diff --git a/src/application/BinaryTargetResolver.ts b/src/application/BinaryTargetResolver.ts
index 1de48152fd..921546eb95 100644
--- a/src/application/BinaryTargetResolver.ts
+++ b/src/application/BinaryTargetResolver.ts
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ import {
   parseCodeViewData,
   claimsExecutableHeader,
   parseExecutableHeader,
-  parsePeRecord,
+  parsePeRecordFacts,
   peDebugDirectoryEntry,
   peRvaToFileOffset,
   type ExecutableMetadata,
@@ -1304,7 +1304,8 @@ const readPeMetadata = async (
     optionalHeaderSize,
     signal,
   );
-  return parsePeRecord(record, codeView);
+  const parsed = parsePeRecordFacts(record, codeView);
+  return parsed.ok ? ok(parsed.value.metadata) : parsed;
 };
 
 const readPeCodeView = async (
diff --git a/src/artifacts/DesktopFileInspection.ts b/src/artifacts/DesktopFileInspection.ts
index cfc7f81f9d..7dbddd15b9 100644
--- a/src/artifacts/DesktopFileInspection.ts
+++ b/src/artifacts/DesktopFileInspection.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ import { setImmediate } from "node:timers/promises";
 import type { DesktopFile, DesktopFact } from "../domain/desktopApplication.js";
 import { jsonValueByteLength } from "../domain/jsonValueByteLength.js";
 import { observeIl2cppMetadataHeaderPrefix } from "../domain/il2cpp/il2cppMetadataHeaderPrefix.js";
-import { parsePeRecord, peRvaToFileOffset } from "../domain/binaryTarget.js";
+import {
+  parsePeRecordFacts,
+  peRvaToFileOffset,
+} from "../domain/binaryTarget.js";
 import { readManagedMetadataLayout } from "../dotnet/ManagedMetadataLayout.js";
 import { readAssemblyReferenceName } from "../dotnet/ManagedMetadataInventoryRows.js";
 import { ManagedReaderFailure } from "../dotnet/ManagedReaderFailure.js";
@@ -221,24 +224,24 @@ const inspectPeFile = async (
       "PE optional header exceeds the supported format bound",
     );
   const optional = await read(peOffset + 24, optionalSize);
-  const parsed = parsePeRecord(Buffer.concat([coff, optional]), undefined);
+  const parsed = parsePeRecordFacts(Buffer.concat([coff, optional]), undefined);
   if (!parsed.ok) {
     row.issues.push(parsed.error);
     return;
   }
-  if (parsed.value.format !== "pe") return;
+  if (parsed.value.metadata.format !== "pe") return;
   fact({
     kind: "native-image-header",
     offset: peOffset,
     value: { format: "pe", machine: header.value.machine },
   });
-  if (!parsed.value.managed) return;
-  const directories = optional.readUInt16LE(0) === 0x20b ? 112 : 96;
-  const cliRva = optional.readUInt32LE(directories + 14 * 8);
-  const cliSize = optional.readUInt32LE(directories + 14 * 8 + 4);
+  if (!parsed.value.metadata.managed) return;
+  const cliDirectory = parsed.value.optionalHeader.dataDirectories[14];
+  if (cliDirectory === undefined) return;
+  const { address: cliRva, size: cliSize } = cliDirectory;
   fact({
     kind: "pe-cli-directory",
-    offset: peOffset + 24 + directories + 14 * 8,
+    offset: peOffset + 24 + cliDirectory.offset,
     value: { rva: cliRva, bytes: cliSize },
   });
   if (unityManagedDirectory === null) return;
@@ -249,7 +252,7 @@ const inspectPeFile = async (
       rva,
       sections,
       sectionCount,
-      optional.readUInt32LE(60),
+      parsed.value.optionalHeader.sizeOfHeaders,
       bytes,
     );
   const cliOffset = mapped(cliRva, 16);
diff --git a/src/domain/binaryTarget.test.ts b/src/domain/binaryTarget.test.ts
