifacts.lawCapabilities.schemaVersion",
+    );
+    assert_diagnostic_field(
+        &result.diagnostics,
+        "artifacts.contractBundleManifest.schemaVersion",
+    );
+    assert_diagnostic_field(&result.diagnostics, "artifacts.policy.schemaVersion");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn law_evidence_validator_reports_artifact_availability_size_and_read_errors() {
     let bundle = valid_evidence_bundle();
@@ -505,10 +534,10 @@ fn valid_evidence_bundle() -> HolmesLawEvidenceBundle {
         schema_version: "1.0.0".to_owned(),
         bundle_id: "bundle-001".to_owned(),
         artifacts: LawEvidenceArtifacts {
-            law_diff: ArtifactRef::new("evidence/law-diff.json"),
-            law_coverage: ArtifactRef::new("evidence/law-coverage.json"),
-            law_capabilities: ArtifactRef::new("evidence/law-capabilities.json"),
-            contract_bundle_manifest: ArtifactRef::new("evidence/bundle-manifest.json"),
+            law_diff: artifact_ref("evidence/law-diff.json"),
+            law_coverage: artifact_ref("evidence/law-coverage.json"),
+            law_capabilities: artifact_ref("evidence/law-capabilities.json"),
+            contract_bundle_manifest: artifact_ref("evidence/bundle-manifest.json"),
             policy: None,
             report: None,
             witness: None,
@@ -523,6 +552,10 @@ fn valid_evidence_bundle() -> HolmesLawEvidenceBundle {
     }
 }
 
+fn artifact_ref(path: &str) -> ArtifactRef {
+    ArtifactRef::new(path).with_schema_version("1.0.0")
+}
+
 fn assert_diagnostic(diagnostics: &[wesley_holmes::HolmesDiagnostic], code: HolmesDiagnosticCode) {
     assert!(
         diagnostics.iter().any(|diagnostic| diagnostic.code == code),