diff --git a/internal/store/pg/memory_docs.go b/internal/store/pg/memory_docs.go
index 9834d2b0..2b1c6037 100644
--- a/internal/store/pg/memory_docs.go
+++ b/internal/store/pg/memory_docs.go
@@ -464,7 +464,27 @@ func (s *PGMemoryStore) Close() error { return nil }
 
 // --- Helpers ---
 
-func mustParseUUID(s string) uuid.UUID {
+// parseUUID returns the parsed UUID or a descriptive error.
+// Use for every INSERT/UPDATE/UPSERT/DELETE/SELECT-WHERE path where silent nil
+// would either corrupt data (FK constraints reject it, but callers see cryptic
+// PG code 23503 instead of a clean Go error) OR hide bugs as empty reads /
+// zero-row updates. Phase 4 migration target for all 57 CRITICAL sites.
+// See docs/agent-identity-conventions.md (Phase 6).
+func parseUUID(s string) (uuid.UUID, error) {
+	id, err := uuid.Parse(s)
+	if err != nil {
+		return uuid.Nil, fmt.Errorf("parse uuid %q: %w", s, err)
+	}
+	return id, nil
+}
+
+// parseUUIDOrNil returns the parsed UUID or uuid.Nil on failure, without
+// raising an error. INTENTIONALLY silent — only use for read-only SELECT-WHERE
+// paths where a no-match (empty result) is acceptable. Do NOT use for writes,
+// updates, deletes, or any SELECT where empty result would hide a bug.
+// Prefer parseUUID for any new code.
+// See docs/agent-identity-conventions.md (Phase 6).
+func parseUUIDOrNil(s string) uuid.UUID {
 	id, err := uuid.Parse(s)
 	if err != nil {
 		return uuid.Nil
@@ -472,6 +492,13 @@ func mustParseUUID(s string) uuid.UUID {
 	return id
 }
 
+// mustParseUUID is an alias for parseUUIDOrNil kept during the Phase 4
+// migration window. Will be removed in sub-step 4d (single-commit rename).
+// TODO(Phase 4 4d): remove after all call sites migrate.
+func mustParseUUID(s string) uuid.UUID {
+	return parseUUIDOrNil(s)
+}
+
 func vectorToString(v []float32) string {
 	if len(v) == 0 {
 		return ""
diff --git a/internal/store/pg/parseuuid_test.go b/internal/store/pg/parseuuid_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0f6ab5da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/store/pg/parseuuid_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+package pg
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+)
+
+func TestParseUUID_Valid(t *testing.T) {
+	want := uuid.New()
+	got, err := parseUUID(want.String())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("parseUUID(valid): unexpected error %v", err)
+	}
+	if got != want {
+		t.Errorf("parseUUID: got %v, want %v", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestParseUUID_Invalid_ReturnsError(t *testing.T) {
+	got, err := parseUUID("goctech-leader")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("parseUUID(agent_key): expected error, got nil")
+	}
+	if got != uuid.Nil {
+		t.Errorf("parseUUID(invalid): got %v, want uuid.Nil", got)
+	}
+	// Error must include both the offending value (for debuggability) and wrap
+	// the underlying uuid package error (for errors.Is assertions).
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "goctech-leader") {
+		t.Errorf("parseUUID error must include raw value, got: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestParseUUID_Empty_ReturnsError(t *testing.T) {
+	_, err := parseUUID("")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("parseUUID(\"\"): expected error for empty input")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestParseUUIDOrNil_Valid(t *testing.T) {
+	want := uuid.New()
+	got := parseUUIDOrNil(want.String())
+	if got != want {
+		t.Errorf("parseUUIDOrNil: got %v, want %v", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestParseUUIDOrNil_Invalid_ReturnsNil(t *testing.T) {
+	got := parseUUIDOrNil("not-a-uuid")
+	if got != uuid.Nil {
+		t.Errorf("parseUUIDOrNil(invalid): got %v, want uuid.Nil", got)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestParseUUID_ErrorIsUnwrappable verifies the wrapped error chain so
+// downstream callers can errors.Is/errors.As against the root uuid error.
+func TestParseUUID_ErrorIsUnwrappable(t *testing.T) {
+	_, err := parseUUID("bad")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected error")
+	}
+	// Unwrap should not be nil — the wrapped error chain is what lets callers
+	// decide whether to return a 400 vs 500.
+	if errors.Unwrap(err) == nil {
+		t.Error("parseUUID error should wrap the underlying uuid.Parse error")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestMustParseUUID_AliasToParseUUIDOrNil verifies the transitional alias
+// during Phase 4 migration — mustParseUUID must behave identically to
+// parseUUIDOrNil so existing call sites are untouched until rename (4d).
+func TestMustParseUUID_AliasToParseUUIDOrNil(t *testing.T) {
+	u := uuid.New()
+	if mustParseUUID(u.String()) != u {
+		t.Error("mustParseUUID should equal parseUUIDOrNil on valid input")
+	}
+	if mustParseUUID("garbage") != uuid.Nil {
+		t.Error("mustParseUUID should return uuid.Nil on invalid input (parseUUIDOrNil semantics)")
+	}
+}