index 36dc4815aa..522b0b3f6d 100644
--- a/src/domain/binaryTarget.test.ts
+++ b/src/domain/binaryTarget.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 
-import { parseExecutableHeader } from "./binaryTarget.js";
+import {
+  parseExecutableHeader,
+  peDebugDirectoryEntry,
+  parsePeRecordFacts,
+} from "./binaryTarget.js";
 import { dosMz, elf, fat, pe, thinMach } from "./binaryTarget.fixture.js";
 
 describe("executable header parsing", () => {
@@ -377,3 +381,44 @@ const fat64 = (cpus: readonly number[], littleEndian: boolean): Buffer => {
   });
   return bytes;
 };
+
+it.each([
+  { magic: 0x10b, directoryOffset: 96 },
+  { magic: 0x20b, directoryOffset: 112 },
+])(
+  "retains a complete debug entry when later declared directories are unavailable ($magic)",
+  ({ magic, directoryOffset }) => {
+    const optional = Buffer.alloc(directoryOffset + 7 * 8);
+    optional.writeUInt16LE(magic);
+    optional.writeUInt32LE(0x400, 60);
+    optional.writeUInt32LE(0xffffffff, directoryOffset - 4);
+    optional.writeUInt32LE(0x2400, directoryOffset + 6 * 8);
+    optional.writeUInt32LE(28, directoryOffset + 6 * 8 + 4);
+    expect(peDebugDirectoryEntry(optional)).toEqual({
+      debugRva: 0x2400,
+      debugSize: 28,
+      sizeOfHeaders: 0x400,
+    });
+    expect(
+      peDebugDirectoryEntry(optional.subarray(0, optional.length - 1)),
+    ).toBeUndefined();
+    optional.writeUInt32LE(6, directoryOffset - 4);
+    expect(peDebugDirectoryEntry(optional)).toBeUndefined();
+  },
+);
+
+it("keeps validated optional-header facts separate from executable metadata", () => {
+  const bytes = pe(0x8664);
+  const record = bytes.subarray(bytes.readUInt32LE(0x3c));
+  const parsed = parsePeRecordFacts(record, undefined);
+  if (!parsed.ok) throw new Error(parsed.error);
+  expect(parsed.value.optionalHeader).toMatchObject({ magic: 0x20b, bits: 64 });
+  expect(parsed.value.metadata).toEqual({
+    format: "pe",
+    peMachine: 0x8664,
+    architecture: "x86_64",
+    availableArchitectures: ["x86_64"],
+    executableRole: "application",
+    managed: false,
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/domain/binaryTarget.ts b/src/domain/binaryTarget.ts
index 8a9a5f3d09..d06c47aa69 100644
--- a/src/domain/binaryTarget.ts
+++ b/src/domain/binaryTarget.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@ import type {
   UniversalMachOSlice,
 } from "./binaryTargetTypes.js";
 import { err, ok, type Result } from "./result.js";
+import {
+  readPeOptionalHeaderFixedFields,
+  readPeOptionalHeaderDirectory,
+} from "./peOptionalHeader.js";
+import type { PeOptionalHeaderFacts } from "./peMachine.js";
 import { readPeCoffHeader } from "./peCoffHeader.js";
 import { readPeSectionHeader } from "./peSectionHeader.js";
 import { readElfFixedHeader } from "./elfFixedHeader.js";
@@ -468,7 +473,8 @@ const parseMz = (
     if (windowsHeader.signature !== "PE")
       return err("invalid or truncated Windows executable header in MZ image");
     const codeView = parsePeCodeViewFromBuffer(bytes, offset);
-    return parsePeRecord(bytes.subarray(offset), codeView);
+    const parsed = parsePeRecordFacts(bytes.subarray(offset), codeView);
+    return parsed.ok ? ok(parsed.value.metadata) : parsed;
   }
   const parsed = evidence.dos;
   return parsed.ok
@@ -481,10 +487,16 @@ const parseMz = (
 };
 
 /** Parse a bounded PE signature, COFF record, and optional header without I/O. */
-export const parsePeRecord = (
