diff --git a/backend/app/core/ai_tree_validator.py b/backend/app/core/ai_tree_validator.py
index 97cc9d78..0f97caf9 100644
--- a/backend/app/core/ai_tree_validator.py
+++ b/backend/app/core/ai_tree_validator.py
@@ -301,6 +301,31 @@ def validate_generated_procedural_steps(tree: dict[str, Any]) -> list[str]:
                 f"Must be one of: {', '.join(sorted(VALID_CONTENT_TYPES))}"
             )
 
+        # Validate fallback_steps if present (one level deep only)
+        fallback_steps = step.get("fallback_steps")
+        if fallback_steps is not None:
+            if not isinstance(fallback_steps, list):
+                errors.append(f"Step '{step_id or f'index {i}'}' fallback_steps must be an array")
+            else:
+                fallback_ids: set[str] = set()
+                for j, fb_step in enumerate(fallback_steps):
+                    if not isinstance(fb_step, dict):
+                        errors.append(f"Fallback step at {step_id}[{j}] is not an object")
+                        continue
+                    fb_id = fb_step.get("id")
+                    if not fb_id or not isinstance(fb_id, str):
+                        errors.append(f"Fallback step at {step_id}[{j}] missing or invalid 'id'")
+                    elif fb_id in all_ids or fb_id in fallback_ids:
+                        errors.append(f"Duplicate fallback step ID: '{fb_id}' (collides with primary or other fallback steps)")
+                    else:
+                        fallback_ids.add(fb_id)
+                        all_ids.add(fb_id)
+                    fb_title = fb_step.get("title")
+                    if not fb_title or not isinstance(fb_title, str):
+                        errors.append(f"Fallback step '{fb_id or f'{step_id}[{j}]'}' missing or invalid 'title'")
+                    if fb_step.get("fallback_steps"):
+                        errors.append(f"Fallback step '{fb_id or f'{step_id}[{j}]'}' cannot have its own fallback_steps (one level deep only)")
+
     # Must have exactly one procedure_end as the last step
     if procedure_end_count == 0:
         errors.append("Procedural flow must have exactly one 'procedure_end' step")
diff --git a/backend/app/core/tree_validation.py b/backend/app/core/tree_validation.py
index 68918570..bb7f209e 100644
--- a/backend/app/core/tree_validation.py
+++ b/backend/app/core/tree_validation.py
@@ -208,6 +208,34 @@ def validate_procedural_structure(tree_structure: dict[str, Any]) -> tuple[bool,
         if content_type and content_type not in VALID_CONTENT_TYPES:
             errors.append({"field": f"{path}.content_type", "message": f"Invalid content_type: {content_type}. Must be one of: {', '.join(VALID_CONTENT_TYPES)}"})
 
+        # Validate fallback_steps if present (one level deep only)
+        fallback_steps = step.get("fallback_steps")
+        if fallback_steps is not None:
+            if not isinstance(fallback_steps, list):
+                errors.append({"field": f"{path}.fallback_steps", "message": "fallback_steps must be an array"})
+            else:
+                fallback_ids: set[str] = set()
+                for j, fb_step in enumerate(fallback_steps):
+                    fb_path = f"{path}.fallback_steps[{j}]"
+                    if not isinstance(fb_step, dict):
+                        errors.append({"field": fb_path, "message": "Fallback step must be an object"})
+                        continue
+                    fb_id = fb_step.get("id")
+                    if not fb_id:
+                        errors.append({"field": f"{fb_path}.id", "message": "Fallback step must have an id"})
+                    elif fb_id in seen_ids or fb_id in fallback_ids:
+                        errors.append({"field": f"{fb_path}.id", "message": f"Duplicate fallback step id: {fb_id}"})
+                    else:
+                        fallback_ids.add(fb_id)
+                        seen_ids.add(fb_id)
+                    if not fb_step.get("title"):
+                        errors.append({"field": f"{fb_path}.title", "message": "Fallback step must have a non-empty title"})
+                    fb_type = fb_step.get("type")
+                    if fb_type and fb_type not in VALID_STEP_TYPES:
+                        errors.append({"field": f"{fb_path}.type", "message": f"Invalid fallback step type: {fb_type}"})
+                    if fb_step.get("fallback_steps"):
+                        errors.append({"field": f"{fb_path}.fallback_steps", "message": "Fallback steps cannot have their own fallback_steps (one level deep only)"})
+
     # Must have exactly one end step
     if end_count == 0:
         errors.append({"field": "tree_structure.steps", "message": "Procedural tree must have a procedure_end step as the last step"})
diff --git a/backend/app/schemas/session.py b/backend/app/schemas/session.py
index b8e10f9b..58f4e2df 100644
--- a/backend/app/schemas/session.py
+++ b/backend/app/schemas/session.py
@@ -98,6 +98,9 @@ class SessionResponse(BaseModel):
     psa_ticket_id: Optional[str] = None
     psa_connection_id: Optional[UUID] = None
 
+    # Fallback step decisions
+    fallback_decisions: list[dict[str, Any]] = Field(default_factory=list)
+
     class Config:
         from_attributes = True
 
@@ -123,6 +126,14 @@ class SessionComplete(BaseModel):
     next_steps: Optional[str] = None
 
 
+class FallbackStepRecord(BaseModel):
+    parent_step_id: str
+    fallback_step_id: str
+    completed_at: str | None = None
+    notes: str | None = None
+    outcome: Literal['resolved', 'not_resolved', 'skipped']
+
+
 class SessionVariablesUpdate(BaseModel):
     """Partial update to session variables (dict merge)."""
     variables: dict[str, str] = Field(..., description="Key-value pairs to merge into session_variables")