diff --git a/src/app/commands/draw.rs b/src/app/commands/draw.rs
index 67a06ab81..b7ab4904a 100644
--- a/src/app/commands/draw.rs
+++ b/src/app/commands/draw.rs
@@ -2346,3 +2346,22 @@ mod region_tests {
         }
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod degenerate_constraint_tests {
+    use crate::app::OpenCADStudio;
+
+    /// Retaining a zero-length line's size used to hand the solver a NaN
+    /// Jacobian, and its SVD fallback never returned.
+    #[test]
+    fn equal_constraint_with_a_zero_length_line_returns() {
+        let mut app = OpenCADStudio::new_for_test();
+        app.automation_op(r#"{"op":"new"}"#);
+        app.automation_op(r#"{"op":"run","cmd":"LINE 0,0 0,0 "}"#);
+        app.automation_op(r#"{"op":"run","cmd":"LINE 5,5 20,7 "}"#);
+        app.automation_op(r#"{"op":"select","type":"Line"}"#);
+        app.automation_op(r#"{"op":"run","cmd":"ECONSTRAINT"}"#);
+        let lines = app.automation_op(r#"{"op":"query","type":"Line","detail":"geometry"}"#);
+        assert_eq!(lines["ok"], true, "{lines}");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/io/mod.rs b/src/io/mod.rs
index fdc687529..d7be16cf8 100644
--- a/src/io/mod.rs
+++ b/src/io/mod.rs
@@ -2146,8 +2146,12 @@ pub(crate) fn is_entity_corrupt(e: &EntityType) -> bool {
                 && (s.knots.iter().any(|k| !k.is_finite())
                     || s.knots.windows(2).any(|w| w[1] < w[0])
                     || (!compact_periodic_knots && s.knots.len() != n + deg + 1));
+            // A single control point with no knots and no fit points cannot
+            // form a curve, and no knot vector exists for it.
+            let lone_point = n == 1 && s.knots.is_empty() && s.fit_points.is_empty();
             n >= MAX_VERTS
                 || degree_bad
+                || lone_point
                 || s.control_points.iter().any(|p| !finite_vec3(p))
                 || knots_bad
         }
@@ -2155,8 +2159,32 @@ pub(crate) fn is_entity_corrupt(e: &EntityType) -> bool {
     }
 }
 
+/// Give control-point splines stored without knots a degree their control
+/// points can carry, and the matching clamped knot vector.
+///
+/// A degree-p curve needs at least p + 1 control points. Knot generation
+/// (here, and in the DWG writer for knot-less splines) subtracts in `usize`
+/// and underflows when there are fewer; in release builds the wrapped count
+/// drives an unbounded allocation. Lowering the degree keeps the geometry the
+/// points describe: two points are a straight segment at any degree.
+fn normalize_knotless_splines(doc: &mut CadDocument) {
+    for entity in doc.entities_mut() {
+        let EntityType::Spline(spline) = entity else {
+            continue;
+        };
+        let n = spline.control_points.len();
+        if !spline.knots.is_empty() || n < 2 || spline.degree < 1 {
+            continue;
+        }
+        let degree = (spline.degree as usize).min(n - 1);
+        spline.degree = degree as i32;
+        spline.knots = acadrust::entities::Spline::generate_clamped_knots(degree, n);
+    }
+}
+
 pub fn purge_corrupt_entities(doc: &mut CadDocument) -> usize {
     use crate::par::prelude::*;
+    normalize_knotless_splines(doc);
     // Detection is pure and read-only; the per-vertex finite/extent checks on
     // large polylines dominate, so fan the scan out across cores. Gather
     // entity references in one pass, test in parallel, then remove serially
@@ -2363,6 +2391,42 @@ mod corrupt_guard_tests {
     use acadrust::entities::{Arc, Circle, EntityType, Spline};
     use acadrust::types::Vector3;
 