+export const parsePeRecordFacts = (
   record: Buffer,
   codeView: PeCodeViewRecord | undefined,
-): Result<ExecutableMetadata, string> => {
+): Result<
+  {
+    readonly metadata: ExecutableMetadata;
+    readonly optionalHeader: PeOptionalHeaderFacts;
+  },
+  string
+> => {
   if (
     record.length < 24 ||
     record.toString("binary", 0, 4) !== "PE\u0000\u0000"
@@ -510,18 +522,21 @@ export const parsePeRecord = (
   if (facts.value.machine === null) return err("unsupported PE architecture");
   const { architecture } = facts.value.machine;
   return ok({
-    format: "pe",
-    peMachine: machineType,
-    architecture,
-    availableArchitectures: [architecture],
-    executableRole:
-      (characteristics & 0x0002) === 0
-        ? "non-executable"
-        : (characteristics & 0x2000) === 0
-          ? "application"
-          : "shared-library",
-    managed: facts.value.managed,
-    ...(codeView !== undefined ? { codeView } : {}),
+    optionalHeader: facts.value,
+    metadata: {
+      format: "pe",
+      peMachine: machineType,
+      architecture,
+      availableArchitectures: [architecture],
+      executableRole:
+        (characteristics & 0x0002) === 0
+          ? "non-executable"
+          : (characteristics & 0x2000) === 0
+            ? "application"
+            : "shared-library",
+      managed: facts.value.managed,
+      ...(codeView !== undefined ? { codeView } : {}),
+    },
   });
 };
 
@@ -570,24 +585,17 @@ export const peDebugDirectoryEntry = (
       readonly sizeOfHeaders: number;
     }
   | undefined => {
-  if (optionalHeader.length < 2) return undefined;
-  const magic = optionalHeader.readUInt16LE(0);
-  if (magic !== 0x10b && magic !== 0x20b) return undefined;
-  const directoryOffset = magic === 0x20b ? 112 : 96;
-  const directoryCountOffset = directoryOffset - 4;
-  if (optionalHeader.length < directoryCountOffset + 4) return undefined;
-  const directoryCount = optionalHeader.readUInt32LE(directoryCountOffset);
-  if (directoryCount <= 6) return undefined;
-  const debugEntryOffset = directoryOffset + 6 * 8;
-  if (optionalHeader.length < debugEntryOffset + 8) return undefined;
-  const debugRva = optionalHeader.readUInt32LE(debugEntryOffset);
-  const debugSize = optionalHeader.readUInt32LE(debugEntryOffset + 4);
+  const fixed = readPeOptionalHeaderFixedFields(optionalHeader);
+  if (!fixed.ok) return undefined;
+  const observed = readPeOptionalHeaderDirectory(
+    optionalHeader,
+    fixed.value,
+    6,
+  );
+  if (observed.state !== "present") return undefined;
+  const { address: debugRva, size: debugSize } = observed.directory;
   if (debugRva === 0 || debugSize < 28) return undefined;
-  return {
-    debugRva,
-    debugSize,
-    sizeOfHeaders: optionalHeader.readUInt32LE(60),
-  };
+  return { debugRva, debugSize, sizeOfHeaders: fixed.value.sizeOfHeaders };
 };
 
 /** Translate an RVA to an absolute file offset using the PE section table. */
diff --git a/src/domain/native/nativeAotPe.ts b/src/domain/native/nativeAotPe.ts
index 325969b857..cfc6317f21 100644
--- a/src/domain/native/nativeAotPe.ts
+++ b/src/domain/native/nativeAotPe.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { createHash } from "node:crypto";
+import { readPeOptionalHeaderFixedFields } from "../peOptionalHeader.js";
 import { readPeCoffHeader } from "../peCoffHeader.js";
 import { readPeSectionHeader } from "../peSectionHeader.js";
