diff --git a/src/node/redeem.rs b/src/node/redeem.rs
index aa0bf45e..d118992e 100644
--- a/src/node/redeem.rs
+++ b/src/node/redeem.rs
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ impl<J: Jet> RedeemNode<J> {
 
             fn convert_data(
                 &mut self,
-                _: &PostOrderIterItem<&RedeemNode<J>>,
+                data: &PostOrderIterItem<&RedeemNode<J>>,
                 inner: Inner<
                     &Arc<ConstructNode<'brand, J>>,
                     J,
@@ -369,11 +369,29 @@ impl<J: Jet> RedeemNode<J> {
                     &Option<Value>,
                 >,
             ) -> Result<ConstructData<'brand, J>, Self::Error> {
+                let preserved_case_target = matches!(data.node.inner(), Inner::Case(..))
+                    && matches!(inner.as_ref(), Inner::AssertL(..) | Inner::AssertR(..));
                 let converted_inner = inner
                     .map(|node| node.cached_data())
                     .map_witness(Option::<Value>::clone);
                 let retyped = ConstructData::from_inner(&self.inference_context, converted_inner)
                     .expect("pruned types should check out if unpruned types check out");
+                if preserved_case_target {
+                    // Re-inference of assertl/assertr intentionally forgets the hidden branch.
+                    // When that assert came from pruning a case, keep the original case target
+                    // so final witness shrinking does not over-specialize the surviving branch.
+                    let original_target = types::Type::complete(
+                        &self.inference_context,
+                        Arc::clone(&data.node.arrow().target),
+                    );
+                    self.inference_context
+                        .unify(
+                            &retyped.arrow().target,
+                            &original_target,
+                            "pruned assert target = original case target",
+                        )
+                        .expect("pruned assert target should stay compatible with the original case target");
+                }
                 Ok(retyped)
             }
         }
@@ -607,9 +625,10 @@ impl<J: Jet> RedeemNode<J> {
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
+    use crate::dag::{DagLike, NoSharing};
     use crate::human_encoding::Forest;
     use crate::jet::Core;
-    use crate::node::SimpleFinalizer;
+    use crate::node::{ConstructNode, CoreConstructible, SimpleFinalizer, WitnessConstructible};
     use crate::types::Final;
     use hex::DisplayHex;
     use std::collections::HashMap;
@@ -1129,6 +1148,86 @@ main := comp input comp process jet_verify : 1 -> 1"#;
             &env,
         );
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn prune_case_to_assert_preserves_nested_sum_witness() {
+        type Node<'brand> = Arc<ConstructNode<'brand, Core>>;
+
+        crate::types::Context::with_context(|ctx| {
+            let original_witness = Value::left(
+                Value::product(
+                    Value::right(Final::u1(), Value::u1(1)),
+                    Value::right(Final::u1(), Value::u1(0)),
+                ),
+                Final::unit(),
+            );
+            let expected_pruned_witness = Value::left(
+                Value::product(Value::unit(), Value::right(Final::u1(), Value::u1(0))),
+                Final::unit(),
+            );
+
+            let witness = Node::witness(&ctx, Some(original_witness.clone()));
+            let witness_ty =
+                crate::types::Type::complete(&ctx, Arc::new(original_witness.ty().clone()));
+            ctx.unify(
+                &witness.arrow().target,
+                &witness_ty,
+                "bind regression witness target type",
+            )
+            .expect("regression witness type should be consistent");
+            let unit = Node::unit(&ctx);
+            let input = Node::pair(&witness, &unit).unwrap();
+
+            let iden = Node::iden(&ctx);
+            let keep_right = Node::take(&Node::drop_(&iden));
+            let keep_unit = Node::drop_(&Node::unit(&ctx));
+            let left = Node::pair(&keep_unit, &keep_right).unwrap();
+            // The hidden branch is what pins the surviving nested sum target to 1 + 1.
+            let right_value =
+                Value::product(Value::unit(), Value::right(Final::u1(), Value::u1(1)));
+            let right_const = Node::scribe(&ctx, &right_value);
+            let right = Node::drop_(&right_const);
+            let process = Node::case(&left, &right).unwrap();
+            let main = Node::comp(&input, &process).unwrap();
+
+            let unpruned = main
+                .finalize_unpruned()
+                .expect("unpruned regression program should finalize");
+            let mut mac =
+                BitMachine::for_program(&unpruned).expect("unpruned program has reasonable bounds");
+            let unpruned_output = mac
+                .exec(&unpruned, &())
+                .expect("unpruned program should execute");
+
+            let pruned = unpruned
+                .prune(&())
+                .expect("pruning should succeed for the regression program");
+            assert!(
+                pruned
+                    .as_ref()
+                    .post_order_iter::<NoSharing>()
+                    .any(|data| matches!(data.node.inner(), Inner::AssertL(..))),
+                "pruning should turn the outer case into assertl",
+            );
+
+            let pruned_witness = pruned
+                .as_ref()
+                .post_order_iter::<NoSharing>()
+                .find_map(|data| match data.node.inner() {
+                    Inner::Witness(value) => Some(value.clone()),
+                    _ => None,
+                })
+                .expect("pruned program should still contain the witness node");
+            assert_eq!(pruned_witness, expected_pruned_witness);
+
+            let mut mac =
+                BitMachine::for_program(&pruned).expect("pruned program has reasonable bounds");
+            let pruned_output = mac
+                .exec(&pruned, &())
+                .expect("pruned program should execute");
+            assert_eq!(pruned_output, unpruned_output);
+        });
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(bench)]