diff --git a/.github/workflows/openclaw-performance.yml b/.github/workflows/openclaw-performance.yml
index c459a9899f0..ac78dfae36d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/openclaw-performance.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/openclaw-performance.yml
@@ -244,8 +244,8 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
           if [[ -z "${OPENAI_API_KEY:-}" ]]; then
-            echo "OPENAI_API_KEY is not configured; live GPT 5.5 lane will be skipped." >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
-            exit 0
+            echo "OPENAI_API_KEY is not configured; live GPT 5.5 lane cannot run without live evidence." >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+            exit 1
           fi
           kova setup --ci --json
           kova setup --non-interactive --auth env-only --provider openai --env-var OPENAI_API_KEY --json
@@ -262,11 +262,6 @@ jobs:
           set -euo pipefail
           mkdir -p "$REPORT_DIR" "$BUNDLE_DIR" "$SUMMARY_DIR"
 
-          if [[ "$MATRIX_LIVE" == "true" && -z "${OPENAI_API_KEY:-}" ]]; then
-            echo "skipped=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
-            exit 0
-          fi
-
           repeat="$REQUESTED_REPEAT"
           if [[ "$MATRIX_REPEAT" != "input" ]]; then
             repeat="$MATRIX_REPEAT"
@@ -360,6 +355,28 @@ jobs:
             exit "$effective_status"
           fi
 
+      - name: Validate Kova evidence
+        if: ${{ always() && steps.lane.outputs.run == 'true' }}
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          missing=0
+          if ! find "$REPORT_DIR" -maxdepth 1 -type f -name '*.json' -size +0c -print -quit | grep -q .; then
+            echo "::error::Kova JSON report is missing for ${LANE_ID}."
+            missing=1
+          fi
+          if [[ ! -s "$BUNDLE_DIR/bundle.json" ]]; then
+            echo "::error::Kova bundle evidence is missing for ${LANE_ID}."
+            missing=1
+          fi
+          if [[ ! -s "$SUMMARY_DIR/${LANE_ID}.md" ]]; then
+            echo "::error::Kova summary evidence is missing for ${LANE_ID}."
+            missing=1
+          fi
+          if [[ "$missing" != "0" ]]; then
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
       - name: Fetch previous source performance baseline
         if: ${{ steps.lane.outputs.run == 'true' && matrix.lane == 'mock-provider' && steps.clawgrit.outputs.present == 'true' }}
         env:
@@ -530,7 +547,7 @@ jobs:
             .artifacts/kova/bundles/${{ matrix.lane }}
             .artifacts/kova/summaries/${{ matrix.lane }}.md
             .artifacts/openclaw-performance/source/${{ matrix.lane }}
-          if-no-files-found: ignore
+          if-no-files-found: error
           retention-days: ${{ matrix.deep_profile == 'true' && 14 || 30 }}
 
       - name: Prepare clawgrit reports checkout
diff --git a/test/scripts/openclaw-performance-workflow.test.ts b/test/scripts/openclaw-performance-workflow.test.ts
index 6e32a33ef65..51a4cd8c5ae 100644
--- a/test/scripts/openclaw-performance-workflow.test.ts
+++ b/test/scripts/openclaw-performance-workflow.test.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ type WorkflowStep = {
   if?: string;
   run?: string;
   env?: Record<string, string>;
+  with?: Record<string, string>;
 };
 
 type WorkflowJob = {
@@ -67,4 +68,30 @@ describe("OpenClaw performance workflow", () => {
     );
     expect(runKova.run).not.toContain("report.summary?.statuses ?? {}");
   });
+
+  it("fails selected live Kova lanes when live auth is missing", () => {
+    const configureAuth = findStep("Configure live OpenAI auth");
+    const runKova = findStep("Run Kova");
+
+    expect(configureAuth.if).toContain("matrix.live == 'true'");
+    expect(configureAuth.env?.OPENAI_API_KEY).toBe("${{ secrets.OPENAI_API_KEY }}");
+    expect(configureAuth.run).toContain('if [[ -z "${OPENAI_API_KEY:-}" ]]; then');
+    expect(configureAuth.run).toContain("cannot run without live evidence");
+    expect(configureAuth.run).toContain("exit 1");
+    expect(configureAuth.run).not.toContain("will be skipped");
+    expect(runKova.run).not.toContain('echo "skipped=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"');
+  });
+
+  it("requires Kova evidence before uploading selected lane artifacts", () => {
+    const validateEvidence = findStep("Validate Kova evidence");
+    const upload = findStep("Upload Kova artifacts");
+
+    expect(validateEvidence.if).toContain("always()");
+    expect(validateEvidence.if).toContain("steps.lane.outputs.run == 'true'");
+    expect(validateEvidence.run).toContain('"$REPORT_DIR" -maxdepth 1 -type f -name');
+    expect(validateEvidence.run).toContain('"$BUNDLE_DIR/bundle.json"');
+    expect(validateEvidence.run).toContain('"$SUMMARY_DIR/${LANE_ID}.md"');
+    expect(validateEvidence.run).toContain("exit 1");
+    expect(upload.with?.["if-no-files-found"]).toBe("error");
+  });
 });