 import type { NativeMetadataRecovery } from "./nativeMetadataRecovery.js";
@@ -511,12 +512,14 @@ class PeImage {
       throw new Error(
         "PE optional header is too short for image mapping fields",
       );
-    const magic = this.#u16(optional);
-    if (magic !== 0x20b || this.#machine !== 0x8664)
+    const fixed = readPeOptionalHeaderFixedFields(
+      bytes.subarray(optional, optional + optionalSize),
+    );
+    if (!fixed.ok || fixed.value.magic !== 0x20b || this.#machine !== 0x8664)
       throw new Error("Only x64 PE32+ is supported");
-    this.imageBase = this.#u64(optional + 24);
-    this.sizeOfImage = this.#u32(optional + 56);
-    this.#sizeOfHeaders = this.#u32(optional + 60);
+    this.imageBase = fixed.value.imageBase;
+    this.sizeOfImage = fixed.value.sizeOfImage;
+    this.#sizeOfHeaders = fixed.value.sizeOfHeaders;
     if (count < 1 || this.sizeOfImage === 0)
       throw new Error("Unsupported PE image extent");
     if (this.imageBase + BigInt(this.sizeOfImage) > 1n << 64n)
@@ -658,18 +661,10 @@ class PeImage {
     )
       throw new Error("PE field leaves the captured file");
   }
-  #u16(offset: number): number {
-    this.#range(offset, 2);
-    return this.#bytes.readUInt16LE(offset);
-  }
   #u32(offset: number): number {
     this.#range(offset, 4);
     return this.#bytes.readUInt32LE(offset);
   }
-  #u64(offset: number): bigint {
-    this.#range(offset, 8);
-    return this.#bytes.readBigUInt64LE(offset);
-  }
 }
 
 const hex = (value: bigint): string => `0x${value.toString(16)}`;
diff --git a/src/domain/peOptionalHeader.test.ts b/src/domain/peOptionalHeader.test.ts
index 295048f110..6a01892bfa 100644
--- a/src/domain/peOptionalHeader.test.ts
+++ b/src/domain/peOptionalHeader.test.ts
@@ -64,7 +64,9 @@ it.each(formats)(
         imageBase: format.bits === 64 ? 0xfedcba9876540000n : 0x87650000n,
         sectionAlignment: 0x1000,
         fileAlignment: 0x200,
+        sizeOfImage: 0,
         sizeOfHeaders: 0xffffffff,
+        directoryCountOffset: format.directoryOffset - 4,
         directoryCount: 0,
         dataDirectories: [],
       },
@@ -170,7 +172,9 @@ it("honors a Uint8Array window and detaches facts from later source changes", ()
     imageBase: 0xfedcba9876540000n,
     sectionAlignment: 0x1000,
     fileAlignment: 0x200,
+    sizeOfImage: 0,
     sizeOfHeaders: 0x400,
+    directoryCountOffset: formats[1].directoryOffset - 4,
     directoryCount: 1,
     dataDirectories: [{ address: 0x12345678, size: 0x90, offset: 112 }],
   });
diff --git a/src/domain/peOptionalHeader.ts b/src/domain/peOptionalHeader.ts
index 9d4446690c..b65e706ced 100644
--- a/src/domain/peOptionalHeader.ts
+++ b/src/domain/peOptionalHeader.ts
@@ -9,15 +9,20 @@ export interface PeDataDirectory {
 }
 
 /** Structural facts copied from one declared PE optional header. */
-export interface PeOptionalHeaderStructure {
+export interface PeOptionalHeaderFixedFields {
   readonly magic: 0x10b | 0x20b;
   readonly bits: 32 | 64;
   readonly format: "pe32" | "pe32-plus";
   readonly imageBase: bigint;
   readonly sectionAlignment: number;
   readonly fileAlignment: number;
+  readonly sizeOfImage: number;
   readonly sizeOfHeaders: number;
   readonly directoryOffset: number;
+  readonly directoryCountOffset: number;
+}
+
+export interface PeOptionalHeaderStructure extends PeOptionalHeaderFixedFields {
   readonly directoryCount: number;
   readonly dataDirectories: readonly PeDataDirectory[];
