diff --git a/.agents/skills/docs-governance/scripts/audit-docs.py b/.agents/skills/docs-governance/scripts/audit-docs.py
index 15f6c3468..ea3a791b4 100644
--- a/.agents/skills/docs-governance/scripts/audit-docs.py
+++ b/.agents/skills/docs-governance/scripts/audit-docs.py
@@ -535,7 +535,12 @@ def check_adr_lifecycle(
                 f"{diagnostic(path.relative_to(root))} -> {status}"
             )
         successor = inline_adr_successor(text)
-        if successor and successor not in {
+        if status == "superseded" and successor is None:
+            report.fail(
+                "Superseded ADR is missing an inline successor: "
+                f"{diagnostic(path.relative_to(root))}"
+            )
+        elif successor and successor not in {
             identifier
             for source_text in sources.values()
             if (identifier := adr_identifier(source_text)) is not None
diff --git a/skills/docs-governance/scripts/audit-docs.py b/skills/docs-governance/scripts/audit-docs.py
index 15f6c3468..ea3a791b4 100644
--- a/skills/docs-governance/scripts/audit-docs.py
+++ b/skills/docs-governance/scripts/audit-docs.py
@@ -535,7 +535,12 @@ def check_adr_lifecycle(
                 f"{diagnostic(path.relative_to(root))} -> {status}"
             )
         successor = inline_adr_successor(text)
-        if successor and successor not in {
+        if status == "superseded" and successor is None:
+            report.fail(
+                "Superseded ADR is missing an inline successor: "
+                f"{diagnostic(path.relative_to(root))}"
+            )
+        elif successor and successor not in {
             identifier
             for source_text in sources.values()
             if (identifier := adr_identifier(source_text)) is not None
diff --git a/tests/test_docs_governance_audit.py b/tests/test_docs_governance_audit.py
index d7f8b1ee8..c62b5a921 100644
--- a/tests/test_docs_governance_audit.py
+++ b/tests/test_docs_governance_audit.py
@@ -400,6 +400,22 @@ def test_adr_scope_rejects_missing_inline_superseded_successor(project: Path) ->
     assert "ADR inline successor does not exist" in result.stdout
 
 
+def test_adr_scope_rejects_superseded_status_without_successor(project: Path) -> None:
+    adr_dir = project / "docs" / "adr"
+    adr_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (adr_dir / "README.md").write_text(
+        "[decision](0001-storage.md)\n", encoding="utf-8"
+    )
+    (adr_dir / "0001-storage.md").write_text(
+        "# ADR-0001\n\n**Status**: superseded\n", encoding="utf-8"
+    )
+
+    result = run_audit(project, "adr")
+
+    assert result.returncode == 1
+    assert "Superseded ADR is missing an inline successor" in result.stdout
+
+
 def test_adr_scope_rejects_short_inline_superseded_successor(project: Path) -> None:
     adr_dir = project / "docs" / "adr"
     adr_dir.mkdir(parents=True)