# RB-09 MAJOR: decoder returns partial audio on read/decode errors

**Severity:** MAJOR
**Path:** `crates/audio/src/decode.rs:58-79`
**Source:** [2026-04-22 code review](../code-review-2026-04-22.md)
**Labels:** release-blocker, major, audio, data-integrity

## Problem

`decode_audio_file`:
- Breaks the read loop on packet-read errors (truncated / corrupt inputs)
- Counts and skips per-packet decoder errors
- Still returns `Ok` if any samples were produced before the break

A corrupt or truncated input file is silently accepted as partial audio. Callers have no way to distinguish "file decoded cleanly" from "file was bad and we handed you half of it".

## Acceptance

- Propagate read and decode errors to the caller (return `Err`) — match the pattern used in `read_wav` (fixed in the 2026-04-22 quick-wins batch, commit `b665754`).
- Optional: expose a `decode_audio_file_best_effort` variant if anyone genuinely wants the partial-audio-on-error behaviour. Today no caller needs it.
- Regression tests: (a) truncated MP3; (b) corrupted FLAC; (c) valid file continues to decode successfully.

## Fix scope

Medium. Error-propagation pattern is the same as the `read_wav` fix, but the symphonia packet-loop has several skip branches to audit.

## Dependencies

- None — standalone fix.