diff --git a/internal/runner/runner.go b/internal/runner/runner.go
index 476d253..e211f03 100644
--- a/internal/runner/runner.go
+++ b/internal/runner/runner.go
@@ -284,14 +284,17 @@ func Run(ctx context.Context, options Options) (Summary, error) {
 	}
 
 	// Finalize each evaluator once the loop ends so liveness obligations that
-	// never discharged (an unbounded eventually that never fired, a strong
-	// next with no successor) are reported as violations rather than silently
-	// left pending. Properties already violated mid-run are not re-reported.
+	// never discharged (an eventually that never fired) are reported as
+	// violations rather than silently left pending. Properties already
+	// violated mid-run are not re-reported. The synthetic record gets its own
+	// step index so no two trace lines share one; witnesses still attribute
+	// the violation to the step that spawned the obligation.
 	if ended := options.Verifier.Finalize(); len(ended) > 0 {
-		witnesses := collectWitnesses(options.Verifier, ended, logger, stepIndex)
-		summary.Violations = append(summary.Violations, violationRecords(ended, witnesses, stepIndex)...)
+		finalIndex := stepIndex + 1
+		witnesses := collectWitnesses(options.Verifier, ended, logger, finalIndex)
+		summary.Violations = append(summary.Violations, violationRecords(ended, witnesses, finalIndex)...)
 		finalStep := trace.Step{
-			Index:      stepIndex,
+			Index:      finalIndex,
 			Timestamp:  time.Now(),
 			Violations: ended,
 			Witnesses:  witnesses,
diff --git a/internal/runner/runner_test.go b/internal/runner/runner_test.go
index 5fc3885..6d28b7f 100644
--- a/internal/runner/runner_test.go
+++ b/internal/runner/runner_test.go
@@ -336,6 +336,103 @@ globalThis.actions = actions(() => []);
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRunner_AlwaysNextLeavesNoEndOfRunViolation(t *testing.T) {
+	// always(next(p)) ends every run with a pending deferred check. That
+	// residue is vacuous (no successor state to check), so neither the
+	// summary nor the trace may report an end-of-run violation.
+	const spec = `
+import { actions, always, next } from "@sanderling/spec";
+globalThis.properties = {
+  nextHolds: always(next(() => true)),
+};
+globalThis.actions = actions(() => []);
+`
+	state := newHarnessWithSpec(t, spec)
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	summary, err := Run(ctx, Options{
+		Duration:    time.Hour,
+		IdleTimeout: 20 * time.Millisecond,
+		MaxSteps:    3,
+		Driver:      state.mock,
+		Verifier:    state.verifier,
+		TraceWriter: state.writer,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Run: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(summary.Violations) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("expected no violations, got %v", summary.Violations)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRunner_FinalizeRecordUsesDistinctStepIndex(t *testing.T) {
+	// An eventually that never fires is reported at run end through a
+	// synthetic trace record. That record must carry its own step index so no
+	// two trace lines share one (duplicate indices made the replay UI select
+	// two rows at once).
+	const spec = `
+import { actions, eventually } from "@sanderling/spec";
+globalThis.properties = {
+  neverFires: eventually(() => false),
+};
+globalThis.actions = actions(() => []);
+`
+	state := newHarnessWithSpec(t, spec)
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	summary, err := Run(ctx, Options{
+		Duration:    time.Hour,
+		IdleTimeout: 20 * time.Millisecond,
+		MaxSteps:    3,
+		Driver:      state.mock,
+		Verifier:    state.verifier,
+		TraceWriter: state.writer,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Run: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !containsProperty(summary.Violations, "neverFires") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected neverFires in violations: %v", summary.Violations)
+	}
+
+	file, err := os.Open(filepath.Join(state.writer.Directory(), "trace.jsonl"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer file.Close()
+
+	type traceLine struct {
+		Step       int      `json:"step"`
+		Violations []string `json:"violations"`
+	}
+	seen := map[int]bool{}
+	finalizeStep := 0
+	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(file)
+	scanner.Buffer(make([]byte, 0, 64*1024), 8*1024*1024)
+	for scanner.Scan() {
+		var line traceLine
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(scanner.Bytes(), &line); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("trace line decode: %v", err)
+		}
+		if seen[line.Step] {
+			t.Errorf("duplicate step index %d in trace", line.Step)
+		}
+		seen[line.Step] = true
+		if slices.Contains(line.Violations, "neverFires") {
+			finalizeStep = line.Step
+		}
+	}
+	if err := scanner.Err(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("scan trace: %v", err)
+	}
+	if finalizeStep != summary.Steps+1 {
+		t.Errorf("finalize record step = %d, want %d (steps+1)", finalizeStep, summary.Steps+1)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestRunner_ThrowingPredicateIsLoggedNotPanic(t *testing.T) {
 	const throwingSpec = `
 import { actions, always, Tap } from "@sanderling/spec";