 }
@@ -32,10 +37,10 @@ export interface PeOptionalHeaderFailure {
   readonly message: string;
 }
 
-/** Decode structural declarations without admitting a machine, file extent, or directory address. */
-export const readPeOptionalHeaderStructure = (
+/** Decode mapping fields without requiring a directory count or table. */
+export const readPeOptionalHeaderFixedFields = (
   bytes: Uint8Array,
-): Result<PeOptionalHeaderStructure, PeOptionalHeaderFailure> => {
+): Result<PeOptionalHeaderFixedFields, PeOptionalHeaderFailure> => {
   if (bytes.byteLength < 2)
     return err({
       kind: "malformed",
@@ -52,27 +57,12 @@ export const readPeOptionalHeaderStructure = (
     });
   const bits = magic === 0x20b ? 64 : 32;
   const directoryOffset = bits === 64 ? 112 : 96;
-  if (bytes.byteLength < directoryOffset)
+  if (bytes.byteLength < 64)
     return err({
       kind: "malformed",
       reason: "truncated-fixed-fields",
       message: "truncated PE optional header",
     });
-  const directoryCount = view.getUint32(directoryOffset - 4, true);
-  if (directoryCount > Math.floor((bytes.byteLength - directoryOffset) / 8))
-    return err({
-      kind: "malformed",
-      reason: "truncated-directory-table",
-      message: "truncated PE data-directory table",
-    });
-  const dataDirectories = Array.from({ length: directoryCount }, (_, index) => {
-    const offset = directoryOffset + index * 8;
-    return {
-      address: view.getUint32(offset, true),
-      size: view.getUint32(offset + 4, true),
-      offset,
-    };
-  });
   return ok({
     magic,
     bits,
@@ -83,9 +73,74 @@ export const readPeOptionalHeaderStructure = (
         : BigInt(view.getUint32(28, true)),
     sectionAlignment: view.getUint32(32, true),
     fileAlignment: view.getUint32(36, true),
+    sizeOfImage: view.getUint32(56, true),
     sizeOfHeaders: view.getUint32(60, true),
     directoryOffset,
-    directoryCount,
-    dataDirectories,
+    directoryCountOffset: directoryOffset - 4,
   });
 };
+
+const readDirectory = (view: DataView, offset: number): PeDataDirectory => ({
+  address: view.getUint32(offset, true),
+  size: view.getUint32(offset + 4, true),
+  offset,
+});
+
+export type PeOptionalHeaderDirectoryObservation =
+  | { readonly state: "count-unavailable" }
+  | { readonly state: "absent"; readonly count: number }
+  | { readonly state: "truncated"; readonly count: number }
+  | {
+      readonly state: "present";
+      readonly count: number;
+      readonly directory: PeDataDirectory;
+    };
+
+/** Observe one declared entry independently of the availability of later entries. */
+export const readPeOptionalHeaderDirectory = (
+  bytes: Uint8Array,
+  fixed: PeOptionalHeaderFixedFields,
+  index: number,
+): PeOptionalHeaderDirectoryObservation => {
+  if (bytes.byteLength < fixed.directoryOffset)
+    return { state: "count-unavailable" };
+  const view = new DataView(bytes.buffer, bytes.byteOffset, bytes.byteLength);
+  const count = view.getUint32(fixed.directoryCountOffset, true);
+  if (index >= count) return { state: "absent", count };
+  const offset = fixed.directoryOffset + index * 8;
+  if (offset > bytes.byteLength - 8) return { state: "truncated", count };
+  return {
+    state: "present",
+    count,
+    directory: readDirectory(view, offset),
+  };
+};
+
+/** Decode the complete declared table without admitting a machine or directory address. */
