diff --git a/modules/gitea/failedsteps.ts b/modules/gitea/failedsteps.ts
index c7edd8eea..2177579eb 100644
--- a/modules/gitea/failedsteps.ts
+++ b/modules/gitea/failedsteps.ts
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ export class FailedSteps {
 
   private record(ev: StepEndedEvent): Promise<void> {
     const r = ev?.result;
-    const fingerprint = r?.fingerprint || ev?.fp || "";
+    const fingerprint = r?.fingerprint || ev?.fingerprint || "";
     if (!r || !SHA.test(String(ev.commit ?? "")) || !fingerprint || !ev.module) return Promise.resolve();
     return this.turn(async () => {
       const at = ev.at ?? new Date().toISOString();
diff --git a/modules/gitea/test/failedsteps.test.ts b/modules/gitea/test/failedsteps.test.ts
index e6e499887..8ad58bc9c 100644
--- a/modules/gitea/test/failedsteps.test.ts
+++ b/modules/gitea/test/failedsteps.test.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ test("a head is refused by a required step that failed at its fingerprint in any
   await f.stepEnded(ended(C3, "failed", { step: "lint", status: "optional", fingerprint: "fp-2" }));
   await judged("a failed optional step", C3, "run-on-request nats unit");
   assert.equal(kv.has(failedStepKey("nats", "fp-2", "lint")), false);
+  // A result that names no fingerprint is kept at the one the seat's step event carries (`fingerprint`).
+  await f.stepEnded(ended(C3, "failed", { step: "lint", fingerprint: undefined }, { fingerprint: "fp-3" }));
+  assert.ok(kv.has(failedStepKey("nats", "fp-3", "lint")), "the event's fingerprint is kept");
   // A plain pass clears nothing; a rerun that passes clears it.
   await f.stepEnded(ended(C2, "passed"));
   await judged("a plain pass", C2, "run-on-request nats unit");