+    fn knotless_spline(degree: i32, points: usize) -> Spline {
+        let mut spline = Spline::new();
+        spline.degree = degree;
+        spline.control_points = (0..points)
+            .map(|index| Vector3::new(index as f64, index as f64, 0.0))
+            .collect();
+        spline
+    }
+
+    // Degree 3 over two control points with no knot vector: generating knots
+    // for it underflows, and writing it to DWG used to panic (debug) or
+    // allocate without bound (release).
+    #[test]
+    fn knotless_spline_with_too_few_points_is_lowered_and_saves_as_dwg() {
+        let mut doc = CadDocument::new();
+        doc.add_entity(EntityType::Spline(knotless_spline(3, 2)));
+        doc.add_entity(EntityType::Spline(knotless_spline(3, 1)));
+        assert_eq!(purge_corrupt_entities(&mut doc), 1, "the lone point is dropped");
+        let spline = doc
+            .entities()
+            .find_map(|entity| match entity {
+                EntityType::Spline(spline) => Some(spline.clone()),
+                _ => None,
+            })
+            .expect("the two-point spline is kept");
+        assert_eq!(spline.degree, 1);
+        assert_eq!(spline.knots, vec![0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 1.0]);
+
+        let path = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!(
+            "ocs_knotless_spline_{}.dwg",
+            std::process::id()
+        ));
+        save_as_version(&doc, &path, acadrust::DxfVersion::AC1032).expect("save");
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&path);
+    }
+
     // Small but finite arcs are valid records. Kernel tessellation is bounded,
     // so opening must retain them instead of treating their size as corruption.
     #[test]
diff --git a/src/scene/parametric_solve.rs b/src/scene/parametric_solve.rs
index 30e56a8fc..bffeb669a 100644
--- a/src/scene/parametric_solve.rs
+++ b/src/scene/parametric_solve.rs
@@ -1830,6 +1830,29 @@ fn retained_radius(entity: &EntityType) -> Option<f64> {
     }
 }
 
+/// Hold the distance between two points at `length`.
+///
+/// `P2PDistance` divides by the current distance, so a zero-length segment
+/// gives the solver a NaN Jacobian. Keep coincident endpoints together with
+/// per-axis differences instead.
+fn retain_segment_length(
+    sys: &mut System,
+    a: GPoint,
+    b: GPoint,
+    current_length: f64,
+    length: f64,
+) {
+    if current_length > f64::EPSILON && length > f64::EPSILON {
+        let target = sys.add_param(length, true);
+        sys.add_constraint(Rc::new(P2PDistance::new(a, b, target)));
+        return;
+    }
+    let dx = sys.add_param(0.0, true);
+    let dy = sys.add_param(0.0, true);
+    sys.add_constraint(Rc::new(Difference::new(a.x, b.x, dx)));
+    sys.add_constraint(Rc::new(Difference::new(a.y, b.y, dy)));
+}
+
 /// Visit vertices and segments in stored drawing order, including the closing edge last.
 fn polyline_ref_order(
     document: &acadrust::CadDocument,
@@ -2139,8 +2162,7 @@ fn solve_scope(
                         .get(handle)
                         .and_then(|entity| retained_line_length(entity, None))
                         .unwrap_or(current_length);
-                    let target = sys.add_param(length, true);
-                    sys.add_constraint(Rc::new(P2PDistance::new(line.p1, line.p2, target)));
+                    retain_segment_length(&mut sys, line.p1, line.p2, current_length, length);
                 }
                 EntityGeom::Polyline {
                     points,
@@ -2169,8 +2191,7 @@ fn solve_scope(
                             .get(handle)
                             .and_then(|entity| retained_line_length(entity, Some(index)))
                             .unwrap_or(current_length);
-                        let target = sys.add_param(length, true);
-                        sys.add_constraint(Rc::new(P2PDistance::new(a, b, target)));
+                        retain_segment_length(&mut sys, a, b, current_length, length);
                     }
                 }
                 EntityGeom::Circle(circle) => {
@@ -2346,8 +2367,8 @@ fn solve_scope(
                 })
         });
         if directional && !retain_size {
-            let length = sys.add_param((x2 - x1).hypot(y2 - y1), true);
-            sys.add_constraint(Rc::new(P2PDistance::new(line.p1, line.p2, length)));
+            let length = (x2 - x1).hypot(y2 - y1);
+            retain_segment_length(&mut sys, line.p1, line.p2, length, length);
         } else if !directional {
             let dx = sys.add_param(x2 - x1, true);
             let dy = sys.add_param(y2 - y1, true);