diff --git a/src/EntitlementSnapshotContract.php b/src/EntitlementSnapshotContract.php
index 6e92d44..e73aa64 100644
--- a/src/EntitlementSnapshotContract.php
+++ b/src/EntitlementSnapshotContract.php
@@ -27,11 +27,14 @@ public static function canonicalJson(array $snapshot): string
     public static function canonicalPayload(array $snapshot): array
     {
         self::assertValid($snapshot);
+        $entitlements = $snapshot['entitlements'];
+        $limitMap = (array) ($entitlements['limits'] ?? []);
+        $entitlements['limits'] = $limitMap === [] ? (object) [] : $limitMap;
 
         return [
             'algorithm' => self::ALGORITHM,
             'contract_version' => self::VERSION,
-            'entitlements' => self::canonicalize($snapshot['entitlements']),
+            'entitlements' => self::canonicalize($entitlements),
             'expires_at' => (string) $snapshot['expires_at'],
             'generated_at' => (string) $snapshot['generated_at'],
             'issuer' => (string) $snapshot['issuer'],
diff --git a/tests/EntitlementSnapshotContractTest.php b/tests/EntitlementSnapshotContractTest.php
index 933af7a..d007757 100644
--- a/tests/EntitlementSnapshotContractTest.php
+++ b/tests/EntitlementSnapshotContractTest.php
@@ -44,6 +44,23 @@ public function test_missing_or_changed_authorization_fields_are_rejected(): voi
         }
     }
 
+    public function test_empty_limit_map_is_stable_across_json_object_decoding(): void
+    {
+        $wirePayload = $this->payload();
+        $wirePayload['entitlements']['limits'] = (object) [];
+        $decodedPayload = json_decode(
+            json_encode($wirePayload, JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR),
+            true,
+            512,
+            JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR,
+        );
+
+        $wireCanonical = EntitlementSnapshotContract::canonicalJson($wirePayload);
+
+        self::assertSame($wireCanonical, EntitlementSnapshotContract::canonicalJson($decodedPayload));
+        self::assertStringContainsString('"limits":{}', $wireCanonical);
+    }
+
     public function test_expiry_must_be_after_generation(): void
     {
         $payload = $this->payload();