diff --git a/roboco/foundation/policy/content/models.py b/roboco/foundation/policy/content/models.py
index 2120849c..50a33fc6 100644
--- a/roboco/foundation/policy/content/models.py
+++ b/roboco/foundation/policy/content/models.py
@@ -313,20 +313,15 @@ class QaNote(_Content):
             raise ValueError("QA verdict must be 'passed' or 'failed'")
         return v
 
-    @field_validator("ac_verdicts")
-    @classmethod
-    def _nonempty(cls, v: list[AcVerdict]) -> list[AcVerdict]:
-        if not v:
-            raise ValueError("ac_verdicts must cover at least one acceptance criterion")
-        return v
-
     def render_markdown(self) -> str:
         parts = [_section("Summary", self.summary)]
-        marks = {"verified": "✅", "failed": "❌", "na": "—"}
-        rows = [
-            f"- {marks[a.status]} **{a.criterion}** — {a.how}" for a in self.ac_verdicts
-        ]
-        parts.append("## Acceptance Criteria\n" + "\n".join(rows))
+        if self.ac_verdicts:
+            marks = {"verified": "✅", "failed": "❌", "na": "—"}
+            rows = [
+                f"- {marks[a.status]} **{a.criterion}** — {a.how}"
+                for a in self.ac_verdicts
+            ]
+            parts.append("## Acceptance Criteria\n" + "\n".join(rows))
         parts.append(_section("Verdict", self.verdict.value))
         return _join(parts)
 
diff --git a/roboco/services/gateway/choreographer/qa.py b/roboco/services/gateway/choreographer/qa.py
index afdf1db7..4c6d3d57 100644
--- a/roboco/services/gateway/choreographer/qa.py
+++ b/roboco/services/gateway/choreographer/qa.py
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any
 from roboco.config import settings
 from roboco.foundation.policy import lifecycle as spec_module
 from roboco.foundation.policy import tracing as _tr
-from roboco.foundation.policy.content import markers
+from roboco.foundation.policy.content import ContentValidationError, markers
+from roboco.services.content_notes import apply_structured_note
 from roboco.services.gateway.envelope import Envelope
 from roboco.services.gateway.evidence_builder import build_evidence_for_task
 
@@ -380,6 +381,43 @@ class QAMixin(_Base):
         body = "\n".join(f"- {line}" for line in lines)
         return f"{notes}\n\nPer-criterion verification:\n{body}"
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _store_qa_note(
+        task: Any, notes: str, ac_verdicts: list[str] | None, *, passed: bool
+    ) -> None:
+        """Best-effort: persist the QA review as a structured QaNote (chokepoint).
+
+        Each ac_verdict string is coerced into a structured entry (a pass means
+        every criterion verified). Falls back silently to the legacy qa_notes
+        string on any validation issue, so a QA transition is never blocked by
+        note formatting. Mirrors the PR-reviewer pattern.
+        """
+        verdicts = (
+            [
+                {
+                    "criterion": v.strip(),
+                    "status": "verified",
+                    "how": "verified by QA during review",
+                }
+                for v in (ac_verdicts or [])
+                if isinstance(v, str) and v.strip()
+            ]
+            if passed
+            else []
+        )
+        try:
+            apply_structured_note(
+                task,
+                "qa",
+                {
+                    "summary": notes,
+                    "ac_verdicts": verdicts,
+                    "verdict": "passed" if passed else "failed",
+                },
+            )
+        except ContentValidationError:
+            return
+
     async def pass_review(
         self,
         qa_agent_id: UUID,
@@ -436,6 +474,7 @@ class QAMixin(_Base):
             original_developer_slug=_extract_original_developer(t),
             notes=self._merge_ac_verdicts_into_notes(notes, ac_verdicts),
         )
+        self._store_qa_note(t, notes, ac_verdicts, passed=True)
         runner = self._verb_runner()
         try:
             t = await runner.run_intent("pass_review", t, agent, spec_ctx)
@@ -525,6 +564,7 @@ class QAMixin(_Base):
             notes=notes,
             issues=tuple(issues),
         )
+        self._store_qa_note(t, notes, None, passed=False)
         runner = self._verb_runner()
         try:
             t = await runner.run_intent("fail_review", t, agent, spec_ctx)
diff --git a/roboco/services/task.py b/roboco/services/task.py
index 64801e18..c6912be2 100644
--- a/roboco/services/task.py
+++ b/roboco/services/task.py
@@ -3390,7 +3390,7 @@ class TaskService(BaseService):
         if task.status not in valid_statuses:
             return None
 
-        if notes:
+        if notes and not (task.notes_structured or {}).get("qa"):
             task.qa_notes = notes
 
         # Store QA agent before clearing assignment
@@ -3469,7 +3469,8 @@ class TaskService(BaseService):
         if task.status not in valid_statuses:
             return None
 
-        task.qa_notes = notes
+        if not (task.notes_structured or {}).get("qa"):
+            task.qa_notes = notes
         task.qa_verified = False
         # Use validated transition - QA role required per ROLE_RESTRICTED_TRANSITIONS
         self._validate_and_set_status(task, TaskStatus.NEEDS_REVISION, agent_role)
diff --git a/tests/unit/foundation/policy/content/test_content_models.py b/tests/unit/foundation/policy/content/test_content_models.py
index 1fbefaa8..1665cbc8 100644
--- a/tests/unit/foundation/policy/content/test_content_models.py
+++ b/tests/unit/foundation/policy/content/test_content_models.py
@@ -143,17 +143,19 @@ def test_qa_verdict_must_be_pass_or_fail() -> None:
     assert exc.value.field == "verdict"
 
 
-def test_qa_requires_ac_verdicts() -> None:
-    with pytest.raises(ContentValidationError) as exc:
-        validate_content(
-            "qa",
-            {
-                "summary": "Reviewed everything carefully here.",
-                "ac_verdicts": [],
-                "verdict": "passed",
-            },
-        )
-    assert exc.value.field == "ac_verdicts"
+def test_qa_allows_empty_ac_verdicts() -> None:
+    # ac_verdicts is optional (a QA fail can be summary-only); the verb's
+    # coverage gate enforces per-criterion verdicts for a pass.
+    c = validate_content(
+        "qa",
+        {
+            "summary": "Reviewed everything carefully here.",
+            "ac_verdicts": [],
+            "verdict": "failed",
+        },
+    )
+    assert isinstance(c, QaNote)
+    assert c.ac_verdicts == []
 
 
 def test_task_description_requires_work() -> None: