diff --git a/src/bib/regulations_gov.py b/src/bib/regulations_gov.py
index 5d0b9c7..b2c2c44 100644
--- a/src/bib/regulations_gov.py
+++ b/src/bib/regulations_gov.py
@@ -950,6 +950,11 @@ def walk_docket(
     advance the watermark on a clean walk, and auto-seal when
     :func:`should_seal` says so. ``force`` walks from page 1 and never
     seals. Returns per-status counts.
+
+    Attachments are fetched for created/updated comments, and for every
+    comment under ``force`` (an unchanged row can still be missing its
+    files). A docket is only auto-sealed when bib actually holds at
+    least one of its comments.
     """
     from bib.dockets import should_seal
 
@@ -970,7 +975,7 @@ def walk_docket(
             store, c, cms_id=docket.rule_cms_id, extra_tags=[f"reg-docket:{docket.id}"]
         )
         setattr(res, status, getattr(res, status) + 1)
-        if attachments and c.attachment_count and status != "unchanged":
+        if attachments and c.attachment_count and (force or status != "unchanged"):
             for att in client.attachments_for(c.id):
                 path = client.download_attachment(att.url, scratch / c.id)
                 if path:
@@ -1000,10 +1005,13 @@ def walk_docket(
             docket, pull_watermark=max_lm, last_pull_at=now, last_pull_new=res.created
         )
         store.docket_upsert(updated)
-        if should_seal(updated, today or date.today(), quiet_days):
-            store.docket_seal(
-                docket.id, reason="auto", counts=docket_counts(store, docket.id)
-            )
+        counts = docket_counts(store, docket.id)
+        # A docket with nothing in bib is a farm that never landed, not a
+        # finished one: an empty walk over it must not seal it shut.
+        if counts["comments"] and should_seal(
+            updated, today or date.today(), quiet_days
+        ):
+            store.docket_seal(docket.id, reason="auto", counts=counts)
             res.sealed = True
     return res
 
diff --git a/tests/bib/test_walk_docket.py b/tests/bib/test_walk_docket.py
index 23cdb2b..7ac4aad 100644
--- a/tests/bib/test_walk_docket.py
+++ b/tests/bib/test_walk_docket.py
@@ -1,12 +1,19 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import json
 from datetime import date
 from unittest.mock import MagicMock
 
 import httpx
 
 from bib.dockets import Docket
-from bib.regulations_gov import Comment, WalkResult, discover_docket, walk_docket
+from bib.regulations_gov import (
+    Attachment,
+    Comment,
+    WalkResult,
+    discover_docket,
+    walk_docket,
+)
 from bib.store import Store
 
 D = "CMS-2026-2377"
@@ -129,11 +136,54 @@ def test_auto_seal_after_quiet_empty_pull():
     s = _store()
     s.docket_upsert(_docket())
     api = MagicMock()
+    api.iter_comments.return_value = [_c(1, "2026-09-01T00:00:00Z")]
+    walk_docket(s, api, s.docket_get(D), today=date(2026, 9, 8))
     api.iter_comments.return_value = []
     r = walk_docket(s, api, s.docket_get(D), today=date(2026, 10, 20), quiet_days=30)
     assert r.sealed is True
     d = s.docket_get(D)
     assert d.sealed and d.seal_reason == "auto"
+    assert json.loads(d.counts_json)["comments"] == 1
+
+
+def test_no_auto_seal_when_the_docket_has_no_stored_comments():
+    """An empty walk over a docket bib never ingested is a failed farm,
+    not a finished one — sealing it would freeze zero comments forever."""
+    s = _store()
+    s.docket_upsert(_docket())
+    api = MagicMock()
+    api.iter_comments.return_value = []
+    r = walk_docket(s, api, s.docket_get(D), today=date(2026, 10, 20), quiet_days=30)
+    assert r.sealed is False
+    assert not s.docket_get(D).sealed
+
+
+def test_attachments_fetched_for_new_comments_only_unless_forced(tmp_path):
+    s = _store()
+    s.docket_upsert(_docket())
+    att = Attachment(url="https://cdn/att.pdf", filename="att.pdf")
+    blob = tmp_path / "att.pdf"
+    blob.write_bytes(b"%PDF-1.4")
+    api = MagicMock()
+    api.attachments_for.return_value = [att]
+    api.download_attachment.return_value = blob
+    c = _c(1, "2026-09-01T00:00:00Z")
+    c.attachment_count = 1
+
+    api.iter_comments.return_value = [c]
+    walk_docket(s, api, s.docket_get(D), attachments=True, today=date(2026, 9, 8))
+    assert api.download_attachment.call_count == 1  # created → fetched
+
+    api.iter_comments.return_value = [c]
+    r = walk_docket(s, api, s.docket_get(D), attachments=True, today=date(2026, 9, 8))
+    assert r.unchanged == 1
+    assert api.download_attachment.call_count == 1  # unchanged → not re-fetched
+
+    api.iter_comments.return_value = [c]
+    walk_docket(
+        s, api, s.docket_get(D), attachments=True, force=True, today=date(2026, 9, 8)
+    )
+    assert api.download_attachment.call_count == 2  # --force re-fetches
 
 
 def test_progress_echo_and_commit_every_50():