diff --git a/src/dreamer/orchestrator.py b/src/dreamer/orchestrator.py
index 14678ff6..3857706a 100644
--- a/src/dreamer/orchestrator.py
+++ b/src/dreamer/orchestrator.py
@@ -326,14 +326,26 @@ DREAM: {payload.dream_type} documents for {workspace_name}/{payload.observer}/{p
 
                     # Write last_dream_at at completion (not enqueue) so duplicate
                     # enqueues can't reset the 8h guard. Lenient: any non-null result.
+                    # Read-modify-write: update_collection_internal_metadata uses a
+                    # top-level JSONB || merge, so passing {"dream": {"last_dream_at": ...}}
+                    # alone would replace the whole "dream" subkey and drop
+                    # last_dream_document_count (written by enqueue_dream).
                     now_iso = datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat()
                     async with tracked_db("dream.last_dream_at_write") as db:
+                        collection = await crud.get_collection(
+                            db,
+                            workspace_name,
+                            observer=payload.observer,
+                            observed=payload.observed,
+                        )
+                        dream_meta = dict(collection.internal_metadata.get("dream", {}))
+                        dream_meta["last_dream_at"] = now_iso
                         await crud.update_collection_internal_metadata(
                             db,
                             workspace_name,
                             payload.observer,
                             payload.observed,
-                            update_data={"dream": {"last_dream_at": now_iso}},
+                            update_data={"dream": dream_meta},
                         )
 
     except Exception as e:
diff --git a/tests/dreamer/test_dreamer_integration.py b/tests/dreamer/test_dreamer_integration.py
index c87353f4..86083bdb 100644
--- a/tests/dreamer/test_dreamer_integration.py
+++ b/tests/dreamer/test_dreamer_integration.py
@@ -125,6 +125,53 @@ class TestLastDreamAtCompletionWrite:
             "(failed dream). The guard should not falsely advance."
         )
 
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_completion_preserves_last_dream_document_count(
+        self,
+        db_session: AsyncSession,
+        sample_data: tuple[models.Workspace, models.Peer],
+    ):
+        """Completion write must NOT drop sibling keys in the `dream` sub-object.
+
+        `update_collection_internal_metadata` uses a top-level JSONB `||` merge,
+        which replaces the whole `"dream"` key. Without a read-modify-write, the
+        completion write (`last_dream_at`) would wipe `last_dream_document_count`
+        that enqueue set — causing the next `check_and_schedule_dream` to read 0
+        as the baseline and let a fresh dream trigger after the 8h guard expires
+        even without any new explicit documents.
+        """
+        workspace, peer = sample_data
+        # Pre-seed collection as if enqueue_dream already wrote the baseline.
+        collection = models.Collection(
+            observer=peer.name,
+            observed=peer.name,
+            workspace_name=workspace.name,
+            internal_metadata={"dream": {"last_dream_document_count": 42}},
+        )
+        db_session.add(collection)
+        await db_session.commit()
+        await db_session.refresh(collection)
+
+        payload = DreamPayload(
+            dream_type=DreamType.OMNI,
+            observer=collection.observer,
+            observed=collection.observed,
+        )
+
+        with patch(
+            "src.dreamer.orchestrator.run_dream",
+            new=AsyncMock(return_value=_make_dream_result()),
+        ):
+            await process_dream(payload, collection.workspace_name)
+
+        dream_meta = await _get_dream_metadata(db_session, collection)
+        assert "last_dream_at" in dream_meta, "last_dream_at must be written"
+        assert dream_meta.get("last_dream_document_count") == 42, (
+            "last_dream_document_count from enqueue must be preserved across "
+            "the completion write — top-level JSONB || would drop it without "
+            "the read-modify-write in process_dream."
+        )
+
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_exception_path_leaves_last_dream_at_null(
         self,