diff --git a/notes/bf-4g6dj.md b/notes/bf-4g6dj.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..614c2bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/notes/bf-4g6dj.md
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+# Truncated-Flate Test Scaffold Examination
+
+## Summary
+
+Examined the existing truncated-flate test scaffold and extraction result structure to understand where to add assertions for stream decode error diagnostics.
+
+## Test Location
+
+**File**: `/home/coding/pdftract/crates/pdftract-core/tests/error_recovery_integration.rs`
+
+**Test function**: `test_truncated_mid_stream()` (lines 165-188)
+
+## Test Fixture Structure
+
+### Fixture Locations
+- **PDF**: `/home/coding/pdftract/tests/error_recovery/fixtures/truncated_mid_stream.pdf`
+- **Expected diagnostics JSON**: `/home/coding/pdftract/tests/error_recovery/fixtures/truncated_mid_stream.expected_diagnostics.json`
+
+### Expected Diagnostics JSON Format
+```json
+{
+  "description": "FlateDecode stream truncated mid-decompression",
+  "expected_diagnostics": [
+    {
+      "code": "STREAM_DECODE_ERROR",
+      "min_count": 1,
+      "description": "Truncated FlateDecode stream should emit STREAM_DECODE_ERROR"
+    }
+  ],
+  "expected_behavior": "partial output returned, no panic"
+}
+```
+
+## Current Test Implementation
+
+The current test at `test_truncated_mid_stream()` only verifies:
+1. The fixture PDF exists and starts with `%PDF-`
+2. The expected_diagnostics JSON structure contains STREAM_DECODE_ERROR
+
+The test does NOT actually:
+- Open the PDF with `PdfExtractor`
+- Extract pages or streams
+- Verify diagnostics are emitted during actual extraction
+- Check for partial output behavior
+
+## Extraction Result Structure
+
+### ExtractionResult Fields (from `extract.rs`)
+```rust
+pub struct ExtractionResult {
+    pub fingerprint: String,
+    pub pages: Vec<PageResult>,
+    pub metadata: ExtractionMetadata,
+    pub signatures: Vec<SignatureJson>,
+    pub form_fields: Vec<FormFieldJson>,
+    pub links: Vec<LinkJson>,
+    // ... other fields
+}
+```
+
+### ExtractionMetadata Diagnostics Field
+```rust
+pub struct ExtractionMetadata {
+    pub page_count: usize,
+    pub error_count: usize,
+    // ... other fields
+    pub diagnostics: Vec<String>,  // ← This is where diagnostics appear
+    // ... other fields
+}
+```
+
+### Diagnostic Structure (from `diagnostics.rs`)
+```rust
+pub struct Diagnostic {
+    pub code: DiagCode,              // e.g., DiagCode::StreamDecodeError
+    pub byte_offset: Option<u64>,     // Where in the PDF the error occurred
+    pub object_ref: Option<ObjRef>,   // Which object had the error
+    pub message: Cow<'static, str>,   // Human-readable message
+}
+```
+
+When serialized to JSON, diagnostics become String representations like:
+- `"STREAM_DECODE_ERROR"`
+- `"STRUCT_INVALID_NAME"`
+- etc.
+
+## STREAM_DECODE_ERROR Diagnostic Code
+
+**Code**: `DiagCode::StreamDecodeError`  
+**Category**: `STREAM_*`  
+**Severity**: `Warning`  
+**Recoverable**: `true`  
+**Phase origin**: `1.5`  
+**Description**: "Emitted when a stream decoder encounters corrupt data mid-decompression. Partial bytes decoded so far are returned."  
+**String representation**: `"STREAM_DECODE_ERROR"`
+
+## Where to Add the Assertion
+
+When implementing the full extraction test for `test_truncated_mid_stream()`, the assertion should check:
+
+```rust
+// After extracting the PDF:
+let result = extractor.extract()?;
+
+// Check that STREAM_DECODE_ERROR appears in diagnostics:
+let has_stream_error = result.metadata.diagnostics
+    .iter()
+    .any(|d| d.contains("STREAM_DECODE_ERROR"));
+
+assert!(has_stream_error, "Expected STREAM_DECODE_ERROR diagnostic");
+```
+
+The assertion belongs in `test_truncated_mid_stream()` at line 169-186, replacing the placeholder fixture existence check with actual extraction and diagnostic verification.
+
+## Related Fixtures
+
+**Note**: There is also a `/home/coding/pdftract/tests/fixtures/malformed/truncated-flate.pdf` fixture, but it is not currently referenced by any test. This appears to be a different fixture than the one used in `error_recovery_integration.rs`.
+
+## Test Pattern
+
+Other tests in `error_recovery_integration.rs` follow this pattern:
+1. Load fixture and expected diagnostics JSON
+2. Perform extraction (currently TODO/placeholder)
+3. Verify diagnostics count >= min_count using `assert_diagnostic_count_at_least()`
+4. Verify no panic via `assert_no_panic()`