diff --git a/src/embedding_lanes.py b/src/embedding_lanes.py
index bca4eaef2..f23be32b8 100644
--- a/src/embedding_lanes.py
+++ b/src/embedding_lanes.py
@@ -196,13 +196,22 @@ def _get_or_reset_collection(chroma_client, name: str, metadata: Dict[str, Any],
         try:
             chroma_client.delete_collection(name)
             restored = chroma_client.get_or_create_collection(name=name, metadata=current)
-            old_embeddings = preserved.get("embeddings") or []
-            if ids and docs and old_embeddings:
+            # chromadb returns embeddings as a numpy ndarray, whose truth value
+            # is ambiguous — `preserved.get("embeddings") or []` and a bare
+            # `if ... and old_embeddings:` both raise ValueError, which aborts
+            # the restore and loses the rows the reset was supposed to keep.
+            # Use explicit None/len checks instead.
+            old_embeddings = preserved.get("embeddings")
+            if old_embeddings is None:
+                old_embeddings = []
+            if ids and docs and len(old_embeddings):
                 for start in range(0, len(ids), 100):
                     batch_ids = ids[start:start + 100]
                     batch_docs = docs[start:start + 100]
                     batch_metas = metas[start:start + 100]
                     batch_embeddings = old_embeddings[start:start + 100]
+                    if hasattr(batch_embeddings, "tolist"):
+                        batch_embeddings = batch_embeddings.tolist()
                     if len(batch_metas) < len(batch_ids):
                         batch_metas += [{}] * (len(batch_ids) - len(batch_metas))
                     restored.add(
diff --git a/tests/test_embedding_lane_ndarray_restore.py b/tests/test_embedding_lane_ndarray_restore.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..710a4c92b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_embedding_lane_ndarray_restore.py
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+"""Embedding-lane reset must restore rows even when chromadb returns the
+preserved embeddings as a numpy ndarray.
+
+Real chromadb returns collection.get(include=["embeddings"]) as a numpy
+ndarray. The restore-after-failed-rewrite path used `embeddings or []` and a
+bare `if ... and embeddings:`, both of which raise
+"truth value of an array ... is ambiguous" on an ndarray — aborting the
+restore and wiping the collection the reset was meant to preserve.
+
+This mirrors test_lane_reset_restores_existing_collection_when_rewrite_fails
+in test_embedding_lanes.py, but the preserved embeddings come back as ndarray.
+"""
+import numpy as np
+
+from src.embedding_lanes import build_embedding_lanes
+from tests.test_embedding_lanes import FakeChroma, FakeEmbedder, _patch_chroma
+
+
+def test_lane_reset_restores_when_chroma_returns_numpy_embeddings(monkeypatch):
+    fake = FakeChroma()
+    old_custom = fake.get_or_create_collection(
+        "odysseus_memories_custom",
+        metadata={
+            "embedding_lane": "custom",
+            "embedding_dimension": 384,
+            "embedding_fingerprint": "old",
+        },
+    )
+    old_custom.add(
+        ids=["existing-memory"],
+        embeddings=[[0.0] * 384],
+        documents=["existing custom memory"],
+        metadatas=[{"source": "memory"}],
+    )
+
+    # Make the preserved embeddings come back as a numpy ndarray, like real
+    # chromadb does.
+    real_get = old_custom.get
+
+    def ndarray_get(*args, **kwargs):
+        result = real_get(*args, **kwargs)
+        result["embeddings"] = np.array(result["embeddings"])
+        return result
+
+    old_custom.get = ndarray_get
+
+    # Force the post-reset rewrite to fail so the restore branch runs.
+    fake.fail_next_add_for["odysseus_memories_custom"] = 1
+    _patch_chroma(monkeypatch, fake)
+
+    import src.embedding_lanes as lanes
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(lanes, "_build_custom_client", lambda: FakeEmbedder(768, "nomic", "http://embeddings/v1"))
+
+    def fail_fastembed():
+        raise RuntimeError("fastembed missing")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(lanes, "_build_fastembed_client", fail_fastembed)
+
+    built = build_embedding_lanes("odysseus_memories")
+
+    # Both lanes are unavailable, but the existing row must survive — not be
+    # wiped by an ndarray-truthiness crash in the restore path.
+    assert built == []
+    restored = fake.collections["odysseus_memories_custom"]
+    assert restored.count() == 1
+    assert restored.get()["ids"] == ["existing-memory"]
+    assert len(restored.rows["existing-memory"]["embedding"]) == 384