+export const readPeOptionalHeaderStructure = (
+  bytes: Uint8Array,
+): Result<PeOptionalHeaderStructure, PeOptionalHeaderFailure> => {
+  const parsed = readPeOptionalHeaderFixedFields(bytes);
+  if (!parsed.ok) return parsed;
+  const fixed = parsed.value;
+  if (bytes.byteLength < fixed.directoryOffset)
+    return err({
+      kind: "malformed",
+      reason: "truncated-fixed-fields",
+      message: "truncated PE optional header",
+    });
+  const view = new DataView(bytes.buffer, bytes.byteOffset, bytes.byteLength);
+  const directoryCount = view.getUint32(fixed.directoryCountOffset, true);
+  if (
+    directoryCount > Math.floor((bytes.byteLength - fixed.directoryOffset) / 8)
+  )
+    return err({
+      kind: "malformed",
+      reason: "truncated-directory-table",
+      message: "truncated PE data-directory table",
+    });
+  const dataDirectories = Array.from({ length: directoryCount }, (_, index) =>
+    readDirectory(view, fixed.directoryOffset + index * 8),
+  );
+  return ok({ ...fixed, directoryCount, dataDirectories });
+};
diff --git a/src/dotnet/ManagedArtifactInspector.test.ts b/src/dotnet/ManagedArtifactInspector.test.ts
index 1c10c87718..d009bf64a5 100644
--- a/src/dotnet/ManagedArtifactInspector.test.ts
+++ b/src/dotnet/ManagedArtifactInspector.test.ts
@@ -93,6 +93,22 @@ describe("managed PE optional-header directory count", () => {
 });
 
 describe("managed CLI directory availability", () => {
+  it("keeps a readable CLI directory when later declared entries are truncated", () => {
+    const bytes = buildManagedPeFixture();
+    const optional = bytes.readUInt32LE(0x3c) + 24;
+    bytes.writeUInt32LE(0xffffffff, optional + 92);
+    expect(readManagedPeLayout(bytes)).toMatchObject({
+      cliDirectoryState: "present",
+      cliIssue: null,
+      cli: expect.objectContaining({ headerSize: 72 }),
+    });
+    const result = inspectManagedArtifactBytes(
+      bytes,
+      managedPeFixtureTarget(bytes),
+    );
+    expect(result.metadata.status).toBe("complete");
+  });
+
   it("keeps a declared but truncated CLI directory malformed", () => {
     const bytes = buildManagedPeFixture();
     const peOffset = bytes.readUInt32LE(0x3c);
diff --git a/src/dotnet/ManagedPeReader.ts b/src/dotnet/ManagedPeReader.ts
index fe5acc1c5d..821845cf77 100644
--- a/src/dotnet/ManagedPeReader.ts
+++ b/src/dotnet/ManagedPeReader.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+import {
+  readPeOptionalHeaderFixedFields,
+  readPeOptionalHeaderDirectory,
+  type PeOptionalHeaderFixedFields,
+} from "../domain/peOptionalHeader.js";
+import { readPeSectionHeader } from "../domain/peSectionHeader.js";
 import type { ManagedParseIssue } from "../domain/managed/managedArtifact.js";
 import { readPeCoffHeader } from "../domain/peCoffHeader.js";
 import { decodePeMachine } from "../domain/peMachine.js";
@@ -86,8 +92,7 @@ interface CoffHeader {
 interface OptionalHeader {
   readonly optionalOffset: number;
   readonly optionalHeader: "pe32" | "pe32-plus";
-  readonly directoryCountOffset: number;
-  readonly directoryOffset: number;
+  readonly fixed: PeOptionalHeaderFixedFields;
 }
 
 type CliDirectoryRead =
@@ -337,10 +342,10 @@ const readOptionalHeader = (
       "PE optional header is too short",
       optionalOffset,
     );
-  const magic = bytes.readUInt16LE(optionalOffset);
-  const optionalHeader =
-    magic === 0x010b ? "pe32" : magic === 0x020b ? "pe32-plus" : undefined;
