diff --git a/docs/STDO-124-plan.md b/docs/STDO-124-plan.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2ddf87b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/STDO-124-plan.md
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+**RESUME STATE** *(top of the file; rewritten in place, never appended to; keep under 12 lines)*
+- **Reconciled at**: this branch's HEAD, the P4 build-verification fix commit.
+- **Authoritative**: `PLAN.md` in `lucidworks/tbe-pitches`, branch `STDO-124-bet`, for stage
+  sequencing, the done-condition, the stage graph and every measured claim. This file exists only
+  so `/team-studios:status` and the compaction resume hook have something to find in this repo.
+- **Next**: this repo's release cut (an actual version tag) is a human action, not part of P4's
+  done-condition.
+
+**Decisions** *(append-only)*
+- **This file is a pointer, not a fork of the plan.** Full decision log: `tbe-pitches`'s
+  `decision-log.md` on `STDO-124-bet`.
+- **Two real defects fixed, not worked around**, to get a clean `mvn clean package` from an empty
+  local repository: a `NullPointerException` in `PropertiesLoader.readFolder` on a `null`
+  `listFiles()` result, and four test failures caused by a process-wide `Fig` singleton left
+  mutated by `FigUtilsTest` with no teardown.
+
+**Wiki candidates** *(append during the work, not at the end)*
+- (empty)
+
+---
+
+resume-state template r3-tamarind
diff --git a/fig-core/src/main/java/twigkit/fig/loader/PropertiesLoader.java b/fig-core/src/main/java/twigkit/fig/loader/PropertiesLoader.java
index 623622f..c2b4769 100644
--- a/fig-core/src/main/java/twigkit/fig/loader/PropertiesLoader.java
+++ b/fig-core/src/main/java/twigkit/fig/loader/PropertiesLoader.java
@@ -91,6 +91,10 @@ public boolean accept(File file, String s) {
         };
 
         File[] files = folder.listFiles(filter);
+        if (files == null) {
+            logger.error("Unable to list files in folder (not a directory, or an I/O error occurred): {}", folder);
+            files = new File[0];
+        }
 
         Arrays.sort(files, new Comparator<File>() {
             public int compare(File file, File file1) {
@@ -123,6 +127,9 @@ public boolean accept(File file) {
         };
 
         File[] nestedFolders = folder.listFiles(folderFilter);
+        if (nestedFolders == null) {
+            nestedFolders = new File[0];
+        }
         for (File nestedFolder : nestedFolders) {
             readFolder(fig, nestedFolder);
         }
diff --git a/fig-core/src/test/java/twigkit.fig/util/FigUtilsTest.java b/fig-core/src/test/java/twigkit.fig/util/FigUtilsTest.java
index be5709c..bb0c16e 100644
--- a/fig-core/src/test/java/twigkit.fig/util/FigUtilsTest.java
+++ b/fig-core/src/test/java/twigkit.fig/util/FigUtilsTest.java
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package twigkit.fig.util;
 
+import org.junit.After;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import twigkit.fig.Config;
 import twigkit.fig.Fig;
@@ -13,9 +14,27 @@
  */
 public class FigUtilsTest {
 
+    /**
+     * {@link Fig#getInstance(twigkit.fig.loader.Loader...)} returns a process-wide singleton
+     * keyed on the loader(s) used. {@link FigUtils#merge(Fig, Fig)} mutates its first
+     * argument in place, so merging into the singleton for "confs" here would otherwise
+     * permanently leave that shared instance with merged-in data for the rest of the test
+     * run, corrupting unrelated tests (e.g. in {@code MergedPropertiesLoaderTest}) that
+     * expect to see the pristine "confs" configuration. Reloading after each test restores
+     * the singleton to its original, unmerged state.
+     */
+    private Fig primary;
+
+    @After
+    public void restoreSharedPrimaryFig() {
+        if (primary != null) {
+            primary.reload();
+        }
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void testExistingConfigPropertiesAreLeftUnchanged() {
-        Fig primary = Fig.getInstance(new PropertiesLoader("confs"));
+        primary = Fig.getInstance(new PropertiesLoader("confs"));
         Fig secondary = Fig.getInstance(new PropertiesLoader("confs_dev"));
 
         String originalRoot1KeyValue = primary.find("root").value("root-1-key").as_string();
@@ -38,7 +57,7 @@ public void testExistingConfigPropertiesAreLeftUnchanged() {
 
     @Test
     public void testExistingConfigsAreUpdatedWithNewPropertyValues() {
-        Fig primary = Fig.getInstance(new PropertiesLoader("confs"));
+        primary = Fig.getInstance(new PropertiesLoader("confs"));
         Fig secondary = Fig.getInstance(new PropertiesLoader("confs_dev"));
 
         FigUtils.merge(primary, secondary);
@@ -55,7 +74,7 @@ public void testExistingConfigsAreUpdatedWithNewPropertyValues() {
 
     @Test
     public void testExistingConfigsAreUpdatedWithNewProperties() {
-        Fig primary = Fig.getInstance(new PropertiesLoader("confs"));
+        primary = Fig.getInstance(new PropertiesLoader("confs"));
         Fig secondary = Fig.getInstance(new PropertiesLoader("confs_dev"));
 
         FigUtils.merge(primary, secondary);
@@ -70,7 +89,7 @@ public void testExistingConfigsAreUpdatedWithNewProperties() {
 
     @Test
     public void testExistingConfigsAreUpdatedWithNewExtensions() {
-        Fig primary = Fig.getInstance(new PropertiesLoader("confs"));
+        primary = Fig.getInstance(new PropertiesLoader("confs"));
         Fig secondary = Fig.getInstance(new PropertiesLoader("confs_dev"));
 
         FigUtils.merge(primary, secondary);
@@ -81,7 +100,7 @@ public void testExistingConfigsAreUpdatedWithNewExtensions() {
 
     @Test
     public void testNewConfigsCanBeAdded() {
-        Fig primary = Fig.getInstance(new PropertiesLoader("confs"));
+        primary = Fig.getInstance(new PropertiesLoader("confs"));
         Fig secondary = Fig.getInstance(new PropertiesLoader("confs_dev"));
 
         FigUtils.merge(primary, secondary);
@@ -92,7 +111,7 @@ public void testNewConfigsCanBeAdded() {
 
     @Test
     public void testChildConfigPropertyValuesCanBeUpdated() {
-        Fig primary = Fig.getInstance(new PropertiesLoader("confs"));
+        primary = Fig.getInstance(new PropertiesLoader("confs"));
         Fig secondary = Fig.getInstance(new PropertiesLoader("confs_dev"));
 
         FigUtils.merge(primary, secondary);