diff --git a/pallas-txbuilder/src/transaction/model.rs b/pallas-txbuilder/src/transaction/model.rs
index bc4e4c4..8e20281 100644
--- a/pallas-txbuilder/src/transaction/model.rs
+++ b/pallas-txbuilder/src/transaction/model.rs
@@ -433,7 +433,22 @@ impl StagingTransaction {
     /// VotingProcedure>>` map and pass the encoded bytes here.
     ///
     /// Used for DRep / SPO / committee voting on Conway governance actions.
+    ///
+    /// **Empty-map footgun**: Conway ledger expects this field to be
+    /// omitted (i.e. `None`) when there are no votes. Passing an empty
+    /// CBOR map (`0xa0`) gets through pallas-codec's
+    /// `NonEmptyKeyValuePairs::decode` (the upstream empty-map check is
+    /// commented out) but the resulting tx fails ledger validation at
+    /// submit time. **Don't call this builder if the map is empty —
+    /// just omit it.** The debug_assert below catches accidental empty-
+    /// map calls in dev/test builds.
     pub fn voting_procedures(mut self, cbor_bytes: Vec<u8>) -> Self {
+        debug_assert_ne!(
+            cbor_bytes.as_slice(),
+            &[0xa0u8],
+            "voting_procedures called with empty CBOR map — Conway ledger \
+             rejects this; omit the field instead",
+        );
         self.voting_procedures = Some(cbor_bytes);
         self
     }