diff --git a/services/extractor/schemas.py b/services/extractor/schemas.py
index 02199df..64d3678 100644
--- a/services/extractor/schemas.py
+++ b/services/extractor/schemas.py
@@ -132,6 +132,109 @@ class ValidationReport(BaseModel):
     parsed: ExtractionResult | None = None
 
 
+def _repair_json(raw: str) -> dict[str, Any] | None:
+    """Attempt to repair common JSON malformations from LLM output.
+
+    Handles:
+    - Trailing commas before closing brackets
+    - Unterminated strings (close them)
+    - Missing closing brackets/braces
+    - Control characters inside strings
+    """
+    if not raw or not raw.strip():
+        return None
+
+    text = raw.strip()
+
+    # Remove any non-JSON prefix (model sometimes prepends text)
+    first_brace = text.find("{")
+    if first_brace > 0:
+        text = text[first_brace:]
+    elif first_brace < 0:
+        return None
+
+    # Remove control characters that break JSON parsing (except \n, \r, \t)
+    text = re.sub(r"[\x00-\x08\x0b\x0c\x0e-\x1f]", " ", text)
+
+    # Try parsing as-is first
+    try:
+        return json.loads(text)
+    except json.JSONDecodeError:
+        pass
+
+    # Fix trailing commas: ,] or ,}
+    text = re.sub(r",\s*([}\]])", r"\1", text)
+    try:
+        return json.loads(text)
+    except json.JSONDecodeError:
+        pass
+
+    # Try closing unclosed brackets/braces
+    return _repair_truncated_json(text)
+
+
+def _repair_truncated_json(raw: str) -> dict[str, Any] | None:
+    """Repair JSON that was truncated mid-output.
+
+    Walks the string tracking bracket/brace depth and string state,
+    then appends the necessary closing tokens.
+    """
+    if not raw or not raw.strip():
+        return None
+
+    text = raw.strip()
+    first_brace = text.find("{")
+    if first_brace < 0:
+        return None
+    text = text[first_brace:]
+
+    # Track state
+    in_string = False
+    escape_next = False
+    stack: list[str] = []
+
+    for ch in text:
+        if escape_next:
+            escape_next = False
+            continue
+        if ch == "\\":
+            if in_string:
+                escape_next = True
+            continue
+        if ch == '"' and not escape_next:
+            in_string = not in_string
+            continue
+        if in_string:
+            continue
+        if ch == "{":
+            stack.append("}")
+        elif ch == "[":
+            stack.append("]")
+        elif ch in ("}", "]"):
+            if stack and stack[-1] == ch:
+                stack.pop()
+
+    # If we're inside a string, close it
+    if in_string:
+        text += '"'
+
+    # Remove any trailing comma
+    text = re.sub(r",\s*$", "", text)
+
+    # Close all open brackets/braces
+    while stack:
+        text += stack.pop()
+
+    try:
+        data = json.loads(text)
+        if isinstance(data, dict):
+            return data
+    except json.JSONDecodeError:
+        pass
+
+    return None
+
+
 def validate_extraction(
     raw_json: str | dict[str, Any],
     *,
@@ -158,8 +261,19 @@ def validate_extraction(
     if isinstance(raw_json, str):
         try:
             data = json.loads(raw_json)
-        except json.JSONDecodeError as exc:
-            return ValidationReport(valid=False, errors=[f"Invalid JSON: {exc}"])
+        except json.JSONDecodeError:
+            # Attempt repair before giving up
+            repaired = _repair_json(raw_json)
+            if repaired is not None:
+                data = repaired
+            else:
+                # Try one more time with aggressive truncation repair
+                repaired = _repair_truncated_json(raw_json)
+                if repaired is not None:
+                    data = repaired
+                    warnings.append("JSON was repaired from truncated output")
+                else:
+                    return ValidationReport(valid=False, errors=["Invalid JSON: could not parse or repair"])
     else:
         data = raw_json
 
@@ -248,6 +362,16 @@ _HORIZON_MAP: dict[str, str] = {
 
 def _normalize_extraction_data(data: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
     """Fix common model output issues before Pydantic validation."""
+    # Fill missing top-level required fields with defaults
+    data.setdefault("summary", "")
+    data.setdefault("companies", [])
+    data.setdefault("macro_themes", [])
+    if "novelty_score" not in data:
+        data["novelty_score"] = 0.5
+    if "confidence" not in data:
+        data["confidence"] = 0.3
+    data.setdefault("extraction_warnings", ["incomplete_model_output"])
+
     # Clamp novelty_score and confidence to [0, 1]
     for field in ("novelty_score", "confidence"):
         val = data.get(field)
@@ -260,6 +384,17 @@ def _normalize_extraction_data(data: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
         for comp in companies:
             if not isinstance(comp, dict):
                 continue
+            # Fill missing required company fields with defaults
+            comp.setdefault("ticker", "")
+            comp.setdefault("company_name", "")
+            comp.setdefault("relevance", 0.5)
+            comp.setdefault("sentiment", "neutral")
+            comp.setdefault("impact_score", 0.5)
+            comp.setdefault("impact_horizon", "1d_30d")
+            comp.setdefault("catalyst_type", "other")
+            comp.setdefault("key_facts", [])
+            comp.setdefault("risks", [])
+            comp.setdefault("evidence_spans", [])
             # Clamp numeric fields
             for f in ("relevance", "impact_score"):
                 v = comp.get(f)