diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 32e386a0..d02eed26 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Added
 - Built-in `brigade doctor` bootstrap budget checks that fail hard when installed bootstrap files exceed conservative byte limits.
+- Built-in `brigade doctor` memory-index checks that fail when `MEMORY.md` links to missing `memory/cards/*.md` files.
 - `brigade run "<task>"`, a bounded aboyeur flow that asks one rostered orchestrator to plan assignments, dispatches worker CLIs in parallel, then asks the orchestrator to synthesize the final answer.
 - `.brigade/roster.toml` loading for cross-model agent rosters using the user's installed CLIs (`codex`, `claude`, or `ollama:<model>`). Claude is optional, not required.
 - `brigade roster init` and `brigade roster doctor` to scaffold a Codex/Ollama starter roster and validate roster syntax plus installed CLI availability.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b81dd0e2..bbfb42fa 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ Use `--output-dir <path>` to pick the artifact directory, or `--no-artifacts` fo
 
 Use `brigade work status` as the quick daily dashboard for a repo. It reports the current branch, dirty files, dogfood readiness, configured dogfood paths, latest dogfood run, and extracted next step without starting a new orchestration. Use `brigade work doctor` to check whether the repo is ready for the daily loop: dogfood config, Codex CLI, local artifact paths, handoff inbox, ignore coverage, and latest run context. Use `brigade work resume` when returning to a repo; it shows the active or latest work session, latest dogfood run, extracted next step, and the suggested command to continue. `brigade work run` is the one-command daily loop: it starts a work session, runs `brigade dogfood`, ends the session, writes a work-session Memory Handoff by default, and prints a compact recap. Pass a task to override the default next-slice review, `--title` to name the session, `--no-handoff` to skip the work handoff, or `--dogfood-handoff` to also let the underlying dogfood run write its own handoff. `brigade work start "title"` opens a local work session under `.brigade/work/<id>/`, records the starting git and dogfood context, and writes `start.md`. `brigade work note "checkpoint"` appends a timestamped note to the active session without ending it. `brigade work end --note "what happened"` closes the active session, records ending context, and writes `end.md`. Add `--handoff` to also write a Memory Handoff for the closed session; it defaults to the configured dogfood handoff inbox or `.codex/memory-handoffs`.
 
-Memory and bootstrap readiness are part of the same operating-system health story. `brigade doctor` checks installed bootstrap files against built-in hard byte budgets so overgrown files fail before agents load truncated context. Bootstrap truncation is treated as a hard failure to prevent, not a cosmetic warning; move durable detail into `memory/cards/` and keep bootstrap files as slim indexes.
+Memory and bootstrap readiness are part of the same operating-system health story. `brigade doctor` checks installed bootstrap files against built-in hard byte budgets so overgrown files fail before agents load truncated context. It also verifies that `MEMORY.md` card links resolve under `memory/cards/`, so the bootstrap index cannot quietly point at missing durable memory. Bootstrap truncation is treated as a hard failure to prevent, not a cosmetic warning; move durable detail into `memory/cards/` and keep bootstrap files as slim indexes.
 
 Inspect local work sessions with `brigade work list`, `brigade work latest`, or `brigade work show <session-id-or-path>`. Use `brigade work recap` for a compact summary of recent sessions, or add `--since YYYY-MM-DD` for a day-range recap.
 
diff --git a/src/brigade/doctor.py b/src/brigade/doctor.py
index 06d09a63..33c37afc 100644
--- a/src/brigade/doctor.py
+++ b/src/brigade/doctor.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 import json
 import os
+import re
 import shutil
 import subprocess
 import sys
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@ def core_station_checks(ctx: DoctorContext) -> List[CheckResult]:
 def memory_station_checks(ctx: DoctorContext) -> List[CheckResult]:
     checks: List[CheckResult] = []
     checks.extend(_check_handoff_inboxes(ctx.target, ctx.selection, ctx.harnesses))
+    checks.extend(_check_memory_index(ctx.target))
     checks.extend(_check_memory_care(ctx.target))
     return checks
 
@@ -197,7 +199,8 @@ def _check_handoff_inboxes(
             )
     cards = target / "memory" / "cards"
     if cards.is_dir():
-        results.append((OK, "memory: cards/", str(cards)))
+        card_count = len([path for path in cards.rglob("*.md") if path.is_file()])
+        results.append((OK, "memory: cards/", f"{cards} ({card_count} card{'s' if card_count != 1 else ''})"))
     else:
         results.append(
             (
@@ -209,6 +212,36 @@ def _check_handoff_inboxes(
     return results
 
 
+def _check_memory_index(target: Path) -> List[CheckResult]:
+    index = target / "MEMORY.md"
+    if not index.is_file():
+        return []
+    try:
+        text = index.read_text()
+    except OSError as exc:
+        return [(FAIL, "memory-index: MEMORY.md", f"unreadable: {exc}")]
+
+    linked_cards = sorted(
+        {
+            match.group("path")
+            for match in re.finditer(
+                r"\[[^\]]+\]\((?P<path>memory/cards/[^)#\s]+\.md)(?:#[^)]+)?\)",
+                text,
+            )
+        }
+    )
+    if not linked_cards:
+        return [(WARN, "memory-index: card links", "MEMORY.md links no memory cards")]
+
+    missing = [path for path in linked_cards if not (target / path).is_file()]
+    if missing:
+        preview = ", ".join(missing[:5])
+        if len(missing) > 5:
+            preview += f", ... {len(missing) - 5} more"
+        return [(FAIL, "memory-index: card links", f"{len(missing)} broken link{'s' if len(missing) != 1 else ''}: {preview}")]
+    return [(OK, "memory-index: card links", f"{len(linked_cards)} verified")]
+
+
 def _check_orphan_inboxes(
     target: Path, selected_harnesses: List[str]
 ) -> List[CheckResult]:
diff --git a/tests/test_doctor.py b/tests/test_doctor.py
index b4a3994b..88e6e8f8 100644
--- a/tests/test_doctor.py
+++ b/tests/test_doctor.py
@@ -113,6 +113,35 @@ def test_doctor_reports_memory_care_files(tmp_target: Path, capsys):
     assert "1 queued" in out
 
 
+def test_doctor_verifies_memory_index_card_links(tmp_target: Path, capsys):
+    install_selection(
+        tmp_target,
+        Selection(depth="workspace", harnesses=["claude"], owner="claude", includes=[]),
+    )
+
+    rc = doctor_mod.run(target=tmp_target, harness="generic")
+    out = capsys.readouterr().out
+    assert rc == 0
+    assert "memory-index: card links" in out
+    assert "verified" in out
+
+
+def test_doctor_fails_broken_memory_index_card_link(tmp_target: Path, capsys):
+    install_selection(
+        tmp_target,
+        Selection(depth="workspace", harnesses=["claude"], owner="claude", includes=[]),
+    )
+    memory = tmp_target / "MEMORY.md"
+    memory.write_text(memory.read_text() + "\n- [missing-card](memory/cards/missing-card.md)\n")
+
+    rc = doctor_mod.run(target=tmp_target, harness="generic")
+    out = capsys.readouterr().out
+    assert rc == 1
+    assert "memory-index: card links" in out
+    assert "broken link" in out
+    assert "memory/cards/missing-card.md" in out
+
+
 def test_doctor_openclaw_reports_cron_memory_jobs(tmp_target: Path, monkeypatch, capsys):
     install_selection(
         tmp_target,