diff --git a/core/wren/src/wren/context.py b/core/wren/src/wren/context.py
index 7ad8a2917c..402d8eb421 100644
--- a/core/wren/src/wren/context.py
+++ b/core/wren/src/wren/context.py
@@ -1554,13 +1554,21 @@ def _apply_v4_to_v5(project_path: Path) -> None:
 
 
 def _prop_description(item: dict) -> str | None:
-    return (item.get("properties") or {}).get("description")
+    props = item.get("properties") or {}
+    if not isinstance(props, dict):
+        return None
+    return props.get("description")
 
 
 def _check_descriptions(manifest: dict, *, strict: bool = False) -> list[str]:
     warnings: list[str] = []
 
-    for model in manifest.get("models", []):
+    models = manifest.get("models", []) or []
+    if not isinstance(models, list):
+        models = []
+    for model in models:
+        if not isinstance(model, dict):
+            continue
         name = model.get("name", "<unknown>")
         if not _prop_description(model):
             warnings.append(
@@ -1568,14 +1576,24 @@ def _check_descriptions(manifest: dict, *, strict: bool = False) -> list[str]:
                 "add properties.description to improve memory search and agent comprehension"
             )
         if strict:
-            for col in model.get("columns", []):
+            cols = model.get("columns", []) or []
+            if not isinstance(cols, list):
+                cols = []
+            for col in cols:
+                if not isinstance(col, dict):
+                    continue
                 col_name = col.get("name", "<unknown>")
                 if not _prop_description(col):
                     warnings.append(
                         f"Column '{col_name}' in model '{name}' has no description"
                     )
 
-    for view in manifest.get("views", []):
+    views = manifest.get("views", []) or []
+    if not isinstance(views, list):
+        views = []
+    for view in views:
+        if not isinstance(view, dict):
+            continue
         view_name = view.get("name", "<unknown>")
         if not _prop_description(view):
             warnings.append(
diff --git a/core/wren/tests/unit/test_check_descriptions_guards.py b/core/wren/tests/unit/test_check_descriptions_guards.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5a8ca922fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/wren/tests/unit/test_check_descriptions_guards.py
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+from wren.context import _check_descriptions
+
+
+def test_check_descriptions_skips_non_dict_models_and_columns():
+    warnings = _check_descriptions(
+        {
+            "models": [
+                "bad",
+                {
+                    "name": "orders",
+                    "properties": "oops",
+                    "columns": "x",
+                },
+                {
+                    "name": "ok",
+                    "properties": {"description": "d"},
+                    "columns": [None, {"name": "id"}],  # missing col desc when strict
+                },
+            ],
+            "views": ["nope", {"name": "v1"}],
+        },
+        strict=True,
+    )
+    # orders model missing desc; ok column id missing desc; v1 view missing desc
+    joined = "\n".join(warnings)
+    assert "Model 'orders'" in joined
+    assert "Column 'id' in model 'ok'" in joined
+    assert "View 'v1'" in joined