diff --git a/crates/redact/src/interp.rs b/crates/redact/src/interp.rs
index c9a404b93..a608568f3 100644
--- a/crates/redact/src/interp.rs
+++ b/crates/redact/src/interp.rs
@@ -1201,7 +1201,8 @@ fn xobject(
                 out.doomed.push(r);
                 return Some(None);
             }
-            let data = match s.decoded() {
+            // Strict, like page content: a Form read only in part counts as undecodable.
+            let data = match s.decoded_strict() {
                 Ok(d) => d,
                 Err(_) if scope.mode == Mode::Apply => {
                     scope.report.forms_removed += 1;
diff --git a/crates/redact/src/lib.rs b/crates/redact/src/lib.rs
index 6df5102af..364f7cc19 100644
--- a/crates/redact/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/redact/src/lib.rs
@@ -231,7 +231,9 @@ pub(crate) fn page_streams(doc: &Document, page: &Dict, index: usize) -> Result<
     let mut data = Vec::new();
     for o in &list {
         match &*doc.resolve(o) {
-            Object::Stream(s) => data.push(s.decoded().map_err(|_| RedactError::Unreadable(index + 1))?),
+            // Strict: a tolerant decode keeps what precedes corruption and drops the rest, which
+            // still draws in viewers that read further; anything not read can't be cleaned.
+            Object::Stream(s) => data.push(s.decoded_strict().map_err(|_| RedactError::Unreadable(index + 1))?),
             Object::Null => data.push(Vec::new()),
             _ => return Err(RedactError::Unreadable(index + 1)),
         }
diff --git a/crates/redact/src/sanitize.rs b/crates/redact/src/sanitize.rs
index c9c2b182a..f4c880e30 100644
--- a/crates/redact/src/sanitize.rs
+++ b/crates/redact/src/sanitize.rs
@@ -205,6 +205,9 @@ fn content_pass(doc: &mut Document, text: bool, layers: bool, write: bool) -> Re
             if write {
                 return Err(RedactError::Unreadable(pi + 1));
             }
+            // Content that can't be read may hide anything: count it so the removal runs and
+            // refuses the page, instead of a zero count skipping it.
+            total += 1;
             continue;
         };
         let resources = page.dict.get(b"Resources").and_then(|r| doc.resolve(r).as_dict().cloned()).unwrap_or_default();
diff --git a/crates/redact/src/tests.rs b/crates/redact/src/tests.rs
index 2a19014a9..a0d68af2d 100644
--- a/crates/redact/src/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/redact/src/tests.rs
@@ -2494,3 +2494,23 @@ fn a_name_tree_whose_nodes_share_kids_counts_each_entry_once() {
     let counts: std::collections::HashMap<Hidden, usize> = scan(&doc).into_iter().collect();
     assert_eq!(counts[&Hidden::Attachments], 1, "one entry, reached through 2^{levels} paths");
 }
+
+/// Page content that stops decoding at its start (`z` inside an ASCII85 group) while the rest of
+/// the stream draws hidden text. A tolerant decode reads nothing, counts nothing and keeps the
+/// stream; sanitizing must refuse instead.
+#[test]
+fn hidden_text_in_content_that_stops_decoding_is_refused() {
+    use crate::sanitize::{Hidden, remove_hidden, sanitize};
+    let encoded: &[u8] = br"!!z6<#'\7PQ#?0Ha>,+>Y->EZd(j+>PW)+B2ko-rWQ%;FOP6+B3(u78s~>";
+    let fresh = || {
+        let mut doc = one_page(b"", "", vec![stream("/Filter /ASCII85Decode", encoded)]);
+        doc.update_dict(ObjRef::new(3, 0), |d| d.set(b"Contents".to_vec(), Object::Ref(ObjRef::new(7, 0)))).unwrap();
+        doc
+    };
+    let mut doc = fresh();
+    let out = remove_hidden(&mut doc, &[Hidden::HiddenText]);
+    assert!(matches!(out, Err(RedactError::Unreadable(1))), "{out:?}");
+    let mut doc = fresh();
+    let out = sanitize(&mut doc);
+    assert!(matches!(out, Err(RedactError::Unreadable(1))), "{out:?}");
+}