-  if (optionalHeader === undefined)
+  const parsed = readPeOptionalHeaderFixedFields(
+    bytes.subarray(optionalOffset, optionalOffset + coff.optionalSize),
+  );
+  if (!parsed.ok)
     throw managedFailure(
       "invalid-directory",
       "pe.optional-header",
@@ -349,10 +354,8 @@ const readOptionalHeader = (
     );
   return {
     optionalOffset,
-    optionalHeader,
-    directoryCountOffset:
-      optionalOffset + (optionalHeader === "pe32" ? 92 : 108),
-    directoryOffset: optionalOffset + (optionalHeader === "pe32" ? 96 : 112),
+    optionalHeader: parsed.value.format,
+    fixed: parsed.value,
   };
 };
 
@@ -370,11 +373,19 @@ const readSections = (
   const sections: PeSection[] = [];
   for (let index = 0; index < coff.sectionCount; index += 1) {
     const offset = sectionOffset + index * 40;
+    const parsed = readPeSectionHeader(bytes.subarray(offset, offset + 40));
+    if (!parsed.ok)
+      throw managedFailure(
+        "invalid-directory",
+        "pe.sections",
+        parsed.error.message,
+        offset,
+      );
     const section = {
-      virtualSize: bytes.readUInt32LE(offset + 8),
-      virtualAddress: bytes.readUInt32LE(offset + 12),
-      rawSize: bytes.readUInt32LE(offset + 16),
-      rawOffset: bytes.readUInt32LE(offset + 20),
+      virtualSize: parsed.value.virtual_size,
+      virtualAddress: parsed.value.virtual_address,
+      rawSize: parsed.value.raw_size,
+      rawOffset: parsed.value.offset,
     };
     if (section.rawSize > 0)
       requireRange(
@@ -393,34 +404,41 @@ const readCliDirectory = (
   coff: CoffHeader,
   optional: OptionalHeader,
 ): CliDirectoryRead => {
-  const countOffset = optional.directoryCountOffset - optional.optionalOffset;
-  if (countOffset + 4 > coff.optionalSize)
+  const observed = readPeOptionalHeaderDirectory(
+    bytes.subarray(
+      optional.optionalOffset,
+      optional.optionalOffset + coff.optionalSize,
+    ),
+    optional.fixed,
+    14,
+  );
+  const countOffset =
+    optional.optionalOffset + optional.fixed.directoryCountOffset;
+  if (observed.state === "count-unavailable")
     return {
       kind: "unreadable",
       issue: {
         code: "invalid-directory",
         scope: "pe.optional-header",
         detail: "PE optional header does not contain its directory count",
-        offset: optional.directoryCountOffset,
+        offset: countOffset,
       },
     };
-  const directoryCount = bytes.readUInt32LE(optional.directoryCountOffset);
-  if (directoryCount <= 14) return { kind: "absent" };
-  const availableDirectoryCount = Math.floor(
-    (coff.optionalSize - (optional.directoryOffset - optional.optionalOffset)) /
-      8,
-  );
-  if (availableDirectoryCount < 15)
+  if (observed.state === "absent") return { kind: "absent" };
+  if (observed.state === "truncated")
     return {
       kind: "unreadable",
       issue: {
         code: "invalid-directory",
         scope: "pe.data-directories",
         detail: "PE data-directory count exceeds the optional-header extent",
-        offset: optional.directoryCountOffset,
+        offset: countOffset,
       },
     };
-  const directory = readDirectory(bytes, optional.directoryOffset + 14 * 8);
+  const directory = {
+    rva: observed.directory.address,
+    size: observed.directory.size,
+  };
   return directory.rva !== 0 || directory.size !== 0
     ? { kind: "present", directory }
     : { kind: "absent" };