diff --git a/headroom/memory/inline_extractor.py b/headroom/memory/inline_extractor.py
index bcbf6aabf..f560ae3ed 100644
--- a/headroom/memory/inline_extractor.py
+++ b/headroom/memory/inline_extractor.py
@@ -126,9 +126,21 @@ def parse_response_with_memory(response_text: str) -> ParsedResponse:
         # Parse the JSON
         try:
             data = json.loads(memory_json)
-            memories = data.get("memories", [])
         except json.JSONDecodeError as e:
             logger.warning(f"Failed to parse memory JSON: {e}")
+        else:
+            # The model controls the block content. A valid-JSON non-object
+            # (e.g. a bare array) would make `.get` raise AttributeError, which
+            # the JSONDecodeError guard above does not catch; likewise a
+            # non-list `memories` would break downstream iteration.
+            if isinstance(data, dict):
+                extracted = data.get("memories", [])
+                if isinstance(extracted, list):
+                    memories = extracted
+                else:
+                    logger.warning("Memory JSON 'memories' field is not a list; ignoring")
+            else:
+                logger.warning("Memory JSON is not an object; ignoring")
 
     return ParsedResponse(
         content=content,
diff --git a/tests/test_memory_wrapper.py b/tests/test_memory_wrapper.py
index c09a4c5e3..0bd009713 100644
--- a/tests/test_memory_wrapper.py
+++ b/tests/test_memory_wrapper.py
@@ -205,3 +205,22 @@ def test_memory_api_methods_delegate_to_underlying_memory() -> None:
     assert api.clear() == 2
     assert api.stats() == {"total": 2}
     assert fake_memory.last_clear == {"user_id": "alice"}
+
+
+def test_parse_response_with_memory_tolerates_non_object_memory_block() -> None:
+    from headroom.memory.inline_extractor import parse_response_with_memory
+
+    # The model controls the <memory> block. A valid-JSON non-object (a bare
+    # array) or a non-list `memories` field must not crash the parse: the
+    # `json.loads` succeeds, so the JSONDecodeError guard does not apply, and
+    # `.get`/iteration on the wrong type would otherwise raise.
+    assert parse_response_with_memory('hi <memory>["x"]</memory> bye').memories == []
+    assert parse_response_with_memory('<memory>{"memories": "nope"}</memory>').memories == []
+
+    # Malformed JSON is still handled, and a well-formed block still parses.
+    assert parse_response_with_memory("<memory>{not json</memory>").memories == []
+    parsed = parse_response_with_memory(
+        'text <memory>{"memories": [{"content": "User likes Python"}]}</memory>'
+    )
+    assert parsed.memories == [{"content": "User likes Python"}]
+    assert parsed.content == "text"